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23 Y ou win some, you dominate some. But mostly you dominate some. at's the early-season synopsis of the University of Iowa wrestling program. e Hawkeyes won nine tournament titles at the Luther Open on Nov. 12. ey swept through the Iowa City Duals on Nov. 18, scoring bonus points in 16-of-20 matches, and on Nov. 27, they routed Purdue in West Layette, Indiana, 34-3, in the Big Ten Conference opener. Sixty-eight wins, two losses. at was the combined record of Iowa's varsity lineup in November. e competition isn't what it was last November, when Iowa defeated top-ranked Oklahoma State in the season-opener, but it is still man-versus-man, and the Hawkeyes were dominant. Iowa's five returning All-Americans — omas Gilman (125 pounds), Cory Clark (133), Brandon Sorensen (149), Alex Meyer (174), and Sammy Brooks (184) — are a combined 33-0. Gilman, Clark, and Sorensen have 12 pins in 21 matches. "We want to see whipping butt and taking names," UI head coach Tom Brands said Nov. 18 aer the Iowa City Duals, "but there are always things to work on." Brands expects dominance in November, but he expects it every other month of the year too, most importantly in March. Iowa's veterans know as much, and the rookies are off to a promising start. Six wrestlers made their Carver-Hawkeye Arena debuts against Cornell College and Iowa Central at the Iowa City Duals. Sophomore Mitch Bowman (285) and redshirt freshmen Joey Gunther (165), Steven Holloway (285), Michael Kemerer (157), and Cash Wilcke (197) combined to go undefeated in nine bouts with four falls and three technical falls. "I saw some good things from Steven Holloway and that was a weight I wanted to get," Brands said. "Gunther moved up a weight and it didn't faze him. He gave up the first takedown, but got right back into the match against a guy who knows how to wrestle. And Moody was entertaining, probably outstanding wrestler of the event. Now the competition ratchets up and we need to see more urgency about us." Four of the six rookies joined five returning All-Americans in the lineup at Purdue (senior Topher Carton was also in the lineup at 141 and improved to 8-0 with a 19-8 major decision). Holloway lost, 4-2, to a fih-year senior at 285, but the other three notched their first conference wins. Kemerer and Wilcke earned a pair of decisions. Gunther improved to 8-0 while trying to solidify his hold on 165 pounds. "It feels awesome. I'm ready to take on this role at 165," Gunther said. "It was nice to get a Big Ten match under my belt and get the win. I just kept bringing the pace higher and higher, getting to my attacks, and they were coming easier and easier as the match was going on." e competition increases in December. Iowa wrestles at South Dakota on Dec. 2 before returning home to host Iowa State on Dec. 10. e annual Midlands Championships anchors the month Dec. 29-30 in Evanston, Illinois. "We'll continue to move forward," said Brands. "We're getting into the competition where we'll see more of where we're at." DECEMBER SCHEDULE Dec. 2 at South Dakota State Dec. 10 vs. Iowa State (Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series) Dec. 29-30 at Midlands Championships