Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/96069
Take I-80 West to Hawkeye Country By Chris Brewer A modest 113 miles separate the University of St. John is the defending 157-pound Big Ten Iowa wrestling team from its next NCAA title. champion and NCAA runner-up, and he begins The trip itself should only take two hours, but the this year ranked No. 1 at the same weight. Hawkeyes are taking the six-month route. Including McDonough and St. John, the Hawkeyes Des Moines hosts the 2013 NCAA Championships have seven wrestlers ranked among the country's at Wells Fargo Arena from March 21-23. Iowa has top 10. They include sophomores Bobby Telford won the national tournament 23 times, including and Mike Evans, juniors Ethen Lofthouse and a three-year stretch from 2008-10, but in today's Tony Ramos, and senior Grant Gambrall. Iowa wrestling room, 2010 may as well be the first Thanksgiving. Ramos enters the season ranked No. 3 at 133 pounds after placing third at last year's Two years removed from its last championship, NCAA tournament. Telford is the sixth-rated 285-pounder in the nation after earning AllIowa will chase No. 24 by rolling out a familiar blueprint. America honors last season, and Evans, who failed to reach the NCAA medal stand despite being the No. 5 seed last year, enters his sophomore season "You don't want eight or nine guys doing a job," Brands said at his annual media day. "When you're with a sense of urgency. talking about realizing your full fire power, the "Last year didn't end the way I wanted it to," said formula isn't complicated, it's very simple. Ten weight classes, you want 10 weight classes scoring Evans, the preseason No. 4 at 165. "I've been thinking about this season since I walked off the points." mat. I expect more and I expect better." Top-ranked wrestlers Matt McDonough and Derek St. John have a hold on their respective Gambrall was an All-American at 184 in 2011, and Lofthouse earned the same honor at 174 in 2012, weight classes. McDonough, a two-time national champion, enters his senior year with the fourth but they're flip-flopping weight classes this year, best winning percentage in school history. and both are recognized in the polls as the eighthrated wrestler in their respective class. He has already scored a pair of wins over top 10 Mark Ballweg, ranked No. 14, is the eighth opponents, and his toughest competition to date Hawkeye garnering national attention. He replaces has come from his own wrestling room in the two-time NCAA finalist Montell Marion in the form of true freshmen Cory Clark and Thomas Gilman. lineup at 141. Iowa is shutout of the rankings at 149 and 197. The Hawkeyes failed to qualify an "I think we have some good guys there that are NCAA wrestler at both weight classes last season, checking him every day he walks in the door," said and this year it looks like a pair of freshmen, Brands. " It's healthy for our team, healthy for our Brody Grothus (149) and Nathan Burak (197), future." may fill the void. 39