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23 E ric Juergens described himself as a typical Midwestern kid growing up in Maquoketa, Iowa. A typical Midwestern kid doesn't win all 144 of their high school wrestling matches, attend the most notorious wrestling university in the land and then add two individual national championships and two other All-America honors to their resume. Juergens wrestled at 118 and 133 pounds for the University of Iowa from 1998-2001, compiling a record of 120-13 with 23 falls. When it comes to Hawkeye wrestling, Juergens finds himself among the top 10 individuals of all time. Aer placing third at both the Big Ten and NCAA championships as a freshman and sophomore, he closed his final two seasons with a record of 61-1, winning two Big Ten and two NCAA titles. At the time, he was the 16th four- time All-American in Iowa wrestling history (there are now 20), winning 65 of his final 66 matches and finishing on a 28-match winning streak. "Nothing can top national titles," said Juergens. "e first because you finally overcome a mountain that seemed impossible to climb; the second because I was in front of family, friends, teammates, and extended family in my back yard (Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 17, 2001). It was a storybook ending and I don't know if you can top that." In 2000, Juergens capped an undefeated 31-0 season with a 3-1 victory over Iowa State's Cody Sanderson in the 133-pound finals match. In 2001, he defeated Oklahoma State's Johnny ompson, 10-7, in the final at 133. Juergens began wrestling in third grade in Maquoketa, participating in a program that met on four consecutive Monday evenings. It wasn't enough. "We were getting killed, but my brother and I loved the sport," Juergens said. (Eric's younger brother, Marc, lettered for the Hawkeyes from 1999-2002). Several parents, including Eric's father, Jim, organized the Little Cards Wrestling Club and when the first year came to a close, there were at least two dozen boys on the mat. "By the end of the year we were at least competitive, so that made wrestling more fun," Juergens said. It wasn't a case of immediate success, but Juergens utilized resources in the form of parents Jim and Deb and quality coaching at all levels. What set him apart was his dedication and ability to set goals. "Every step, you learn you can push yourself a little harder and a little more, you get better training partners and that was the case for me," Juergens said.