The University of Iowa wrestling team, ranked third nationally, is set to face Iowa State University in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series dual on Sunday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. The match will be televised on ESPN and broadcast via radio and online platforms.
Iowa’s probable lineup includes several top-ranked wrestlers such as Dean Peterson (125 lbs), Drake Ayala (133 lbs), Nasir Bailey (141 lbs), Ryder Block (149 lbs), Jordan Williams or Victor Voinovich III (157 lbs), Michael Caliendo (165 lbs), Patrick Kennedy (174 lbs), Angelo Ferrari (184 lbs), Massoma Endene (197 lbs), and Ben Kueter (285 lbs).
This meeting marks the 89th all-time matchup between the Hawkeyes and Cyclones, a rivalry that dates back to 1912. Iowa leads the series with a record of 70-16-2, including winning the last 20 meetings and 35 of the last 36. In matches held in Ames, Iowa holds a record of 29-11-4 and has not lost there since 1980 except for four occasions. The teams have faced each other as top-10 opponents frequently since 1985, with Iowa holding a dominant record during those contests.
Head coach Tom Brands remains undefeated against Iowa State at 19-0. The Dan Gable Traveling Trophy, introduced in 2010 to honor former champions from both schools, has been retained by Iowa in every dual since its inception.
Several individual rematches are anticipated based on prior encounters between wrestlers from both teams. For example, Dean Peterson previously lost to Stevo Poulin at last year’s NCAA tournament; Drake Ayala defeated Evan Frost in their previous dual; Michael Caliendo beat Connor Euton last season; Patrick Kennedy won against MJ Gaitan; while Ben Kueter lost to Yonger Bastida in their last Cy-Hawk encounter.
Massoma Endene has started his Division I career strongly with six straight wins this season after moving up from Division III where he was a three-time national champion. His recent performances include victories over highly ranked opponents at major events.
In their most recent outing, Iowa swept all ten matches against Pittsburgh with five coming via bonus points. This contributed to their overall statistics this season: outscoring opponents by more than 170 points collectively and achieving a high rate of takedowns and bonus point wins.
Four newcomers made their debut for the Hawkeyes earlier this month: Nasir Bailey, Massoma Endene, Dean Peterson, and Jordan Williams—all transfers or first-year athletes bringing previous accolades from other programs.
The team recently finished as runners-up at the National Duals Invitational after defeating three ranked opponents before falling to Ohio State in the finals. Three Hawkeye wrestlers also secured titles at the Luther Open earlier this season.
Family connections remain strong within the program with multiple sets of brothers competing for Iowa men’s wrestling—including head coach Tom Brands and associate head coach Terry Brands themselves among past brother pairs associated with Hawkeye wrestling history.
The current roster features five past All-Americans: Drake Ayala, Nasir Bailey, Michael Caliendo, Patrick Kennedy, and Ben Kueter. The program has maintained an unbroken streak of producing All-Americans for over fifty years.
Construction on the new $31 million Goschke Family Wrestling Training Center was completed in May 2024. This facility now serves as home for both men’s and women’s wrestling teams and features expanded practice areas along with historical displays celebrating program achievements.
Iowa continues to lead national attendance figures for college wrestling—a distinction held throughout Tom Brands’ tenure—drawing average crowds exceeding thirteen thousand per event last season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Looking ahead this season nine out of fifteen scheduled dual meets are against teams ranked within the NWCA preseason top twenty-five coaches’ poll—including six top-ten opponents such as Penn State (#1) and Nebraska (#2).
The Hawkeyes concluded last year’s campaign with a record of fourteen wins versus one loss overall—finishing third at Big Ten Championships and fourth nationally while crowning five All-Americans.
“Iowa City is proud to be known as Wrestletown USA,” said representatives reflecting on sustained fan support during major competitions hosted locally over recent years.
Academic achievement also remains central: ten wrestlers were named Academic All-Big Ten honorees for maintaining GPAs above three-point-oh while competing during winter sports seasons.
Since securing its first NCAA championship under Gary Kurdelmeier nearly fifty years ago—in which time it has amassed twenty-four national titles—Iowa maintains its position atop collegiate wrestling records nationwide.
Following Sunday’s rivalry meet in Ames—the next scheduled competition for Iowa is set against Chattanooga and Utah Valley during an invitational event on December twelfth.