Ben Kueter is primed and ready to go all-in on Iowa wrestling
“I think a lot of people talked about how scary he was going to be when Ben Kueter finally went full wrestling. Now he’s full wrestling and it’s a scary thing – a scary sight to see.”
If ever a quote were to encapsulate the talk/hopes of the Iowa wrestling fanbase regarding prized heavyweight Ben Kueter, it might be the one above from fellow Hawkeye Gabe Arnold.
For years – even before Kueter stepped onto campus in Iowa City – folks have wondered aloud what might be in store if the all-everything athlete decided to focus his entire attention solely on the mat.
That’s the sort of curiosity that tends to abound when you’re an undefeated four-time Iowa state champion who registered bonus points in 105 of those 111 career wins – all the while dividing a sizable portion of your time/attention toward standout efforts on the gridiron, diamond and track.
Now, after spending his freshman year in redshirt for both football and wrestling, we’re about to see what the 2022 U20 World Champion might become with a one-track mind.
Kueter announced back in early June that he’d be dedicating his entire attention to the mat up to and through the 2024-25 college wrestling season.
Wrestling season is here now.
In the five months since that decision, those around him have seen plenty to make them believe big things are in store for the 20-year-old.
And with nearly five more until the NCAA Championships in March, there’s belief that folks still haven’t seen anywhere close to the best of Ben Kueter just yet.
“He’s a curious fellow, very curious. We love him.”
Aside from his obvious physical gifts, one of the aspects about Kueter that Iowa head coach Tom Brands harped on during the team’s recent media day was the mental side of his game.
“The biggest thing with Ben Kueter is he is a conscientious guy. I think that’s a good trait. Especially when you’re young, you want to make sure that your I’s are dotted and your T’s are crossed, meaning good enough just isn’t going to cut it,” says Brands of the redshirt freshman.
It isn’t just about preparation either. Kueter has also shown his coach a desire to seek the hard truth in the aftermath of failure.
Two such instances – a rarity for the young superstar – occurred within the past nine months, and on the grandest of stages, no less.
This past season Kueter was given the opportunity to wrestle top-ranked (and eventual NCAA champion) Greg Kerkvliet in Iowa’s home dual against #1 Penn State. It was just the third match of his college career and barely a month after football season had ended.
In front of a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena crowd he’d fall to Kerkvliet via 9-1 major decision.
Then in early September – a few months after going all-in on wrestling – Kueter found himself in the U20 World Final in Pontevedra, Spain. With a gold medal on the line he’d come up empty-handed once again in a 4-2 decision to Iran’s Amirreza Masoumi, the fourth-ranked heavyweight in the world (regardless of age).
Those setbacks haven’t deterred him from seeking improvement, according to Brands.
“He looks for feedback. He asks for feedback. He’s mature in that regard, meaning thick skin to the point where if he’s not asking and he’s getting feedback, he’ll take it. He’s a curious fellow, very curious. We love him.”
A teammate’s perspective (both old and new)
Gabe Arnold has competed side-by-side with Kueter since the two first became teammates as high school seniors. He’s already seen what one of his now-best friends can do on the mat amidst divided athletic commitments.
Arnold is no stranger to high-level wrestling himself. In fact, Iowa’s ‘other’ highly anticipated redshirt freshman racked up several ranked wins a year ago. One of those (over #6 Will Feldkamp) was critical in Iowa’s latest dual victory over the in-state rival Cyclones.
Asked to assess how his friend looks two days before the season opener, Arnold didn’t mince words.
“That dude’s gonna be a problem,” said Iowa’s starter at 184 pounds this weekend in Corvallis, Oregon. “He’s been locked in (to wrestling) for a while now and he’s only been getting better. And there’s still so much time left in the season.”
A teammate who’s a bit newer to the ‘Kueter experience’ is 197-pounder Stephen Buchanan.
Ranked #1 entering this season after transferring to Iowa from Oklahoma, you’d figure the sixth-year senior had just about seen it all. Then again, maybe he hadn’t just yet.
“Aw man, let me see. He was just big. He was strong. And then when I wrestled him, he was stronger, faster, better than what I expected,” says Buchanan of his initial impression of Kueter.
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“It’s good to have him as a practice partner, even if I’m like a pummeling dummy. It’s good to have him.”
I’m not sure how many #1 ranked wrestlers have ever described themselves as a ‘pummeling dummy.’
Kind of makes you wonder if this Kueter fella might be pretty good, huh?
Ready to roll
“All of them. I’m excited to get my hands on everybody.”
That was Ben Kueter’s response to a question about which opposing heavyweights he’s most looking forward to wrestling this season.
He’ll certainly get his chance. Four of the top six ranked 285-pounders in the country are presently on the 2024-25 Iowa schedule.
As for his biggest areas of growth since committing to wrestling full-time? How about actual growth – as in the growing size of an already large human being.
“I weighed 218 (pounds) at World Team Trials (in June). I’m at 235 right now,” says Kueter.
He’s also gotten to a point where he believes his conditioning can be a major factor in his first full college season.
“I think the biggest thing is my pace. I think I can demolish a lot of people with my pace, and I need to have a faster pace when I’m wrestling guys – especially being at heavyweight,” offered the redshirt freshman during team media day. “My shape is probably the best it’s ever been, I would say, with these Coach Brands practices.”
Kueter joked that this might be the first time in his entire life that he’s focused on just one sport.
And it’s with that focus, with the added weight and improved conditioning that he feels ready to take on the very best – no matter where they’re from.
“It shows that I’m right there with the best wrestlers in the world,” says Kueter of his narrow September defeat in the U20 World final.
Iowa fans probably aren’t worried about their heavyweight’s place in the international pecking order just yet.
But hey, if he’s good enough to take on the best in the world that likely bodes well for this NCAA season, too.
(I’m certainly not one to question it.)
Prediction?
Look, it’s still way too early to prognosticate what Ben Kueter’s future may entail come the NCAA Championships in March – at least it is for this writer.
His long-time teammate, on the other hand, is far less reticent.
“He’s going to be on top of that podium come the end of the year. Anyone who has a brain cell won’t be surprised to see that,” confidently states Gabe Arnold.
Regardless of anyone’s predictions, the best part of the Ben Kueter conversation is that starting tonight we finally get to find out for real.
Hawkeye fans have been looking forward to this day for a long time.
Now that it’s here, let’s all sit back and enjoy the show.
