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Iowa/Minnesota headlines double dual weekend for the Hawkeyes

by:Tanner Lafever•02/13/25•

TannerLafever

Jacori Teemer
A pair of top-10 opponents highlight what could be a big weekend in the return to form/health of 157-pounder Jacori Teemer. (Photo Credit: Joseph Cress/Freelance)

As quickly as it began just 32 days ago, come this Sunday afternoon the Iowa men’s wrestling team will officially conclude its 2024-25 Big Ten dual schedule.

Such is the calendar of the premier wrestling conference in America.

In barely a month it comes and goes, but not before swinging a barrage of sledgehammers in the face of any team who walks the path.

For the third-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes (11-1, 5-1 B1G) this weekend represents its final two opportunities to welcome (and overcome) that challenge.

First up, a visit to the Twin Cities for a clash with border rival Minnesota (10-1, 6-1 B1G). The sixth-ranked Gophers are having their best season in years thanks to a balanced lineup capped with an Olympic gold medalist at heavyweight.

Entering Friday night, there’s chatter that perhaps this Minnesota team can pull off what the last 10 editions have been unable to – beat the Hawkeyes.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s weekend finale against Northwestern (3-6, 1-5 B1G) figures to be a far less competitive endeavor. Not only does Iowa own a 76-7-1 advantage in the all-time series, but a 33-3 mark in Iowa City – site of Sunday’s dual.

Tom Brands (15-0) has never lost to the Wildcats as Hawkeye head coach. Expect to see that streak continue in a few days.

Here’s the projected lineups for Iowa’s double-dual weekend – headlined by a pair of notable additions to the Iowa probables:

It’s been more than two months (December 6th) since Nelson Brands took the mat. That’s roughly the same timetable as Jacori Teemer – who missed nine weeks following a November leg injury before returning three weeks ago against #4 Ohio State.

Both could be in the lineup this weekend – Teemer answering an important question at 157, Brands (potentially) asking others at 174.

#3 Iowa @ #6 Minnesota (Friday, 8:00 p.m. CT)

I mentioned the chatter about a potential Gopher upset, and in truth, it’s not an outrageous prediction to make.

With 10 ranked wrestlers, Minnesota is strong across the board and possesses a near bonus point lock in Gable Steveson. Were Friday’s bouts to be split evenly five-apiece between the Hawkeyes and Gophers you’d probably favor the home team’s chances.

Fortunately for the Hawkeyes, they project as strong favorites in six separate matches. Hold serve in those and it’d take an outsized bonus-point effort from Minnesota to make up the difference.

Iowa also has a puncher’s chance at two upsets of its own, either of which would likely provide serious breathing room in its effort to win the dual.

We’ll hit those first.

125/184

One week prior to Friday night’s Iowa/Minnesota dual, Gopher 125-pounder Cooper Flynn lost a 9-0 match to Ohio State’s Brendan McCrone.

A few weeks earlier, Iowa’s Joey Cruz defeated that very same McCrone, 6-4, scoring the bouts only two takedowns in the process.

Given the fickle nature of the transitive property, those two results hardly make Cruz the favorite when he and Flynn square off in Minneapolis. However, I do think it hints at a far lesser disparity between the two wrestlers than their #26 (Cruz) and #13 rankings (Flynn) would suggest.

Keep an eye on this one.

Such a rankings disparity doesn’t nearly exist at 184 pounds, where a pair of talented redshirt freshmen will lock horns.

#9 Gabe Arnold (12-2) looks to rebound form his first (contested) loss of the season against a guy who’s yet to taste defeat as a collegian, #4 Max McEnelly.

McEnelly – 17-0 with 15 bonus point victories – is one of the bright young stars in college wrestling that folks may not be familiar with.

He’s a high-paced, high-powered upper weight who figures to test Arnold’s stingy defense in a way that could force the Hawkeye to open things up himself. That hasn’t exactly been Arnold’s strength of late, with the second-year grappler having failed to register a takedown (in regulation) since January 17th against Illinois.

If you’re an Iowa fan you know that Gabe can score when he pulls the trigger, so perhaps this’ll be exactly the match he needs.

Tom Brands officially confirmed two weeks ago that Arnold will be Iowa’s postseason starter at 184 pounds. If he can get a road win over McEnelly you’d have to feel awfully good about his chances of reaching the podium at NCAAs next month.

Get ‘er done

As previously stated, if Iowa takes care of business at its half-dozen favored weights a dual victory is darn-near secure.

The first two places to look should probably be matchups that have played out before – all in favor of current Hawkeyes.

At 157 pounds, #3 Jacori Teemer returns to face #8 Tommy Askey.

These two previously met some three-years-and-change ago at the Mountaineer Invitational.

Then at Arizona State (Teemer) and Appalachian State (Askey) respectively, Teemer won a 14-5 major decision.

How does Teemer look still just two matches back from his lengthy injury absence? How much, if any, has Askey closed the gap since late-2021?

Iowa will take a win however it can get it.

That same sentiment applies to 165 pounds, where #2 Michael Caliendo will look to extend his career record to 5-0 against #11 Andrew Sparks.

Of their four-match series to date, all have been close decisions for Caliendo:

  • 11-10 (2022)
  • 5-2 (2022)
  • 2-1 (2022)
  • 7-6 (2024)

The last of those took place in late-December in the final of the Soldier Salute.

Close or not, Caliendo has repeatedly proven to be the superior wrestler between the two. It’d be based solely on a hunch – albeit hardly outlandish – to predict their dynamic will flip on Friday night.

Meanwhile, third-ranked Hawkeyes Drake Ayala (133) and Kyle Parco (149) are both substantial favorites in first-time matchups with #19 Tyler Wells and #29 Drew Roberts respectively.

Either could do Iowa an additional favor by pressing for bonus points if the opportunity presents itself.

The same can be said for 174/197.

Be it #11 Patrick Kennedy or 2023 All-American Nelson Brands for the Hawks, both appear a cut (or two) above #22 Clayton Whiting – who’s just 4-7 this season against ranked opponents.

#1 Stephen Buchanan can lay a similar claim when he toes the line versus #8 Isaiah Salazar.

That may seem like bold statement given Salazar’s credentials – a returning All-American and Big Ten champion at 184 pounds – but the Gopher hasn’t been nearly as good at 197 and Buchanan has been that good all season long, the latest such evidence coming via his heroics against Nebraska last weekend.

Again, if the Hawkeyes simply hold strong where expected, they’ll be in great shape. If not, things could get dicey…

Gopher bonus point advantage

It behooves Iowa to reach the six-win mark in this dual because a split brings bonus points firmly into play. And there, (on paper) Minnesota holds the edge.

The last time Cullan Schriever and Vance VomBaur wrestled Shriever won via 12-3 major decision in a match at the UNI Open.

Of course, that was in 2021. Fast forward to today and Shriever is just 4-7 as he battles for a spot in the Iowa lineup at 141 pounds. VomBaur on the other hand – a returning All-American currently ranked eighth in the country – arguably just outwrestled reigning NCAA champion Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) in a sudden victory road defeat.

You’d expect him to win handily in this rematch with Schriever, regardless of their lone previous meeting.

It’ll be a different story, if (likely) similar conclusion at heavyweight.

Look, I wouldn’t pick anyone on planet earth to beat #1 Gable Steveson in a wrestling match.

(I’d also hesitate if given the option to select an extraterrestrial lifeform, BTW.)

That said, if you’re Ben Kueter you (hopefully) have nothing to lose when the first period whistle blows. Ideally, Iowa will have wrapped up the dual by the time he and Steveson toe the line and Kueter can wrestle both with zero to fear and everything to gain/learn.

#3 Iowa vs. Northwestern (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. CT)

Iowa’s second dual of the weekend won’t have the same ‘zest’ as Friday night’s matchup in large part because the Hawkeyes won’t be opposed by the same type of depth/star power in the opposing lineup.

Northwestern’s lone Big Ten dual victory this year came at the expense of conference bottom feeder Michigan State.

That’s not a promising recipe for one’s hopes of challenging this, or any Iowa team for that matter.

The Wildcats (3-6, 1-5 B1G) do have several ranked wrestlers – #25 Sam Cartella (149), #9 Trevor Chumbley (157), #18 Maxx Mayfield (165) and #14 Evan Bates (197) – but the Hawkeyes counter at all four weight classes with top-three-ranked athletes of their own.

Michael Caliendo cruised to a technical fall victory the last time he wrestled Northwestern’s Maxx Mayfield.

If I had to pick one match for fans to key in on in an otherwise (likely) lopsided dual it’d be at 157 pounds.

Once again, Jacori Teemer will face a top-10-ranked opponent. And once again, it’ll be someone whom he’s previously beaten in comfortable fashion – an 11-6 win at the 2023 Midlands Championships over Trevor Chumbley.

If Teemer can string together back-to-back impressive performances this weekend it’d do a lot to ease the nerves of Hawkeye fans wondering what type of form/health their previously top-ranked 157-pounder is in as the postseason nears.

How to watch

The weekend headliner between the Hawkeyes and Gophers will be available live on the Big Ten Network starting at 8:00 p.m. (CT) on Friday night.

Conversely, Sunday’s matinee dual against Northwestern will be streaming-only beginning at 1:00 p.m. courtesy of B1G+.

In both instances Iowa fans can also tune in to the Hawkeye Radio Network at AM 800 KXIC or via the YouTube links below. Steven Grace and Mark Ironside will be on the mic live from Minneapolis and Iowa City with coverage of the final two duals of Iowa’s 2024-25 Big Ten schedule.

Short time

There you have it, some thoughts and some words on another weekend of Iowa men’s wrestling.

Unless you’re severely near-sighted, the forthcoming postseason must be creeping into your peripheral vision by now.

Following Minnesota/Northwestern, the Hawkeyes have only one date left on their regular season schedule. Then it’s time for all the craziness that encompasses Division I postseason wrestling.

But I’m not ready to jump ahead to that madness just yet, so here’s hoping you guys will join me throughout this weekend as Iowa looks to finish its Big Ten dual slate with a pair of wins.

Check back in at Hawkeye Report for my recaps of both Friday’s and Sunday’s dual(s). And you can also find me cataloguing all the action in real time on social media – if that’s your thing.

Thanks as always for reading this latest piece of Iowa wrestling content.

‘Till next time.

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