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The 2025-26 season has come to an end for the Iowa wrestling program.
It was a difficult season in Iowa City, filled with shocking results and disappointing performances. However, the biggest surprise of the season may have been how the Hawkeyes responded to that adversity this past weekend at the NCAA Men's Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, Ohio.
Iowa finished fourth at this year's national duels with 92.5 team points. They finished behind Penn State, who won a fifth-straight National Championship, Oklahoma State, and Nebraska. The Hawkeyes had seven All-Americans and extended their streak of having a wrestler in the finals to 35 years. This was a nice end to a tough season and should bring some good vibes into the offseason.
Here's a look at how all nine Hawks fared at the NCAA Championships.
Peterson fell in the quarterfinals to the eventual national champion, Luke Lilledahl, before dropping his first wrestleback match to end his college wrestling career. The Rutgers transfer finished his lone season in Iowa City with a 16-8 record.
Ayala ended his final season in Iowa City with a fifth-place finish at the national duels, earning All-American status. He defeated Tyler Knox of Stanford 16-5 to claim that fifth-place finish. He finished his senior season with an 18-10 record. He was a two-time National Runner-Up and will be difficult to replace next season.
Similar to Peterson, Bailey fell in the quarterfinals at 141 pounds to the eventual National Champion before dropping his first wrestleback match. After making the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, this wasn't the national duel that Bailey or the team was hoping for. He finished this season with a 16-9 record.
After getting bounced out of the main bracket early, Block battled his way to a sixth-place finish at the national duels. He won three straight matches in the wrestlebacks to become an All-American, a nice bow to a promising year for the sophomore. He finished this season with an 18-11 record. The future is bright for him.
Caliendo kept Iowa's streak of having someone in the final alive at 165 pounds, ultimately falling to Penn State's Mitchell Mesenbrink to end with a second-place finish. The senior ends his career as a four-time All-American and two-time National Runner-Up. He went 22-5 this season. One of the better wrestlers in recent history for Iowa.
Kennedy finished his Iowa career by defeating Ohio State's Carson Kharchla for a third-place finish at the national duels. He wasn't always flashy, but Kennedy got results as a Hawk, finishing as a two-time All-American and four-time national qualifier. He ends his final season in Iowa City with a 23-5 record. He'll be missed.
Ferrari finished a standout freshman campaign with a sixth-place finish and All-American honors at the national duels. While his tournament unfortunately ended due to a medical forfeit, Ferrari's flashes were special this season. He ends his season with a 14-5 record and seems to have a very bright future ahead.
Arnold is the story of the tournament for Iowa. After jumping up multiple weight classes, he struggled at the Big Ten Tournament and was the 27-seed entering the national duels. He lost his opening match, but ended up winning five of six matches in the wrestlebacks to claim a seventh-place finish and All-American honors. With multiple years of eligibility remaining, Iowa may have found its next star at 197 pounds. Arnold finished this season with a 23-9 record.
Kueter fell in the quarterfinals of the main bracket, but had a great wrestleback session to earn fifth-place and All-American honors at 285 pounds. The former linebacker turned heavyweight wrestler had some ups and downs this season, but finished strong at both the Big Ten and National Tournaments. He ends his sophomore season with a 14-9 record.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa wrestling results, reactions from NCAA Championships
Continue reading...
It was a difficult season in Iowa City, filled with shocking results and disappointing performances. However, the biggest surprise of the season may have been how the Hawkeyes responded to that adversity this past weekend at the NCAA Men's Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, Ohio.
Iowa finished fourth at this year's national duels with 92.5 team points. They finished behind Penn State, who won a fifth-straight National Championship, Oklahoma State, and Nebraska. The Hawkeyes had seven All-Americans and extended their streak of having a wrestler in the finals to 35 years. This was a nice end to a tough season and should bring some good vibes into the offseason.
Here's a look at how all nine Hawks fared at the NCAA Championships.
125 pounds: Dean Peterson
Peterson fell in the quarterfinals to the eventual national champion, Luke Lilledahl, before dropping his first wrestleback match to end his college wrestling career. The Rutgers transfer finished his lone season in Iowa City with a 16-8 record.
133 pounds: Drake Ayala
Ayala ended his final season in Iowa City with a fifth-place finish at the national duels, earning All-American status. He defeated Tyler Knox of Stanford 16-5 to claim that fifth-place finish. He finished his senior season with an 18-10 record. He was a two-time National Runner-Up and will be difficult to replace next season.
141 pounds: Nasir Bailey
Similar to Peterson, Bailey fell in the quarterfinals at 141 pounds to the eventual National Champion before dropping his first wrestleback match. After making the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, this wasn't the national duel that Bailey or the team was hoping for. He finished this season with a 16-9 record.
149 pounds: Ryder Block
After getting bounced out of the main bracket early, Block battled his way to a sixth-place finish at the national duels. He won three straight matches in the wrestlebacks to become an All-American, a nice bow to a promising year for the sophomore. He finished this season with an 18-11 record. The future is bright for him.
165 pounds: Michael Caliendo
Caliendo kept Iowa's streak of having someone in the final alive at 165 pounds, ultimately falling to Penn State's Mitchell Mesenbrink to end with a second-place finish. The senior ends his career as a four-time All-American and two-time National Runner-Up. He went 22-5 this season. One of the better wrestlers in recent history for Iowa.
174 pounds: Patrick Kennedy
Kennedy finished his Iowa career by defeating Ohio State's Carson Kharchla for a third-place finish at the national duels. He wasn't always flashy, but Kennedy got results as a Hawk, finishing as a two-time All-American and four-time national qualifier. He ends his final season in Iowa City with a 23-5 record. He'll be missed.
184 pounds: Angelo Ferrari
Ferrari finished a standout freshman campaign with a sixth-place finish and All-American honors at the national duels. While his tournament unfortunately ended due to a medical forfeit, Ferrari's flashes were special this season. He ends his season with a 14-5 record and seems to have a very bright future ahead.
197 pounds: Gabe Arnold
Arnold is the story of the tournament for Iowa. After jumping up multiple weight classes, he struggled at the Big Ten Tournament and was the 27-seed entering the national duels. He lost his opening match, but ended up winning five of six matches in the wrestlebacks to claim a seventh-place finish and All-American honors. With multiple years of eligibility remaining, Iowa may have found its next star at 197 pounds. Arnold finished this season with a 23-9 record.
285 pounds: Ben Kueter
Kueter fell in the quarterfinals of the main bracket, but had a great wrestleback session to earn fifth-place and All-American honors at 285 pounds. The former linebacker turned heavyweight wrestler had some ups and downs this season, but finished strong at both the Big Ten and National Tournaments. He ends his sophomore season with a 14-9 record.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa wrestling results, reactions from NCAA Championships
Continue reading...
