With national wrestling celebrities like Spencer Lee calling them home, the Iowa Hawkeyes is one of the most prestigious programs in the country. The Hawkeyes are currently boasting an impressive 12-2 NCAA record this season, with 6-2 in the Big Ten conference. While the squad dominated the NCAA coach’s rankings last month, their recent win over Oklahoma State once again propelled them to the top of the list and justifiably, festivities are in order.

The Hawkeyes decimated Oklahoma State last Sunday in Stillwater, and Drake Ayala & Co. put out some sensational moments on the mat. Their latest victory caught the attention of the folks over at the NCAA as well, and a well-deserved applause for the team’s prowess had to be made.

NCAA powerhouse bag another major feat

In a recent social media post by the official NCAA Wrestling’s X account, the Hawkeyes’ recent feat has been commended in style. Captioned “NCAA Team of the Week“, the post is accompanied by an image of the triumphant Ben Kueter who took down Oklahoma’s No. 11 Konner Doucet with a resounding 5-1 win at last Sunday’s match. The team’s 22-9 victory over their latest opponents was another major win this season and only re-affirmed the Hawkeyes’ determination to retain their momentum which started rolling after their 34-7 win over Wisconsin ten days ago.

With two stunning back-to-back victories, the NCAA wrestling team now sits atop the charts for Week 17. With the regular season ending, the Hawkeyes now set their eyes on the bigger prize ahead as the Big Ten and the NCAA titles now looming overhead. The Hawkeyes’ double victory comes after they were handed a humiliating 26-9 defeat on home ground, emphasizing even more how much they hunger for the prestigious national title this season.

While Kueter has managed to be the poster boy for the Hawkeyes’ latest accolade, most of his teammates did their part in ensuring Iowa hopped back to the top for the final match of the regular season.

Iowa team bolsters its national aspirations

In their clash against the No. 2 Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Hawkeyes started the match in style as Iowa’s No. 4 Drake Ayala bagged the 125lb bout against OSU’s Troy Spratley. While the hosts claimed the 133lb match, the Hawkeyes bounced back quickly with Real Woods coming out on top of his opponent in the 141lb weight class. Iowa dropped the next match (149lb) but won the next three matches in a determined fashion with Jared Franek (157), Michael Caliendo (165), and Patrick Kennedy (174) all claiming victories.

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The Hawkeyes team also won two of the last three matches as Zach Glazier (197) and Ben Kueter (285) both made sure their higher-ranked opponents were left red-faced at the end of the night. The next month will be filled with action for the NCAA powerhouse with the Big Ten and national titles on the line, and fans are bracing up for another set of thrilling matches to end the 2023/24 wrestling season emphatically.