A look back at a championship team

The 2009 wrestling season ended on a somber note for the Iowa Hawkeyes. They had successfully defended their first National Championship under head coach Tom Brands, but crowned zero individual champions, and several previous All-Americans failed to make the podium. The 2010 season had to end differently. With a line-up loaded with established seniors, the Hawkeyes entered the year as heavy favorites and delivered. The road wasn't always smooth, and there were surprises both good and bad, but the Iowa mentality has always been about the finish above all else, and that's just what they did. When the stakes were at the highest, careers at their defining points, and others just at their starting points these Hawkeyes delivered.

125- Matt McDonough - As a true freshman Matt McDonough showed signs of a bright future for Tom Brands' Iowa Hawkeyes. A year later, he stood at the epicenter of the Qwest Center, and the wrestling world, with his hand raised high for all to see just how good he already has become. With the last of Charlie Falck's eligibility having run out, the 125-pound weight class was a perceived weakness for the senior laden squad of 2010. Instead of sitting another year behind proven starter and returning All-American Daniel Dennis, Matt McDonough showed the initiative that would endear him to Hawkeye nation by making the drop down from the 133-pound weight class to 125. The first signs of McDonough's legitimacy came in the wrestle-offs with an impressive, if not surprising, defeat of two-time national qualifier and former Falck adversary, Tyler Clark. They continued with a victory over fellow budding star Andrew Long in Ames, IA. By the time McDonough came from behind to once again thwart Long in the finals of the Midlands, notice had effectively been served to the rest of the country. Matt McDonough was ready for the big-time, and he was going to be reckoned with. He continued to back that up through the Big Ten Tournament, where he picked up his first and only loss of the season. Despite the blemish on his record, he proved he belonged with the best by giving former National Champion Angel Escobedo everything he could handle for the full seven minutes. At the national tournament it was the same old song for the confident first year starter. He collected bonus points in all but one match heading in to the finals, and failed to reach double digits in points only once. Perhaps in fitting fashion, it wasn't reigning champion Troy Nickerson or a rematch with Escobedo that would stand in between McDonough and the title he desired, it was Long. Two redshirt freshmen, who had grown up wrestling in the same state, facing off as members of two of the sport's bitterest of rivals for the greatest single season prize. The match certainly wasn't their most volatile, but it was as hard fought as the three that preceded it. When the final whistle blew, the result was the same, and Matt McDonough had gone from a potential filled redshirt freshmen to the best 125-pound wrestler in the country. He's now the face of the Hawkeye wrestling program as well.

133- Daniel Dennis - In a class as loaded as this year's 133-pound weight class, the title of returning All-American guaranteed absolutely nothing. Hopes were high for Dennis after a somewhat disappointing finish last season, but like several Hawkeyes this year, an injury raised questions about just how well he could finish this season. After yet another close victory over Iowa State's Nick Fanthorpe, Dennis went missing from the line-up due to an ankle injury and would not return until the Oklahoma State meet nearly month later. In his first match back, Dennis gave up a last second takedown to Jordan Oliver to provide the Cowboys with their first upset of the night. The next time out against Zac Stevens, Dennis' narrow 2-0 victory didn't exactly instill confidence that he was completely back yet. But slowly Dennis regained his dominance. A string of major decisions against Purdue and Penn State led Dennis in to a match-up with then top-ranked Franklin Gomez, providing the first of two top ranked contests Dennis would undertake in a three week period. Dennis came out the victor against Gomez, but couldn't produce the same result against Minnesota's Jayson Ness. The results would be the same when the two met up at the Big Ten Tournament; suggesting that Ness may have opened up a gap between himself and Dennis. They entered the NCAA tournament as the top-two seeds in their bracket, both having to fend off stiff competition to replay their match-up from two weeks earlier. Dennis looked to finally have gotten the better of Ness, and at the most important time, but a last gasp takedown saw Ness take the senior to his back and heartbreakingly steal victory in the waning seconds of the match. Despite the loss, Dennis finished as a two time All-American as well as a Big Ten and NCAA finalist - placing himself among the ranks of underrated recruits who have joined the Iowa program to make themselves into Hawkeye greats.

141 - Montell Marion - Coming into the year, the hopes of Hawkeye dominance at this weight class centered upon the re-emergence of Joe Slaton. There was buzz surrounding the progress that Marion had been making in the off-season, but in comparison with a one-time national finalist and a national qualifier, the redshirt sophomore was largely considered option C. Yet, Slaton never was never declared eligible and Marion eventually outperformed Dan LeClere head-to-head in the wrestle-offs and in open competitions. The beginning of his tenure as a starter wasn't without its learning pains, however. For every upset of Jamal Parks, there was a loss to Adam Lynch that could always be lingering around the corner. Like his teammates though, when the time came to deliver, he was ready and able. A loss to Mike Thorn in the Big Ten Tournament semi-finals aside, Marion continued to find ways to get the job done. His loss to Kyle Dake certainly wasn't how he saw his impressive tournament run ending, but he'll have two more shots to establish himself as the best in the nation. For now, he's another young Hawkeye All-American, and national finalist, with high expectations for his future; not too bad for someone that was considered a back-up at the start of the year.

149- Brent Metcalf - Like the team he served as the undisputed leader for, 2010 was a road to redemption for Brent Metcalf. After suffering a shocking defeat to North Carolina State's Darrion Caldwell in the previous year's NCAA finals, the majority of the wrestling world wondered just how Metcalf would respond. There was a bump or two on the path back to glory, be that in the figurative the sense of his loss to Lance Palmer, or in the literal sense of his match with Purdue's Nick Bertucci. As always with Metcalf, all that truly mattered was the end result. In his third time in the national spotlight, the two-time Big Ten champion restored his place amongst the best the wrestling world has to offer. There is a hint of irony in the imperfection of a wrestler who so closely epitomizes a perfectionist. For all his fanfare and dominance, it was his teammate, not himself, that completed the first undefeated season of the Tom Brands era. Yet at the same time he holds the second greatest winning percentage in Iowa history, is a two-time NCAA champion, has won the Hodge Trophy, been conference wrestler of the year, named the Outstanding Wrestler of the national championships, and is the only wrestler to be awarded Outstanding Wrestler honors two years straight years at the Big Ten Tournament. He didn't need perfection to summarize his greatness. By avenging his loss to Lance Palmer in the Big Ten finals he was able to display the trait that should define him - determination.

157 - Jake Kerr - As was the case with the 141-pound weight class, Jake Kerr was not the talk of the 157-pound weight class for the Iowa Hawkeyes as the season opened. Instead, the discussion centered upon the precarious nature of Derek St. John's redshirt status. In reality, he was probably a lot farther from competing in the starting line-up than conventional wisdom would lead one to believe, and when the redshirt became definitive, fans moved on to the Aaron Janssen-Jake Kerr open audition. Each seemingly failed to provide the consistency that Brands was looking for out of the spot, but that is not to imply each didn't have their good moments. The greatest of those came against Penn State, with Kerr's upset over top-five ranked Cyler Sanderson. Yet, the victory did not immediately seal Kerr's fate as the starter. In fact it appeared at one point that he could lose his spot again to Janssen. The final decision on who was the starter didn't come until the conference tournament where Brands and his staff made the judgment call that Kerr would be their man. The junior rewarded their trust by qualifying for the national tournament and then winning his first match at the NCAA's against Arizona State's Tejovan Edwards. The next round saw his brief run stopped by eventual champion J.P. O'Connor, but Kerr continued to battle for the Hawkeyes in the consolations, securing important advancements points in his defeat of title rival Oklahoma State's Robert Erisman. The finish of the season might not have been as grand as Kerr intended, but he was a key contributor to Iowa's third straight national championship team, and has a chance to improve on his post-season next year.

165 - Ryan Morningstar - There were many out there that believed at one point or another that Ryan Morningstar was the antithesis of the "Iowa style." As a junior, he won over a large group of fans with his gritty third place finish. By Saturday morning it was apparent that his status as a "true" Hawkeye, if there is such a distinction, was undeniable. Morningstar began the year as a contender for the 165-pound crown, and maintained that status throughout the year, but an undisclosed knee injury during his third place match with Penn State's Dan Vallimont in the Big Ten Tournament put his career in jeopardy at the worst possible time. Morningstar refused to be deterred from his goals however, and with the help of a gigantic black knee brace, went out victoriously as an All-American. After the match it was revealed that the Lisbon, IA native had suffered tears to both his MCL and PCL's, endearing him forever to Hawkeye fans for what he sacrificed for the national championship hopes of his team.

174 - Jay Borschel - If disappoint was last year's theme in St. Louis, MO, redemption was the theme in Omaha, NE. After failing to reach the podium in 2009, Borschel re-dedicated himself and was locked in from the start. With number one ranked Mack Lewnes of Cornell remaining undefeated throughout the course of the year, Borschel's countless bonus point victories were unable to take him above the number two ranking he began the season with. After capturing his first ever Big Ten championship, Borschel altered his sights to the next title available, and eventually, Lewnes. The odds were against Borschel, with Lewnes having never surrendered a takedown before the finals, but after his improbable semi-final comeback who could honestly doubt the four-time state champ? No one should have as it turned out, as Borschel took Lewnes down not once, but twice, and put on one of his familiar debilitating rides on the top contender. Aside from Metcalf's triumph over Lance Palmer, there might not have been a more satisfying win for the Hawkeye faithful throughout the tournament.

184 - Phil Keddy - Like his predecessor in the line-up, Phil Keddy was expected to be a finalist come March, and even shared the same ranking as Borschel. But, an early season injury that wasn't widely publicized robbed Keddy of his ability to train full bore. He spent the regular season playing catch-up, but just like the other wounded Hawkeyes, Keddy turned the corner at the perfect time. The emergence of Illinois' John Dergo thwarted Keddy's chance of becoming a Big Ten champion, but there was work to be done still. The NCAA road wasn't the easiest to traverse, with top-seeded Kirk Smith awaiting in the quarter finals, and it would be Smith who ended his title hopes in Omaha. But, Keddy was able to recover and ensure that he would go out as an All-American with his eighth place finish. Closing out with a loss is certainly disappointing for someone who had visions on being on ESPN on Saturday night, but to gather himself and finish as a three-time All-American is an accomplishment few wrestlers ever realize and one he should be proud of.

197 - Chad Beatty - In 2009, Chad Beatty's tournament hopes were dashed by a post-season injury that prohibited him from competing to his full potential. 2010 was supposed to be the year where a healthy Chad Beatty would finally reach the podium. After his last second victory over Anthony Biondo in 2008, Beatty was an established fan favorite. It seemed like the time would finally be right for Hawkeye fans to watch one of their favorites get a shot at achieving his dream. That all changed in a match against Trevor Brandvold of Wisconsin at the Midlands, where yet another leg injury put his post-season chances in doubt. The news that Beatty would have to endure surgery further darkened the cloud, and the senior would not see the starting line-up again until the Big Ten Tournament. In Ann Arbor, MI he would make it all the way to the semi-finals, where upon falling to Sonny Yohn, Beatty defaulted out of the tournament to save further injury. The lack of matches this season, and the lower placement at the Big Ten Tournament however, put Beatty in another difficult position in the first round of the NCAA's against Oklahoma State's Alan Gelogaev. Once again Beatty would fail to make it out of the first round of the championships, but would nearly make it all the way to the podium through the consolation bracket, ironically losing to Brandvold to finish his Hawkeye career. The loss was disappointing as most are sure to feel Beatty deserved All-American recognition for the service he gave to the team, but regardless, no fan is sure to forget anytime soon what he sacrificed for the good of the Hawkeye program.

HWT - Dan Erekson - In a tournament of disappointments a year ago, Dan Erekson contributed one of the everlasting images of Tom Brands' second national championship team, pinning Iowa State's David Zabriskie to the roars of every Hawkeye fan in the Scottrade Center. This year, his contribution to Hawkeye lore was wrestling his singlet on backwards. Erekson had a shortened season, like several other Hawkeyes, due to surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. Despite the time off he still managed to cap off his second consecutive Big Ten Title. That and his perfect record were unfortunately not enough to secure himself anything higher than a fifth seed in the NCAA tournament, which positioned him against Konrad Dudziak in the quarterfinals. Erekson would lose that match, and force a re-match of the Big Ten Finals with Indiana's Nathan Everhart, where he once again would exit the victor. Erekson lost the following match to Missouri's Mark Ellis, who defeated him a year prior, but like Ryan Morningstar, would end his second All-American campaign and Hawkeye career with his hand raised. While Erekson was a very legitimate contender to the top spot at heavyweight, and his spot on the podium was lower than expected, his conversion from 197-pounder three years ago has to be considered a great success.