PREVIEW: Iowa sending 14 current/future Hawkeyes to U23 Nationals & U20 World Team Trials

Tanner Lafever

All-American
Jan 4, 2024
2,098
8,391
113
He will get first dibs regardless. 4th on ladder now gets the opportunity first before the champ
Just double-checked the criteria and you are correct - good call.

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Is that a new change for this year? In my head it was always top three on the Senior team got first dibs, then the U23 national champ.
 

Corby2

All-American
Jul 14, 2025
3,762
8,392
113
JW seems to be taking last years wake up call seriously. He's already three years into wasting his potential, it's kind of now or never for him. Get that head on straight for 365 days and see how far your talent can take you.
Exactly he's locked in right now hopefully he can maintain that thru March on his last ride. His talent is as good as anyone
 

sdvike

All-Conference
Feb 23, 2016
999
2,236
93
Exactly he's locked in right now hopefully he can maintain that thru March on his last ride. His talent is as good as anyone
Has he made any decisions if he is staying at Iowa or still considering other options?
 

sdvike

All-Conference
Feb 23, 2016
999
2,236
93
I hope he does. He has a ton of upside and not a lot of risk for the Hawks imo. He has top 5 potential and if he flounders or folds like last year, Estrada is no slouch as a plan B. JW is talented and dangerous, which is worth the risk imo.
Very dangerous if he puts in the work on strength and conditioning. Not sure whose idea it was to get him active in freestyle this off-season (likely his to gain interest), but looks like he is beginning to see his own potential.
 

AndreTheHawk

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
1,071
2,211
113
If they pay him after the year and make it result driven, could that help? I’m an optimist
If your only motivation is money, you've already lost IMO. I do applaud your optimism, it's a good way to go thru life I suppose, I just don't see it in regards to Jordan Williams.

There is a point where optimism and skepticism clash, and that's called REALITY. The reality is Jordan Williams has yet to reach a NCAA podium after 3 schools and 4 years of College Wrestling. On top of that his most recent school chose to bench him and for all intents and purposes forfeit his weight class in terms of much needed Big Ten and NCAA points, as opposed to watching him. Let that sink in.

All of this from a 3 time Fargo Champion and the #12 overall recruit in 2022. He's had John Smith and Tom & Terry Brands as Coaches (and others of course) and still hasn't realized his wink-wink "potential" as an All- American. Let that sink in as well.

Iowa has a 157 lb problem, and Jordan Williams doesn't solve it. He had his shot and blew it. Cut bait and move on.
 

chipackhawk

All-Conference
Jan 10, 2018
592
1,511
93
If your only motivation is money, you've already lost IMO. I do applaud your optimism, it's a good way to go thru life I suppose, I just don't see it in regards to Jordan Williams.

There is a point where optimism and skepticism clash, and that's called REALITY. The reality is Jordan Williams has yet to reach a NCAA podium after 3 schools and 4 years of College Wrestling. On top of that his most recent school chose to bench him and for all intents and purposes forfeit his weight class in terms of much needed Big Ten and NCAA points, as opposed to watching him. Let that sink in.

All of this from a 3 time Fargo Champion and the #12 overall recruit in 2022. He's had John Smith and Tom & Terry Brands as Coaches (and others of course) and still hasn't realized his wink-wink "potential" as an All- American. Let that sink in as well.

Iowa has a 157 lb problem, and Jordan Williams doesn't solve it. He had his shot and blew it. Cut bait and move on.
Fool me once - shame on you. Fool me twice - shame on me. Fool me thrice - I'm just a dumb m'fer. I'd love to see him get his act together and do something positive for himself and the team. I'm just tired of being a fan of a/the team that has to take a chance on him.
 

VakAttack

All-Conference
Jun 30, 2025
496
1,918
93
If your only motivation is money, you've already lost IMO. I do applaud your optimism, it's a good way to go thru life I suppose, I just don't see it in regards to Jordan Williams.

There is a point where optimism and skepticism clash, and that's called REALITY. The reality is Jordan Williams has yet to reach a NCAA podium after 3 schools and 4 years of College Wrestling. On top of that his most recent school chose to bench him and for all intents and purposes forfeit his weight class in terms of much needed Big Ten and NCAA points, as opposed to watching him. Let that sink in.

All of this from a 3 time Fargo Champion and the #12 overall recruit in 2022. He's had John Smith and Tom & Terry Brands as Coaches (and others of course) and still hasn't realized his wink-wink "potential" as an All- American. Let that sink in as well.

Iowa has a 157 lb problem, and Jordan Williams doesn't solve it. He had his shot and blew it. Cut bait and move on.

Fool me once - shame on you. Fool me twice - shame on me. Fool me thrice - I'm just a dumb m'fer. I'd love to see him get his act together and do something positive for himself and the team. I'm just tired of being a fan of a/the team that has to take a chance on him.
You guys say things like this as if there's a better option. He is the only option Iowa has right now that has an AA ceiling.
 
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ILLHawk135

Junior
Feb 22, 2021
86
332
53
If your only motivation is money, you've already lost IMO. I do applaud your optimism, it's a good way to go thru life I suppose, I just don't see it in regards to Jordan Williams.

There is a point where optimism and skepticism clash, and that's called REALITY. The reality is Jordan Williams has yet to reach a NCAA podium after 3 schools and 4 years of College Wrestling. On top of that his most recent school chose to bench him and for all intents and purposes forfeit his weight class in terms of much needed Big Ten and NCAA points, as opposed to watching him. Let that sink in.

All of this from a 3 time Fargo Champion and the #12 overall recruit in 2022. He's had John Smith and Tom & Terry Brands as Coaches (and others of course) and still hasn't realized his wink-wink "potential" as an All- American. Let that sink in as well.

Iowa has a 157 lb problem, and Jordan Williams doesn't solve it. He had his shot and blew it. Cut bait and move on.
Who’s the better option? There isn’t one on the current roster.
 
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AndreTheHawk

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
1,071
2,211
113
Who’s the better option? There isn’t one on the current roster.
Carver Cones are a better option from my perspective, and I've never had one. But I hear they're all the rage so........

I don't ever want to see another Jordan Williams or Jacori Teemer type "attempt" to wrestle in an Iowa singlet ever again in my lifetime (box checked on the latter, looking to cash in my Exacta on the former).

If your "want to" isn't there while you're on the mat wrestling for the University of Iowa, my "want to watch you" isn't either. It is that simple.