What Programs Will Iowa Gut This Off Season?

kingstown

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It is how they help grow wrestling. Fans want the Stanford guys but that has to be a tough sale. Who cares about an education when you can get paid I suppose. They will throw huge money at the Larkin brothers for sure, but Iowa City isn't going to offer the same scenery or sunshine.
 

Misalorales

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I don't want to see it but that Ezekiel witt kid from NDSU is intriguing, could be a 133 unless they want Bailey back down to 133.
 

Misalorales

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It is how they help grow wrestling. Fans want the Stanford guys but that has to be a tough sale. Who cares about an education when you can get paid I suppose. They will throw huge money at the Larkin brothers for sure, but Iowa City isn't going to offer the same scenery or sunshine.
Larkins would be interesting. They would bring a level of scrambling that they'd never learn at Iowa. Would actually probably be quite helpful for their existing roster to have them in the room to practice with. Hope it doesn't happen BUT if I were Iowa and huckin money around out of desperation, they'd be near or at the top of my list.
 
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kingstown

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Larkins would be interesting. They would bring a level of scrambling that they'd never learn at Iowa. Would actually probably be quite helpful for their existing roster to have them in the room to practice with. Hope it doesn't happen BUT if I were Iowa and huckin money around out of desperation, they'd be near or at the top of my list.
It will take a huge bribe. Enough money to offset no titles in the future,multiple injuries, and cesspool treatment.
 

Misalorales

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It will take a huge bribe. Enough money to offset no titles in the future,multiple injuries, and cesspool treatment.
Never say never. We dog on them, rightfully so, but Iowa is still a program very capable and absolutely willing to go full court press on them...Nicolls may have one of the worst ROI on portal investments in the nation, but his *** still spends lol
 
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J.E.B

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Jul 8, 2001
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Iowa prospects are bleak for next year compared to other top teams… O$U has some fixing to do, too.
 

jack66

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Remember when Edinboro was a top-10 team, and the MAC always had several wrestlers make a deep run. It wasn't that long ago.

Now, Lehigh is the only small PA school still in the top-20, and the entire MAC conference combined for 9 points this year.

I know the reasons behind Edinboro's decline are complex, but in general, it has become impossible for the small schools to recruit and maintain talented wrestlers.

I fear many of the smaller programs will soon wither on the vine.
 

mh-larch

Senior
Nov 20, 2019
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Remember when Edinboro was a top-10 team, and the MAC always had several wrestlers make a deep run. It wasn't that long ago.

Now, Lehigh is the only small PA school still in the top-20, and the entire MAC conference combined for 9 points this year.

I know the reasons behind Edinboro's decline are complex, but in general, it has become impossible for the small schools to recruit and maintain talented wrestlers.

I fear many of the smaller programs will soon wither on the vine.
I was thinking the same thing jack66....this entire weekend. The portal and NIL have not been kind to the smaller schools and conferences. Not good for college wrestling IMO :(
 
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Sandy2176

Freshman
Nov 1, 2025
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It is how they help grow wrestling. Fans want the Stanford guys but that has to be a tough sale. Who cares about an education when you can get paid I suppose. They will throw huge money at the Larkin brothers for sure, but Iowa City isn't going to offer the same scenery or sunshine.
Let's don't forget Oklahoma State last 2 or 3 years got many starters from other teams. They don't need to do that now. They recruited very well.
 

Sandy2176

Freshman
Nov 1, 2025
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I was thinking the same thing jack66....this entire weekend. The portal and NIL have not been kind to the smaller schools and conferences. Not good for college wrestling IMO :(
Talking about NIL how do you find what programs spend the most money?
 

Nitlion1986

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Apr 13, 2024
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Larkins would be interesting. They would bring a level of scrambling that they'd never learn at Iowa. Would actually probably be quite helpful for their existing roster to have them in the room to practice with. Hope it doesn't happen BUT if I were Iowa and huckin money around out of desperation, they'd be near or at the top of my list.
The scrambling techniques will not be allowed. The Iowa style is to be wrestled, no matter.
 
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jstross

Senior
Oct 28, 2005
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I was thinking the same thing jack66....this entire weekend. The portal and NIL have not been kind to the smaller schools and conferences. Not good for college wrestling IMO :(
Still doing ok to some degree. 2026 recruiting class rankings Army 5th, Lehigh 6th. In 24 Stanford was 3rd.