Iowa’s Tom Brands, Iowa State’s Kevin Dresser and Northern Iowa’s Doug Schwab lead the Grand March at the 100th Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships. All three were Iowa state champs - Brands (Sheldon), Dresser (Humboldt) and Schwab (Osage)
Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen enters the arena prior to his match against Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott during a dual meet at the McLeod Center on Friday in Cedar Falls.
Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen celebrates after defeating Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott during a dual meet at the McLeod Center on Friday in Cedar Falls.
Scouting Anderson: The sophomore from Ankeny is making his first NCAA appearance He has three wins over Top 15 opponents this winter, and in his only meeting with Rivera, dropped a 13-9 decision in Madison in February.
133 – No. 18 Julian Farber, 17-6, vs. Anthony Noto (Lehigh), 20-6.
Scouting Farber: The junior from Georgia is making his second-consecutive NCAA appearance He is 15-9 all-time against the field, and is coming off a third-place finish at the Big 12 Tournament. He and Noto have never faced.
141 – No. 5 Cael Happel, 24-3, vs. Danny Pucino (Illinois), 13-6.
Scouting Happel: The Big 12 Champion at 141, Happel has six wins over Top-10 opponents this season, and has qualified for his third NCAA Championships. He lost in the Blood Round in Kansas City. He and Pucino have never squared off.
149 – No. 10 Colin Realbuto, 21-5, vs. No. 23 Carson Des Rosier (Citadel), 25-5.
Scouting Realbuto: This is Realbuto’s third time qualifying for the NCAA Championships and this is the highest seed he has earned. The Big 12 runner-up went 1-2 in Kansas City last March. He has not face Des Rosier.
Scouting Downey: Downey lost in the Blood Round in Kansas City finishing 3-2 in his first trip to the NCAA Championships. Third at the Big 12s, he is 16-7 all-time against the field, and has not faced Cholakyan.
165 – No. 19 Jack Thomsen, 19-10, vs. No. 14 Drake Rhodes (South Dakota State), 20-5.
Scouting Thomsen: This is the second time Thomsen has qualified for the NCAA Championships. He went 1-2 last winter. He has faced Rhodes three times in his career, beating him twice during the 2023-24 season, and losing to him 12-7 in a dual in November.
174 – No. 19 Jared Simma, 21-13, vs. No. 14 Matthew Singleton (North Carolina St.), 17-7.
Scouting Simma: Another Blood Round loser, Simma reached the quarterfinals in Kansas City before dropping his final two NCAA matches by two points combined. He and Singleton have never faced.
184 – No. 2 Parker Keckeisen, 24-0, vs. No. 31 Colton Hawks (Missouri), 10-7.
Scouting Keckeisen: The reigning 184-pound champion has finished third, third, second and 1st in his first four NCAA appearances. He is 30-0 all-time against this year’s NCAA field. He scored a 17-4 major decision over Hawks in a dual earlier this season.
Scouting Voelker: Voelker is returning to the NCAA Championships for the second time. He lost his first match a year ago in Kansas City and then won twice before being eliminated. He has not faced Zurawksi.
Scouting Runyon: Runyon has qualified twice for the NCAA championships, but both those times came at 174. An at-large qualifier, he was seventh at the Big 12s. He and Tinker faced off at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in December with Runyon winning 13-1.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, March 20
Session 1 – First round, 11 a.m. (ESPNU)
Session 2 – Second round and Consolation First Round, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
Friday, March 21
Session 3 – Quarterfinals, consolation second and third round, 11 a.m. (ESPNU)
Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen enters the arena prior to his match against Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott during a dual meet at the McLeod Center on Friday in Cedar Falls.
Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen celebrates after defeating Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott during a dual meet at the McLeod Center on Friday in Cedar Falls.
