Iowa wrestling team second behind Penn State after Big Ten semifinals
IOWA CITY – The Iowa wrestling team finished the first day of competition at the Big Ten Championships where many expected it to be on Saturday – in second place behind heavy favorite Penn State.
The Nittany Lions have 133 points heading into Sunday’s championship round at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa is in second place with 106 points and has four wrestlers still alive in the championship round.
Cory Clark (133 pounds) Brandon Sorensen (149), Sammy Brooks (184) and Nathan Burak (197) all will compete for Big Ten titles Sunday afternoon.
Iowa also has five wrestlers still competing in the consolation bracket.
Penn State will have six wrestlers competing for conference titles on Sunday and two in the consolation bracket.
"There is a lot to digest right now," Iowa coach Tom Brands said after the semifinal round. "We’ll get ready to go tomorrow. We’ve got nine guys alive.
"How do I feel? We’ve got another day of wrestling. That’s how I feel."
Sorensen will face Penn State’s top-ranked Zain Retherford in one of the more anticipated championship matches on Sunday. Sorensen advanced to the title match by defeating Nebraska’s Jake Sueflohn 5-2 in Saturday’s semifinal.
Sorensen finished second the at last year’s Big Ten Championship meet.
Clark and Brooks both finished third at last year’s Big Ten Championship meet, while Burak finished fourth a year ago.
Team standings after semifinals
1. Penn State 133
2. Iowa 106
3. Ohio State 100
4. Nebraska 98.5
5. Rutgers 90.5
6. Illinois 78.5
7. Michigan 70
8. Wisconsin 53
9. Michigan 38
10. Purdue 30
11. Indiana 26
12. Michigan State 10.5
13. Northwestern
14. Maryland 7.5