HAWKEYE WRESTLING CLUB
Meet Our
Team
Over the last 50 years the Hawkeye Wrestling Club has been led by people that believe deeply in the development and growth of its athletes – both on the mat and off. There’s a reason our athletes are known for their grit, tenacity, reliability, discipline, and loyalty…It’s been modeled everyday by their coaches for 5 decades.
This transformative program has been able to enhance hundreds of wrestlers’ lives through consistent, passionate work, and rigorous training. We are terribly-particular with the type of people we recruit to our team and onto our staff, ensuring we have the right personnel to make the greatest impact on our athletes and program as a whole.
4x NCAA Team Championship Coach
6x B1G Team Championship Coach
3x NWCA Coach of the Year
5x B1G Coach of the Year
Olympic Gold Medalist
World Champion
3x NCAA Champion
Tom Brands
University of Iowa
Head Wrestling Coach
3x NCAA Team Championship Coach
5x B1G Team Championship Coach
USA Wrestling Coach of the Year
Olympic Bronze Medalist
2x World Champion
2x NCAA Champion
Terry Brands
University of Iowa
Associate Head Wrestling Coach
2016 Olympian
2x NCAA All-American
3x B1G & NCAA Championship Team Member
Dan Dennis
Hawkeye Wrestling Club
Head Wrestling Coach
NCAA Team Championship Coach
3x B1G Team Championship Coach
US Olympic Team Trials Qualifier
2x NCAA All-American
3x B1G & NCAA Championship Team Member
Ryan Morningstar
University of Iowa
Assistant Wrestling Coach
NCAA Team Championship Coach
3x B1G Team Championship Coach
US Olympic Team Trials Qualifier
3x NCAA All-American
Bobby Telford
University of Iowa
Assistant Wrestling Coach
University of Iowa Graduate, 2002
Jesse Donnenwerth
University of Iowa
Wrestling Athletic Trainer
Wartburg College Graduate, 2016
Alex Harmer
University of Iowa
Wrestling Strength Coach
University of Iowa Graduate, 2019
Moriah Marinelli
University of Iowa
Wrestling Director of Operations
2x NCAA Qualifier
3x B1G & NCAA Championship Team Member
University of Iowa Graduate, 2024
University of Iowa REACH Graduate, 2022
Skylar Glandon
Hawkeye Wrestling Club
Office Assistant
HWC
ROSTER
Athletes are the backbone of our World Class program. Our recruitment process is vigorous and focused on the elite-of-the-elite. Like-minded athletes that want to be the very best, is where we focus our time and energy.
Our technical skill sets or wrestling styles don’t always match our athletes but our mentalities surrounding excellence are always aligned. Teams are built by individuals and unique personalities that come together with a common goal…and in our case, that goal is to be the best in the world.
Olympic Silver Medalist
2x US Open Champion
Bill Farrell Champion
Pan-American Champion
2x Hodge Trophy Winner
3x NCAA Champion
5x NCAA All-American
Spencer Lee
US Olympic Team Trials Qualifier
4x NCAA All-American
Austin DeSanto
US Olympic Team Trials Qualifier
4x NCAA All-American
4x B1G Champion
Alex Marinelli
5x NCAA All-American
Jacob Warner
3x NCAA All-American
Kaleb Young
4x NCAA All-American
Brandon Sorensen
4x NCAA All-American
4x Conference Champion
Jayden Eierman
Height: 5-7
Weight: 174 lbs
University of Iowa, Freshman
Albany, GA
Gabe Arnold
Height: 5-6
Weight: 125 lbs
University of Iowa, Sophomore
Fort Dodge, IA
Drake Ayala
Height: 5-11
Weight: 149 lbs
University of Iowa, Freshman
Waverly, IA
Ryder Block
Height: 5-9
Weight: 174 lbs
University of Iowa, RS Senior
Iowa City, IA
Nelson Brands
Height: 5-8
Weight: 165 lbs
University of Iowa, Sophomore
Geneva, IL
Michael Caliendo
Height: 5-8
Weight: 165 lbs
University of Iowa, Sophomore
Putnam Valley, NY
Will Carano
Height: 5-7
Weight: 125 lbs
University of Iowa, RS Freshman
Fresno, CA
Joey Cruz
Height: 5-8
Weight: 157 lbs
University of Iowa, Freshman
Burlington, IA
Isaiah Fenton
Height: 6-2
Weight: 285 lbs
University of Iowa, RS Freshman
Inwood, IA
Easton Fleshman
Height: 5-6
Weight: 133/141 lbs
University of Iowa, Freshman
Valley City, ND
Koye Grebel
Height: 5-6
Weight: 133 lbs
University of Iowa, Senior
Layton, UT
Aidan Harris
Height: 5-8
Weight: 165 lbs
University of Iowa, Junior
Kasson-Mantorville, MN
Patrick Kennedy
Height: 6-3
Weight: 285 lbs
University of Iowa, Freshman
Iowa City, IA
Ben Kueter
Height: 5-11
Weight: 285 lbs
University of Iowa, RS Freshman
Solon, IA
Gage Marty
Height: 5-2
Weight: 125/133 lbs
University of Iowa, Junior
San Mateo, CA
Charles Matthews
Height: 6-3
Weight: 164 lbs
University of Iowa, RS Freshman
Round Lake, IL
Aidan McCain
Height: 5-6
Weight: 133/141 lbs
University of Iowa, Freshman
Rockwell, IA
Kale Petersen
Height: 5-9
Weight: 149 lbs
University of Iowa, Sophomore
Ankeny, IA
Caleb Rathjen
Height: 5-7
Weight: 133 lbs
University of Iowa, RS Freshman
Mason City, IA
Jace Rhodes
Height: 5-9
Weight: 165 lbs
University of Iowa, Sophomore
Tucson, AZ
Sebastian Robles
Height: 5-6
Weight: 133 lbs
University of Iowa, Junior
Mason City, IA
Cullan Schriever
Height: 5-9
Weight: 141 lbs
University of Iowa, Junior
Bozeman, MT
Leif Schroeder
Height: 5-6
Weight: 149 lbs
University of Iowa, Sophomore
Brecksville, OH
Victor Voinovich III
Height: 5-5
Weight: 125/133 lbs
University of Iowa, Junior
Tucson, AZ
Jesse Ybarra
From direct mentorship and coaching, to organization operations and fundraising, our staff members work to ensure our athletes have everything they need to be successful. Everything they do is centered around the athlete’s experience and their ability to reach their full potential.
The Hawkeye Wrestling Club (HWC) is pleased to announce the formation of the HWC Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees has been established as a fundraising board to further the HWC’s vision to be the number one Olympic & senior level wrestling program in America.
The state of Iowa has a tradition of wrestling excellence and has 71 national team titles amongst 8 collegiate institutions. The University of Iowa and the HWC lead the way with a staggering 24 NCAA National Team Titles, 68 National Champions, 17 World Medalists, 6 World Champions, 20 Olympians, 11 Olympic Medalists, and 5 Olympic Champions. Iowa City truly is WRESTLETOWN, USA.
The Iowa Hawkeye wrestling team and the HWC now enjoy the country’s finest wrestling training center thanks to their passionate & generous donors. Although Iowa’s rich wrestling history is amazing, the landscape in collegiate & Olympic level wrestling is rapidly changing.
When the NCAA approved the Name, Image, and Likeness Policy (NIL) on July 1, 2021, amateur sports in America was changed forever. Today, wrestling programs and Regional Training Centers are not only competing to recruit the top athletes, but they are competing on the fundraising level as well. Moving forward, there will be no successful wrestling program that is not first successful at fundraising.
From Dan Gable to Tom & Terry Brands, the championship torch has been passed and burns bright. The HWC’s Board of Trustees are like minded, passionate wrestling donors who contribute in excess of $10,000 annually to further the vision & mission of the HWC. The board understands that we cannot rely on someone else to do the heavy lifting and that many hands make light work.
The Board of Trustees is the next logical complement to the loyal Inner Circle Members who give generously to the club on a monthly basis. The Board of Trustees will meet twice a year to network and have an opportunity to hear exciting club updates from both world class athletes and coaches alike.
Vice President
Mitch Kelly
Treasurer
Aaron Robertson
Secretary
Joe Holmes
Voting Member
Ryan Key
Voting Member
Al Zahasky
Voting Member
Ryan Smidt
HWC DONATIONS
Make Your
Donations
Here
Hawkeye wrestling club survives on donations from people like you. With your support we can make the Hawkeye Wrestling Club the best Wrestling Club in the world!
