Iowa vs Iowa State in the NCAA Finals (and more)

Yesterday, we looked ahead to the top-ten clash brewing on Saturday evening in Iowa City, as the second-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes play host to in-state rival #9 Iowa State. Since we’re looking ahead, today, let's go all the way! Let’s look ahead to March and the NCAA Tournament. 

With two storied programs like Iowa and Iowa State, there has to be plenty of history between these two schools at the NCAA Tournament, right? More specifically, the NCAA finals. Maybe not as much as you’d expect for the NCAA finals. Below you’ll find plenty of fun facts about the schools in the finals, along with results from all of those matches, and finally, some recent history between the schools. 

The most recent meeting: 2010 - Matt McDonough (Iowa) over Andrew Long (Iowa State) 

Iowa State’s most recent win(s): 1987 - Bill Kelly (Iowa State) over Brad Penrith (Iowa)  Fall 6:31 and Tim Krieger (Iowa State) over Jim Heffernan (Iowa)  1-1, 1-1

Iowa’s first win: 1947 - Joe Scarpello (Iowa) over Glen Brand (Iowa State)  10-6

Iowa State’s first win: 1970 - Jason Smith (Iowa State) over Phil Henning (Iowa)  8-7

NCAA finals pins (2) - Kelly mentioned above and 1983 - Lou Banach (Iowa) over Wayne Cole (Iowa State) 

Most meetings in one year: 1987 (3)

Iowa State’s 2 wins over Iowa in 1987 helped them win their most recent national championship. The Cyclones had 4 total champions and outdistanced Iowa by 25 team points. 

Only wrestler with multiple NCAA finals wins over the other school: Ed Banach (1980/1983)

The Banach twins are responsible for 3 of Iowa’s 12 NCAA finals wins in this series. 

Only wrestler with multiple NCAA finals losses over the other school: Mike Mann (1982/1983) - both by extremely close margins. 

Five times an NCAA finals match between these two schools has needed extra time.

2010’s matchup featured a pair of freshmen. Only twice since then have freshmen met in the NCAA finals. 2015 (Tomasello/Moisey), 2016 (Martin/Nickal). 

These two teams have finished 1-2 in the team race at the NCAA Tournament on seven occasions: 1976, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1987, 1996, 2000. Iowa was on top in six of those instances with 1987 being the only time for ISU. 

 

All-time Iowa vs. Iowa State NCAA finals matches

2010: 125 lbs - Matt McDonough (Iowa) over Andrew Long (Iowa State)  3-1

2000: 133 lbs - Eric Juergens (Iowa) over Cody Sanderson (Iowa State)  3-1SV

1997: 150 lbs - Lincoln McIlravy (Iowa) over Chris Bono (Iowa State)   5-3SV

1987: 126 lbs - Bill Kelly (Iowa State) over Brad Penrith (Iowa)  Fall 6:31

1987: 150 lbs - Tim Krieger (Iowa State) over Jim Heffernan (Iowa)  1-1, 1-1

1987: 167 lbs - Royce Alger (Iowa) over Kevin Jackson (Iowa State)  10-4

1983: 190lbs - Ed Banach (Iowa) over Mike Mann (Iowa State)  4-3

1983: Unlimited - Lou Banach (Iowa) over Wayne Cole (Iowa State)  Fall 2:57

1982: 118 lbs - Barry Davis (Iowa) over Kevin Darkus (Iowa State)  7-5

1982: 190 lbs - Pete Bush (Iowa) over Mike Mann (Iowa State)  3-3, 2-2

1981: 150 lbs - Nate Carr (Iowa State) over Scott Trizzino (Iowa)  10-5

1980: 177 lbs - Ed Banach (Iowa) over Dave Allen (Iowa State)  16-5

1978: 126 lbs - Mike Land (Iowa State) over Randy Lewis (Iowa)  13-5

1976: 150 lbs - Chuck Yagla (Iowa) over Pete Galea (Iowa State)  5-0

1975: 190 lbs - Al Nacin (Iowa State) over Greg Stevens (Iowa)  8-4

1970: 167 lbs - Jason Smith (Iowa State) over Phil Henning (Iowa)  8-7

1957: 147 lbs - Simon Roberts (Iowa) over Ron Gray (Iowa State)  2-2, 2-0

1947: 175 lbs: Joe Scarpello (Iowa) over Glen Brand (Iowa State)  10-6

Iowa leads in NCAA finals wins 12-6

Since Kevin Dresser has been at Iowa State (2017-18), the Cyclones and Hawkeyes have only met five times at the NCAA Tournament. 

Iowa State has the advantage in those matches 3-2. 

Iowa State’s wins are: 

2023 184 lb Round of 16: Marcus Coleman over Abe Assad (2-1TB)

2022 157 lb Consolation Round of 16: David Carr over Kaleb Young (5-3)

2019 149 lb Seventh Place Bout: Jarrett Degen over Pat Lugo (11-9)

Iowa’s wins are:

2024 141 lb Consolation Semifinal: Real Woods over Anthony Echemendia  (4-0)

2019 133 lb Bloodround: Austin DeSanto over Austin Gomez  (16-5)