KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The University of Iowa men’s wrestling team has four quarterfinalists, and all nine Hawkeyes are still alive following Session II of the 2024 NCAA Championships at the T-Mobile Center.

“We have another day tomorrow,” said head coach Tom Brands. “Guys on the consolation side of the bracket have two matches in the morning, need to keep a good thing going that way. Guys in the championship have one match in the morning. That is where we are at. It’s day one, and we are going to day two in a three-day tournament, and I’m fired up.”

No. 3 seed Drake Ayala dispatched the No. 14 seed Nico Provo of Stanford with a 19-4 technical fall in 5:20 at 125. He advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in his career.

At 141, third-seeded Real Woods advanced to the quarterfinals for the third straight season with an 8-0 major decision over No. 14 Jesse Vasquez.

The No. 10 seed at 157 pounds Jared Franek advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-3 victory over #7 Peyten Kellar of Ohio.

Michael Caliendo put up the second tech. fall of the session as the No. 6 seed at 165-pounds won, 26-10, over Bucknell’s Noah Mulvaney the No. 22 seed.

At 285, No. 25 seed Bradley Hill fell to Ohio State’s ninth seed Nick Feldman, 11-2.

In consolation matches the Hawkeyes won all three of their bouts. At 149, No. 13 seed Caleb Rathjen won via injury default over No. 29 Alek Martin of South Dakota State.

Patrick Kennedy had the third tech. fall of the session for the Hawkeyes. Kennedy, the No. 12 seed tallied 18 points en route to defeating fifth-seeded Philip Conigliaro of Harvard at 174.

At 197, No. 7 seed Zach Glazier closed things out for the Hawkeyes with a major decision, 16-6, over Ohio States 23rd-seeded Luke Geog.

“The national tournament is different,” said Brands. “You are resting, fueling, hydrating and repeating. You are constantly doing what you do to make sure that mind and body are ready to go.”

Iowa is tied for second with Iowa State in the team standings heading into the third session with 24.5 points.  Penn State is leading the team race with 34.5 points, while Michigan and NC State are fourth with 22 points.

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Session III of the 2024 NCAA Championships will begin at 11 a.m. (CT) tomorrow and it will be televised live on ESPNU.