A slow start proved costly as Iowa State lost to Memphis 36-26 in the Liberty Bowl. It was a game the Cyclones trailed 19-0 in the first quarter. Sophomore linebacker Caleb Bacon.

Memphis had 364 yards of passing and added 166 on the ground.

Rocco Becht had 446 yards of passing and three touchdowns but Memphis held the Cyclones to no rushing yards.

The Cyclones finish the season 7-6 and with most of the starters returning the future is bright.

CORALVILLE, Iowa – The University of Iowa women’s wrestling team finished day one of the second-annual Soldier Salute with 10 student-athletes in the semifinals. The Hawkeyes finished the day in first place, accumulating 95 team points.

In Session one, the Hawkeyes went 23-6 in the pool rounds, with 10 student-athletes going undefeated. Sterling Dias started the day off at 101 pounds with an 11-0 technical fall over Whitley Blake of Indiana Tech. She ended her first session with another tech. fall over Life’s Devyn Gomez, 14-4. Ava Bayless came in at 109 with a 10-0 tech. fall over Alyssa Valdivia of William Jewell, followed by another 14-4 tech. fall over Life’s Diana Gonzalez. At 116, Brianna Gonzalez notched two tech. falls defeating Adriana Martinez of Life (11-0) and Riley Horvath of Indiana Tech (13-2). At 123, Bella Ngo earned a 10-0 tech. fall against Emarie Bolosan of William Jewell. Emily Frost followed with another tech. fall, 12-2, against Indiana Tech’s Ellyana Kuzman.

Lilly Luft went 2-0 at 136 to start the day, notching a win against Koryna Diaz of William Jewell, via a 9-0 decision and a 10-0 tech. fall win over William Penn’s Sandra Arellano. Also at 136, Anakya Besco defeated Tarnpreet Soroya of Umpqua, via fall in 5:20 and continued with a 10-0 tech. fall over William Penn’s Alexis Cervantes. Reese Larramendy came in at 143 with a fall over Tatum Levendahl of Dubuque in 1:35. She ended the session earning a 10-0 tech. fall over Texas Wesleyan’s Maryellen Lafferty. At 155, Bella Mir made her season debut with two pins. Mir opened with a fall in 1:35 over Jennifer De La Torre of Umpqua, and followed with another fall in 43 seconds against Indiana Tech’s Cydney Bassett. Haley Ward opened at 170 with a quick 14-second pin against Kiara Meek of Dubuque, and then earned a forfeit over Tiffin’s Tia Leahy.

In Session two, the Hawkeyes put 10 athletes into the semifinals. Dias secured her spot at 101 with a quick 52-second pin over Teya Gardner of William Penn. At 116, Gonzalez followed with a tech. fall over Umpqua’s Taryn Evans, 12-1. Ngo advanced at 123 with a 10-0 tech. fall against Shea Reisel of Dubuque. At 130 pounds, Frost and Baudhuin battled in an all-Iowa quarterfinal. Frost came out on top with a fall in 4:16. Besco downed Victory’s Emma Gruenhagen via a 10-0 tech. fall at 136, and Luft notched a win as well over Mattison Parker of Texas Wesleyan with a 12-2 tech. fall. Larramendy notched a win at 143, pinning Texas Wesleyan’s Jalynn Patino in 1:14. Mir took the medical forfeit over Janida Garcia of Tiffin, and Haley Ward finished the day with her tech. fall over Umpqua’s Zoey Smalley, 10-0. Alivia White also advanced ahead to the finals at 191, where she will meet Jaycee Foeller who is wrestling unattached. Emmily Patneaud, unattached, will face Luft in the 136 semifinal.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH CLARISSA CHUN

“It is great to have 10 of our athletes advancing through to the semifinals. Every time we step on the mat, whether it’s at practice or in competition, our goal is to get one percent better. I am always extremely proud of their efforts and how they carry themselves on and off of the mat. Coming back from winter break and performing the way they did shows how locked in they are. We are excited to be back in action tomorrow.”

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes will wrap up competition on day two of Soldier Salute, tomorrow starting at 11 a.m. (CT). All matches will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).

CORALVILLE, Iowa — Twelve University of Iowa wrestlers advanced to the semifinals at the Soldier Salute on Friday evening at Xtream Arena. The Hawkeyes have multiple semifinalists at four different weight classes, including three Hawkeyes at 133 pounds in Brody Teske, Cullan Schriever and unattached freshman Kale Petersen.

Seven Hawkeyes advanced through the quarterfinal round on technical falls. Drake Ayala, Zach Glaizer and Real Woodseach tallied up multiple techs throughout the day, while Patrick Kennedy earned a pin in the morning before ending the night with a technical fall in the quarterfinals. Two unattached freshmen, Petersen and Gabe Arnold, are still alive in the winners’ bracket. Arnold majored Devan Hendricks (Bellarmine), 12-2, to advance.

The Solider Salute concludes on Saturday, beginning with Session III starting at 11:00 a.m. (CT). The action will be streamed live on BTN+.

CORALVILLE, Iowa — Sixteen University of Iowa wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals on Friday morning at Xtream Arena.

The Hawkeyes have multiple quarterfinalists at four different weight classes, including three Hawkeyes at 149 pounds and four at 133 pounds. Iowa posted 16 bonus point victories during the first session, including six technical falls and two pins.

Wrestling unattached, freshman Kale Petersen knocked off 12th ranked Angelo Rini.

Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz says too much attention has been focused on him and not what the Hawkeyes have accomplished this season. The son of head coach Kirk Ferentz was informed in the middle of the season that he will not be retained and his final game will be Monday’s Citrus Bowl against Tennessee.

A win on Monday would be the 11th of the season and only the fourth time it has happened.

Brian Ferentz says he has remained focused on this season since being informed of his dismissal.

The fourth ranked Iowa Hawkeye women return to Big Ten play on Saturday by hosting Minnesota. Under first-year coach Dawn Plitzuweit the Gophers are 11-1.

That’s Iowa coach Lisa Bluder who says the Gophers have made big strides this season and the addition of six-five center Sophie Hart from North Carolina State has been a difference maker.

Both teams have been off since the 21st and Bluder feels the time off was good for her team.

Iowa linebacker Nick Jackson spent most of this month preparing for what he thought was his final college game. Now the Virginia transfer has a decision to make. He could return after being granted a waiver by the NCAA for another season. Jackson finished second in tackles and second in sacks for an Iowa team that takes a 10-3 record into Monday’s Citrus Bowl against Tennessee.

If this is his one and only year with the program he will always remember playing in Kinnick Stadium.