University of Iowa Planning New Wrestling Training Facility

When you're drawing huge crowds, undefeated, and ranked #1 in the nation, it's a good time to ask for things. It's all about timing and the University of Iowa gets it. Add to it that the university says they'll use all gifts for their latest program-strengthening facility on the campus and this sounds like an easy pin for the Board of Regents. Pun intended.

Iowa wants to build a new training facility for wrestling on the south side of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It would be attached via a tunnel. Don't worry, Iowa would still hold dual meets inside Carver-Hawkeye, where Iowa's last two against #4 Ohio State and #7 Nebraska have drawn crowds of 13,405 and 12,883 respectively. Iowa has led the nation in wrestling attendance 13 years in a row.

Nine million dollars in gift commitments have already been secured by Iowa. Some of that money funded a preliminary needs assessment and design plan. Once the Board of Regents approves the plan, the budget for the project will be developed and an architect will be selected.

In addition to expanded training space, the new facility would also include a Hall of Champions to showcase the history of the Iowa wrestling program. It's an impressive history that has won 23 NCAA team titles, 35 team titles in the Big Ten, has had 84 individual NCAA champions, and 335 All-Americans.

In a release from the University of Iowa, wrestling coach Tom Brands said,

This is an important step forward for the Iowa Wrestling program. We put constant thought and evaluation into everything we do, and we do it with great energy to make sure we are operating at the highest level. We are thankful that we are able to continue moving forward.

The top-ranked Hawkeye wrestlers take on #2 Penn State Friday, January 31 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The dual begins at 8 p.m. It's been sold-out for quite a while and currently, the "cheapest" ticket for the meet on StubHub is $88. Thankfully, it's being televised by the Big Ten Network.