The U.N.I. wrestling team faces a big weekend as the National Duals begin. The format has been changed this year, as teams are placed in a region with five other schools. U.N.I. will travel to Ames, where they will face off against Virginia Tech. Coach Mark Schwab says the new format attempts to promote wrestling, but perhaps not in the right way.
“They’re trying to make it a pretty big deal, and I don’t know if they will ever be able to time it right. For wrestling I think the national tournament is always going to be the biggest event,” Schwab says. He says he likes that they are trying something to get more interest in the sport.
With Virginia Tech up first, U.N.I. will see some of the same wrestlers that they did at Midlands. Coach Schwab says he’s excited to see how his wrestlers have improved since then. Should the Panthers beat Virginia Tech, they will earn themselves another showdown against 5th rated Iowa, who beat U.N.I. 38-4 in their match up earlier this season.
By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls