Iowa won 10 of their 11 matches during the first session of wrestling at the NCAA Tournament in Philadelphia today. Iowa State and Northern Iowa, meanwhile, each advanced two wrestlers in the championship round. Penn State has the team lead after the first session of the NCAA Wrestling Tournament. The Nittany Lions have 20 points, with 7 wrestlers in the championship bracket and one in the consolations.
The three-time defending champion Iowa Hawkeyes are a close 2nd with 18 points and eight wrestlers in the championship bracket and one in the consolations. Iowa’s Matt McDonough, the defending 125-pound champion, pinned his first round opponent while seven other Hawkeyes won by decision.
Iowa heavyweight Blake Rasing used an escape and riding time to beat Iowa State’s Kyle Simonson in the opening round 2-0. The Cyclones’ had two first round wins from top-seed Jon Reader at 174 and Jerome Ward at 197.
Northern Iowa has just three wrestlers in the tournament, but two advanced with first round wins; David Bonin at 157and Ryan Loder at 184.
