The 7th-ranked Northern Iowa wrestling team will take its perfect dual meet record on the road this weekend. The 5-0 Panthers will face 5th-ranked Oklahoma on Sunday at 2 p.m. The Sooners are 7-0 in duals, with their last victory coming on January 12th at Iowa State (27-11).
UNI coach Doug Schwab says it’ll be a big test for his wrestlers entering McCasland Field House in Norman. “I like to go to a hostile environment, though. That’s good for our guys to go into an environment that’s going to be tough,” Schwab said. “You know you’re probably not going to get any calls. You’ve got to make the calls go your way and we’re preparing our guys to be ready for that.”
As part of the preparation for the meeting with Oklahoma, Schwab took his team to see a movie this week — the modern wartime film Lone Survivor. “I’m not saying we’re in battle, we’re in war, and our lives are on the line…but I’m saying there’s a lot to be said about the spirit, the will, and the drive some people have. They’re going to find a way to survive or get it done,” Schwab said. “Sometimes when our guys are in those battles, they have to find a way to get it done and have to dig in pretty deep. It’s a pretty dang good movie.”
The Panthers next home meet, in West Gym in Cedar Falls, will be at 7 p.m. on January 24 against Missouri.
Other wrestling this weekend:
Friday — Rutgers at #17 Iowa State, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday — #2 Iowa at #8 Nebraska, 4:30 p.m. (on BTN)
(rankings according to Intermat)