UNI's mascot.

UNI’s mascot.

Northern Iowa wrestling coach Doug Schwab is predicting there will be a new seeding process in place for next year’s NCAA Tournament. Schwab says he and a lot of other coaches are upset with the seeds many of their wrestlers were handed this year.

For instance, UNI 125-pounder Dylan Peters was ranked in the top-six at that weight all season, but he was given the number nine seed.

“I think he deserves a much higher seed than that,” Schwab said. “He’s only lost to the top three guys in the country and he beat the guys who is seeded fourth.” Northern Iowa has a total of four wrestlers in the tournament, which opens Thursday and runs through Saturday in St. Louis. The Panthers will face a lot of familiar opponents over the three days, according to Schwab.

“We’re going to wrestle some guys who we’ve beaten before and we’re going to wrestle some guys who’ve beat us before,” Schwab said. “We have to be ready to wrestle each and every time, worry about the match in front of us, and that’s what our guys are doing.” All four of the UNI wrestlers are feeling confident and Schwab mentioned 165-pounder Cooper Moore as an example.

“I can tell you I feel good with where our guys are at and I feel good with our preparation,” Schwab said. “A guy like Cooper last year…he told me ‘I got a little bit worked up going into the Nationals, it got to me a little bit.’ He competed that way a little, but he’s ready this year. He’s a year mature and everything is kind of in place now.” Second-ranked Iowa has all 10 of its wrestlers in the tournament, while Iowa State has seven.

Schwab says his ultimate goal for the tournament is for all four Panthers to win championships.

(Reporting by Elwin Huffman, KOEL, Waterloo)