The state of Iowa is synonymous with wrestling because of the success the University of Iowa and the Hawkeye Wrestling Club has obtained.
As of 2023, the state of Iowa now has a staggering 71 national team titles between five different divisions and eight different colleges. The University of Iowa leads the way with 24 NCAA D1 National Championships. That's why we have been coined WRESTLETOWN, USA!
Athletes are the backbone of our World Class program. Our recruitment process is vigorous and focused on the elite-of-the-elite. Like-minded athletes that want to be the very best, is where we focus our time and energy.
Our technical skill sets or wrestling styles don't always match our athletes but our mentalities surrounding excellence are always aligned. Teams are built by individuals and unique personalities that come together with a common goal...and in our case, that goal is to be the best in the world.
The Hawkeye Wrestling Club touches all levels of wrestling and is at the eipcenter of developmental impacts in our sport. Our program's coaching tree extends to every corner of the United States from youth to international programs.
The natural progression for high level athletes is to go into coaching, but not all are as passionate for the sport as our Hawks. Coaching coaches is what our program does...Dan Gable has coached approximately 20 head division one coaches and a countless number of coaches at other levels. Tom Brands is also building a representation for developing aspiring coaches with approximately 15 of his athletes choosing to stay in the sport of wrestling as a viable career path.
Being legitimate on the mat takes a lot of unseen hard work behind the scenes, so does the day-to-day operations of a premier institution like the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. We pride ourselves on being professional and understand the value of running an efficieent event and marketing our team to the masses. When we travel, people flock to us because they want to catch a glimpse of what we're all about.
Over the last 50 years the Hawkeye Wrestling Club has been led by people that believe deeply in the development and growth of its athletes – both on the mat and off. There's a reason our athletes are known for their grit, tenacity, reliability, discipline, and loyalty...it's been modeled everyday by their coaches for 5 decades.
This transformative program has been able to enhance hundreds of wrestlers' lives through consistent, passionate work, and rigorious training. We are terribly-particularly with the type of people we recruit to our team and onto our staff, ensuring we have the right personnel to make the greatest impact on our athletes and program as a whole.
3x NCAA Team Championship Coach
5x B1G Team Championship Coach
USA Wrestling Coach of the Year
Olympic Bronze Medalist
2x World Champion
2x NCAA Champion
Terry Brands
Associate Head Wrestling Coach
4x NCAA Team Championship Coach
6x B1G Team Championship Coach
3x NWCA Coach of the Year
5x B1G Coach of the Year
Olympic Gold Medalist
World Champion
3x NCAA Champion
Tom Brands
Head Wrestling Coach
2016 Olympian
2x NCAA All-American
3x B1G & NCAA Championship Team Member
Dan Dennis
Head Wrestling Coach
2x NCAA Qualifier
3x B1G & NCAA Championship Team Member
Chad Beatty
Executive Director
NCAA Team Championship Coach
3x B1G Team Championship Coach
US Olympic Team Trials Qualifier
3x NCAA All-American
Bobby Telford
Assistant Wrestling Coach
NCAA Team Championship Coach
3x B1G Team Championship Coach
US Olympic Team Trials Qualifier
2x NCAA All-American
3x B1G & NCAA Championship Team Member
Ryan Morningstar
Assistant Wrestling Coach
University of Iowa Graduate, 2002
Jesse Donnenwerth
Wrestling Athletic Trainer
Wartburg College Graduate, 2016
Alex Harmer
Wrestling Strength Coach
University of Iowa Graduate, 2019
Moriah Marinelli
Wrestling Director of Operations
University of Iowa Graduate, 2024
Rynzi Hernandez
Operations Coordinator
Leadership Group
Having a Head Coach and an Executive Director in our organization brings necessary stability to our team. Both leadership positions are critical for our athletes to have success. These staffers work in unison to impact our team members everyday.
From direct mentorship and coaching, to organization operations and fundraising, our staff members work to ensure our athletes have everything they need to be successful. Everything they do is centered around the athlete's experience and their ability to reach their full potential.
HWC & OUR SUPPORTERS
Meet ourBOARD
From direct mentorship and coaching, to organization operations and fundrising, our staff members work to ensure our athletes have everything they need to be successful. Everything they do is centered around the athlete's experience and their ability to reach their full potential.
Brad Eldeen
President
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Mitch Kelly
Vice President
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Aaron Robertson
Treasurer
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Joe Holmes
Secretary
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Ryan Key
Voting Member
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Al Zahasky
Voting Member
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Ryan Smidt
Voting Member
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Tom Barton
Board of Trustees Co-Chair
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Barb Barton
Board of Trustees Co-Chair
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HWC Supporters
The HWC Board of Trustees
The Hawkeye Wrestling Club (HWC) is pleased to announce the formation of the HWC Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees has been established as a fundraising board to further the HWC’s vision to be the number one Olympic and senior level wrestling program in America.
The Iowa Hawkeye wrestling team and the HWC now enjoy the country’s finest wrestling training center thanks to their passionate and generous donors. Although Iowa’s rich wrestling history is amazing, the landscape in collegiate and Olympic level wrestling is rapidly changing.
When the NCAA approved the Name, Image, and Likeness Policy (NIL) on July 1, 2021, amateur sports in America was changed forever. Today, wrestling programs and Regional Training Centers are not only competing to recruit the top athletes, but they are competing on the fundraising level as well. Moving forward, there will be no successful wrestling program that is not first successful at fundraising.
