125 is one of the deepest weight classes for the Hawkeyes, with several talented wrestlers, who are more than capable of stepping up and filling the weight class.
Drake Ayala
Drake was a 3x Iowa state champion at Fort Dodge High School, and entered the program with a ton of hype. Early in the season it was apparent that Drake was in fact the real deal, and Hawkeye fans were more then a little excited to see what he would accomplish. Unfortunately, he was injured in his first varsity match and struggled the rest of the season. Drake finished 8th at the Big 10 tournament and went 1-2 at the NCAA tournament. He did have a signature win over North Western’s Michael DeAugustino who was a NCAA 4th place finisher in 2022. Despite disappointing results, the future is very bright for Drake, and he will only improve. I can’t wait to see how he looks with another year of college wrestling.
Jesse Ybarra
Jesse was a 3x Arizona state champion, and was ranked #1 in the country at 120 lbs in high school in 2019. He has a 5-5 record, and has wrestled at 125 and 133. Mostly filling in for Austin DeSanto and Spencer Lee. During the 2022 season Ybarra claimed an individual title at the Luther Open at 125lbs. Jesse is a solid addition and adds a great deal of depth to the Hawkeyes. He would be a starter at a lot of schools and has the potential to be a star, if he continues to develop.
Charles Matthews
Charles was a 3x WCAL league champion in High School, he posted a 4-6 record last season while competing at 133 pounds.
Spencer Lee
Last season Mr. Lee posted a perfect 3-0 record before undergoing season ending knee surgery. If Spencer is able to return to the mat this season, he is a clear favorite to win a 4th NCAA Championship. Spencer has an overall record of 78-5 and is a 2x Hodge trophy winner.
133 is another deep weight for the Hawkeyes it will be tough to fill the shoes of the departed 4x all american Austin DeSanto, however there is some serious talent in this group.
Charles Matthews
Charles is listed on the roster at 125 lbs but he has only competed at 133 so far in his college career. In high school he was a 3x WCAL league champion, and is currently 4-6 overall in college competition. Matthews is capable of wrestling at either 125 or 133.
Cullan Schriever
Cullan was a 3x Iowa state champion from Mason City, and is an outstanding addition to the Hawkeye line up. Cullan is probably the favorite to get the starting position at this weight. He has a career college record of 18-6, and was 15-5 last season. Cullan is one of the future stars of the Iowa wrestling program, and it will be exciting to see how he has progressed from last season.
Jesse Ybarra
Jesse was a 3x Arizona state champion in High School, and was ranked #1 in the country at 120 lbs in high school in 2019. He has a 5-5 record, and has wrestled at 125 and 133. Mostly filling in for Austin DeSanto and Spencer Lee. During the 2022 season Ybarra claimed an individual title at the Luther Open at 125lbs. Jesse is a solid addition and adds a great deal of depth to the Hawkeyes. He would be a starter at a lot of schools and has the potential to be a star, if he continues to develop. I have Ybarra listed at both 125 and 133, as I’m sure he will compete wherever he can to crack the lineup.
Aidan Harris
Aidan is a transfer from Iowa Central Junior College where he finished 4th at the 2021 NJCAA national championships at 125. In high school he was a 3x state place winner and a 2020 Utah state champion. It will be interesting to see how Aidan figures into the equation at Iowa.
Jace Rhodes
Jace is another Mason City kid with high hopes of cracking the lineup for the Hawkeyes. In high school he was a 4x state place winner with a 116-23 career record. He will add depth to an already deep weight class.
Brody Teske
Teske is a late addition to Iowa’s roster. He is a grad-transfer from UNI. He started for the panthers at 125 pounds and was twice a NCAA qualifier. He is also a former BIG 12 Champion and is expected to make a huge impact for Iowa. Brody has 2 years of eligibility remaining and is a serious threat to all-american this season. His toughest match may take place in the room as its sure to be a 3 way battle for the starting spot.
With the departure of Jaydin Eierman, and Wyatt Henson 141 was expected to be a bit of a weak spot in the line up. However, it now appears to be one of the teams strongest.
Drew Bennett
Drew had a 153-8 record coming out of high school, where he was a 132 lb state champion for Fort Dodge Iowa. Since joining the college ranks, he has won the UNI open and the Grand View open, and has compiled a 17-9 record.
Leif Schroeder
Leif was a 4x Montana high school state champion, and a 2019 Reno World Champion. He has a 2-1 record since joining the Hawkeyes.
Real Woods
When Real entered the transfer portal, following the conclusion of the 2021-2022 season, he had the whole wrestling world talking. After hearing offers from several Big 10 schools, Real decided the best place to finish his college career was with the famed Iowa Hawkeye wresting program. Real enters the program as a 2x All-American and is considered a top contender to win an NCAA title. Woods has 2 years of eligibility remaining.
Joel Jesuroga
Is a former IHSAA state champion from South East Polk High School. Its unsure if Joel will compete at 141 or 149, so he will be entered on both listings. Joel is a serious talent with a very high ceiling. Its expected that he will red-shirt this season.