The NCAA selection committee awarded wrestlers from each of Iowa’s Division I programs an extra chance at a first-time opportunity.
Iowa’s Patrick Rhoads and Sam Stoll, Iowa State’s Dane Pestano and Northern Iowa’s Josh Alber will all make their national tournament debuts at next week’s NCAA Championships after receiving at-large tickets into the tournament on Tuesday.
Rhoads helped his case on Sunday by beating Penn State’s Geno Morelli 4-2 to finish seventh in the Big Ten at 165 pounds. The senior compiled a 13-11 record, but each of his losses came at the hands of wrestlers in the top 10 in the NCAA coaches panel rankings.