Iowa men's wrestling announces 2025-26 Big Ten dual opponents

On Monday morning, the Iowa men’s wrestling program announced its 2025-26 Big Ten dual opponents some four-and-a-half months in advance of the coming season.

👀⚠️#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/T3QgWyYpay

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling) June 16, 2025

I’d urge you to cherish this information, Hawkeye fans. Because if history is any indication this may be the last official information Iowa puts out until the full schedule is released sometime in October.

Having said that, I felt like a brief (by my standards) early peek ahead was in order. So, here’s a nugget or two on all eight conference duals as the countdown to next season officially begins.

(Who are we kidding – like I wasn’t counting down already??)

Michigan (home)

Michigan had just two All-Americans this March in an uncharacteristically down year (12^th at NCAA’s).

Both of those wrestlers have exhausted their eligibility, but another All-American has joined the Wolverines via the transfer portal and has my early intrigue for this dual.

Heavyweight Taye Ghadiali took eighth in 2024 while competing at Campbell. Now, after a redshirt year he’ll conclude his career in Ann Arbor as a pre-season top-five wrestler amidst a division that just lost a slew of all-time hammers. How does he match up with Iowa’s own eighth-place All-American, Ben Kueter (2025), in a battle of athletic big men?

Minnesota (home)

After an undefeated redshirt season (15-0), Max McEnelly officially burst onto the scene in 2024-25 with a third-place NCAA finish. The explosive Golden Gopher lost just twice as a first-year starter – in the Big Ten final and NCAA semifinal at 184 pounds.

In both instances, McEnelly was inches from knocking off an all-time great – losing to Penn State’s Carter Starocci and Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen in sudden victory.

In his first trip to Carver-Hawkeye Arena he’ll match wits with Iowa’s own burgeoning superstar – Angelo Ferrari – in what could be a 1-vs-2 showdown.

Ferrari only has one loss to date in his own collegiate career – a 3-1 decision to Starocci on the road in which the freshman didn’t give up a takedown to the five-time national champion.

And of course, we all remember what he did in his last outing in front of the home Hawkeye faithful…

Penn State (home)

We know what the gap was between these programs the last time they met.

How much, if at all, has Iowa narrowed the sizable margin with the juggernaut Nittany Lions since then?

There’s no question the home environment will meet the moment for this latest clash of college wrestling titans. But can the Hawkeyes do the same on the mat where it counts?

One match I’ll dying to see (among many): Is this the time Michael Caliendo finally overcomes nemesis Mitchell Mesenbrink? The two had their most competitive matches to date at the Big Ten/NCAA finals. Combine that with Carver-Hawkeye Arena – a place known to produce some memorable moments/upsets on its hallowed ground – and might lightning strike once again?

Wisconsin (home)

Last season Iowa ‘skunked’ the Badgers in its Big Ten opener to the tune of a 45-0 beatdown in Madison. And I wouldn’t expect their next meeting to be much more competitive.

But there will be one matchup folks should have circled already, as Drake Ayala and Zan Fugitt could meet in an NCAA semifinal rematch at 133 pounds.

After Ayala teched Fugitt at the dual it was a huge surprise to see the Badger reach the NCAA semis unscathed as the #14 seed. And it was arguably as surprising when the two wrestled a far closer 6-1 bout in their next meeting.

The entire match swung in the last 10 seconds of the second period when Ayala was awarded a takedown on the edge following a lengthy video review, then scored two near fall points upon the restart thereafter.

Fugitt would go on to finish fourth in his improbable run, while Ayala was runner up for the second consecutive year.

Michigan State (road)

In full transparency, I can’t come up with much to sell you on this dual matchup.

Michigan State went winless (0-8) in conference duals a year ago, then finished last at the Big Ten Championships with just 11.5 team points.

If you’re a Hawkeye fan, just be thankful this didn’t take up one of Iowa’s four home dates next season.

Nebraska (road)

This next dual presents a stark contrast to the aforementioned snoozer against Sparty.

The Cornhuskers had a banner year in 2024-25, outpacing Iowa at both Big Tens and NCAAs with surprising runner-up finishes.

When these two less-than-hospitable border rivals last met in dual action Iowa prevailed in a wild down-to-the-wire affair.

Nebraska will have a strong top-to-bottom lineup once again – including a recent transfer addition whose name/game Hawkeye fans are certainly familiar with.

When all is said and done, the trip to Lincoln may wind up being Iowa’s toughest (road) test of the 2025-26 season.

Ohio State (road)

Without question, the next most high-profile road tilt on Iowa’s Big Ten schedule is a visit to face the Buckeyes.

Much like Nebraska, Ohio State returns a bevy of ranked wrestlers to what should be a very strong dual lineup. It also added a pair of high-caliber transfers to the mix this offseason.

Iowa pulled away in 2025, taking 7/10 matches in a 24-13 home victory.

There will be plenty of captivating matchups in this one, but I’ve got an early eye on 141 pounds – where Ohio State returns two-time reigning national champion Jesse Mendez.

As for who Iowa will send out to challenge the Buckeye star, it could very well be an incoming transfer, Nasir Bailey.

Bailey was among three key lightweight additions to the Hawkeye roster this spring. The Little Rock (AK) transfer is a serious talent – as evidenced by his fourth-place NCAA finish at 133 pounds as a true freshman in 2024. Now, after a disappointing 2-2 postseason venture last March, he’s changed schools (and likely weight classes) looking to take the next step.

If he can hang with Mendez, it’s probably safe to say Tom Brands has nailed yet another portal prospect.

Purdue (road)

The final dual on this list comes courtesy of Purdue, who impressed with a 13^th-place NCAA finish last March.

And though this matchup doesn’t figure to be close on the final scoreboard, the Boilermakers are a scrappy outfit that won’t capitulate against the Hawkeyes without a fight.

Joey Blaze is the headline attraction for the home team in this one after a shocking run to the finals at 157 pounds three months ago.

If he remains at that weight next season, he could face arguably Iowa’s greatest unknown – whomever mans the spot at 157.