Overview

Head coach: Doug Schwab (14th season)

Assistants: Randy Pugh, Lee Roper

2023 NCAA tournament finish: T-16

2023 NCAA tournament points: 29

2023 NCAA tournament record: 16-13

2023 Big 12 tournament finish: 7th

2023 dual record: 7-5 (5-3)

Returning national qualifiers: 4 (Cael Happel, Lance Runyon, Parker Keckeisen, Tyrell Gordon)

Returning All-Americans: 1 (Parker Keckeisen)

Last NCAA champion: Drew Foster (2019)

Highest NCAA team finish: 1st (1950)

Highest NCAA team finish under Schwab: 13th (2019)

Most place winners under Schwab: 3 (2014)

Click here for other line-up looks

Last 10 NCAA Championships

2013: 15th
2014: 15th
2015: 34th
2016: 25th
2017: 18th
2018: 24th
2019: 13th
2020: Canceled (COVID)
2021: 19th
2022: 20th
2023: 16th

Summary

Northern Iowa has built quite a reputation in the 184-pound class of late. Only Penn State has a better five-year production, thanks to Aaron Brooks winning three consecutive NCAA titles (2021-23). That tradition should continue now that Brooks is moving up to 184 pounds, which makes Keckeisen the favorite entering the season. 

Northern Iowa's NCAA tournament history at 184 pounds
2019: Drew Foster (first)
2020: Taylor Lujan (seeded first, tournament canceled)
2021: Parker Keckeisen (third)
2022: Parker Keckeisen (third)
2023: Parker Keckeisen (second)
2024: Parker Keckeisen (ranked first)

Keckeisen is the foundation of a team that is seeking to add another All-American at the NCAA Championships. The Panther star has been the lone national placer during each of the past three seasons.

Wyatt Voelker hasn’t earned the 197-pound spot yet, but he seems like a logical choice to contend. He recently made a U20 Greco World team after a 15-4 true freshman campaign. He has Foster, Lujan, and Keckeisen to train with, which should lead to improvements. 

Cael Happel won a pair of matches at the NCAA Championships and will be an All-American contender, as will Lance Runyon if he can get healthy. Tyrell Gordon is a solid heavyweight but the 285-pound class continues to be deep, so a run to the podium will take the tournament of his life. Colin Realbuto is redshirting in an attempt to make the Italian Olympic team. 

The remainder of the team will be fresh faces after losing a handful of quality wrestlers to graduation. Former U17 Greco World silver medalist Cory Land will contend for the 133-pound spot but is coming off of surgery. Jack Thomsen transferred from South Dakota State and will challenge at 149 pounds.

Head coach Doug Schwab likes to win with homegrown Iowans. He’ll have plenty to choose from as he builds his 2023-24 line-up. 

Northern Iowa’s Projected 2023-24 Line-up

125: Kyle Golhoffer, JR
133: Julian Farber, JR
141: Cael Happel, JR
149: Adam Allard, JR
157: RJ Weston, SO
165: Jack Thomsen, JR
174: Lance Runyon, JR
184: Parker Keckeisen, JR
197: Wyatt Voelker, FR
285: Tyrell Gordon, SR

125: Kyle Golhoffer, JR
2023 record: 8-13

Golhoffer started last season and is the front-runner for the 125-pound spot. He went 0-2 at the Big 12 Championships. The Cartersville, Georgia, native is seeking his first winning season since 2021. 

133: Julian Farber, JR
2023 record: 9-4

Farber gets the nod until we see how Cory Land recovers from ACL surgery. Land is one of the best wrestlers that Alabama has produced, and there are high hopes in Panther Nation that he will deliver. Farber wrestled in the Missouri dual on January 8 (losing to Allan Hart, 10-4) and was a quality backup for Kyle Biscoglia last season. He and Land will be in a dogfight for the spot. 

141: Cael Happel, JR
2023 record: 18-8
2023 NCAA tournament record: 2-2 (R16)

Happel has some nice wins on his resume and made the country take notice when he reached the finals of the 2022 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The 141-pound class is still a tangled plate of spaghetti, so reaching the podium is all about match-ups at the national championships. Either way, Schwab is looking to Happel for consistency and for a spark in the line-up. Happel should deliver both. 

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

Happel reached the CKLV finals with this win over South Dakota State's Clay Carlson

149: Adam Allard, JR
2023 record: 10-9

The 149-pound starter is anyone’s guess since Realbuto is taking an Olympic redshirt. It could be Allard, Ethan Basile, Cael Rahnavardi, or someone else. This weight is truly up for grabs. Allard gets the early nod since he started in two duals last season and went 1-1. 

157: RJ Weston, SO
2023 record: 8-5

Another weight with options and little clarity. Weston seems like a good choice, but others will contend. This is another wait-and-see class for the Panthers. 

165: Jack Thomsen, JR
2023 record: 12-4

Thomsen transferred from South Dakota State but hasn’t seen the varsity line-up yet. He will compete with Christian Minto and others for the spot. 

174: Lance Runyon, JR
2023 record: 5-7

Runyon’s losing record from last season isn’t indicative of what he can do. He reached the Round of 16 at the 2022 NCAA Championships but has been plagued by shoulder injuries for most of his college career. His fall over Oklahoma State’s Dustin Plott during a 2022 dual triggered one of the biggest wins in program history. We’ll see if he can recreate that kind of magic in 2024. The operative word for Runyon is health. 

184: Parker Keckeisen, JR
2023 record: 26-2
2023 NCAA tournament record: 4-1 (2nd)

Keckeisen will be the heart and soul of the team for the fourth consecutive season. He is ranked first at 184 pounds ahead of Penn State’s Bernie Truax — an opponent he split with at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Northern Iowa has only had two D1 NCAA champions since 1963. Could Keckeisen make it three in 2024? 

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

Parker Keckeisen reached the 2023 NCAA tournament finals with this win over Oregon State's Trey Munoz

197: Wyatt Voelker, FR
2023 record: 15-4

When Schwab talks about homegrown Iowa talent, he’s likely referring to Wyatt Voelker. Voelker grew up an hour from Northern Iowa and was among the best upper-weight recruits in the country when he signed with the Panthers. He’ll attempt to win a medal at the U20 World Championships this summer and then attempt to earn a varsity spot at 197 pounds. He entered the line-up twice last season, losing to Oklahoma State’s Luke Surber, 2-1, and to Iowa State’s Yonger Bastida, 12-6. 

285: Tyrell Gordon, SR
2023 record: 20-13

Gordon made improvements from 2022 to 2023. Can he make another jump during his senior season? The Waterloo, Iowa, native began his career at 197 pounds and made the jump up to heavyweight. He had a few signature wins last season but will need to make big gains to place at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Chet Buss and John Gunderson will contend.