FloWrestling’s Andy Hamilton interviewed Iowa women’s coach Clarissa Chun and her assistant Tonya Verbeek at the NWCA Convention in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Here is what we learned about the Iowa women’s program for the upcoming inaugural season. 

Scheduling Excitement

Most fans want to know Iowa’s schedule and where they can buy season tickets. That moment hasn’t arrived yet but Chun said the team’s competition slate is nearly finalized.

Chun mentioned a quadrangular at Carver-Hawkeye Arena between all four Division I women’s programs (Iowa, Sacred Heart, Presbyterian, and Lindenwood) but didn’t provide details on a date. The team will compete at Soldier Salute on December 29-30 since the event is in Coralville, Iowa.

East Stroudsburg stated it will host the Iowa on Saturday, November 4 at Koehler Fieldhouse in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and that the Hawkeyes will compete in the East Stroudsburg Open the following day. 

She also mentioned the NWCA National Duals, which is being held in Cedar Falls, Iowa (90 minutes north of Iowa City), on January 5-6. Chun said the team would not be competing in the event since they are a new program and the top 16 teams from nationals get first dibs. 

Iowa will likely be the first alternate if a team declines. Let’s hope that happens. Iowa competing at the National Duals during its return to the state is important for the growth of wrestling and it would be a missed opportunity if the Hawkeyes were not in attendance.

North Central head coach Joe Norton indicated that his team is not on Iowa’s dual schedule for the upcoming season. The Cardinals won the 2023 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Will Iowa Win Everything?

Chun is aware of the pressure to win immediately since her team is the only Power Five women’s wrestling program in the country. However, she alluded to North Central (Division III), McKendree (Division II), and Southern Oregon (NAIA) as high-caliber teams.

McKendree and North Central have combined to win the first four National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships, while Southern Oregon won the inaugural NAIA Freestyle Championships earlier this year. 

Fargo Fever

The excitement surrounding Iowa women’s wrestling was heightened following 16U and Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. According to Chun, interest was at an all-time high after the tournament.

Recruiting Philosophy

“No one person is bigger than the next,” Chun said. “It’s for her. It’s about the people who came before us and pushing future wrestlers to be better.”

Surprise, Surprise

Hamilton asked Chun about her biggest surprise as head coach.

“A lot of rules and a lot of forms,” Chun said. 

She was really surprised, though, by the reaction she received from Iowa fans at duals and during a football game. 

“It’s different in Iowa,” Chun said.

Tonya’s Making It Work

Chun persistently pursued Tonya Verbeek to join her as an assistant after failed attempts by USA Wrestling to get her on staff.

Verbeek might be the greatest Canadian wrestler ever. She began competing in 1992 at the age of 16 before making a Senior World team in 1995 at the age of 18. It took another nine years before she qualified for the 2004 Olympics.

Verbeek won silver, bronze, and silver at the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics in addition to bronze, bronze, and silver at the 2005, 2009, and 2011 Worlds. She eventually led the men's and women's Canadian national teams.

She had to apply for a work visa since she’s from Canada, which resulted in a few initial hurdles, but everything is working out fine so far. Verbeek mentioned making adjustments to U.S. wrestling lingo and different measuring systems. Getting used to pounds and miles is challenging when you’re used to the metric system. 

Hear from Iowa assistant Tonya Verbeek at NWCA Convention