The Big Ten Wrestling Championships are in full swing this weekend in Evanston, Illinois. Iowa Wrestling has two top-ranked wrestlers in their weight class, Drake Ayala (133 pounds) and Stephen Buchanan (197 pounds). Iowa is aiming to capture its 38th Big Ten Title.
The biggest weekend story is Stephen Buchanan, a senior transfer from Oklahoma. He is Iowa’s only undefeated wrestler this season at 19-0 going into the weekend. He is making his fifth postseason appearance, first with the Hawkeyes and in the Big Ten.
He captured a Big 12 Title in 2022 while at Wyoming and hopes to bring his championship pedigree to Evanston. Despite Iowa’s decades of success, they have never had a Big Ten Champion at 197 pounds since the weight class was added in 1999. Buchanan is trying to change that…