Tom Brands
April 09, 1968 - Present
At the University of Iowa, Tom Brands approached opponents with a fiery intensity that could be felt in every part of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. To Tom, losing was so painful that it was intolerable and unthinkable. Every fiber of his being was dedicated to earning an Olympic Gold Medal of his own.
Legendary coach Dan Gable understood.
He set about developing state high school champs Tom and his twin, Terry, into dominant figures on the college mat, blending them into Iowa's storied parade of powerful wrestlers. Tom responded by taking three Big Ten championships and posting NCAA titles in 1990, 1991 and 1992. He was team captain for three years and was honored as the NCAA's Outstanding Wrestler his senior year. His record of 158 victories against seven losses and two ties remains the Hawkeyes' finest.
Representing the Hawkeye Wrestling Club after graduation, he began harvesting national and international awards. Tom won four U.S. National crowns and three World Team Trials titles, and was a medalist in the Sunkist International Duals. In 1993 alone, he was World Champion and the Krasnoyarsk Tourney titlist, won the John Smith Outstanding Freestyle Award and Amateur Wrestling News' Man of the Year. Tom and Terry were jointly acknowledged as 1993 USA Wrestling Athlete of the Year.
Other international competitions saw him third in the Yarygin Tourney, Cerro Pelado Tourney winner, twice a World Cup champion, Pan-American Games winner, as well as a medalist in the U.S. World Open International Championships and Italy's Trophe Milone Tournament. In 1995, he was named the U.S. Olympic Committee Sportsman of the Month. In 1996 at Atlanta, Tom stood on the topmost step as an Olympic Gold Medal was slipped around his neck.
For the past nine years, he has been an assistant head coach at Iowa. In 2000, he was recognized by the National Wrestling Coaches Association as College Assistant Coach of the Year.
For attaining, in a few brief years, every goal a young wrestler dreams of, Tom Brands is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Awards:
Year
2002
|
Award
Glen Brand Inductee
|
Chapter/Region
National
|
Year
2001
|
Award
Distinguished Member
|
Chapter/Region
National
|
All American Awards:
Season
1992
|
School
Iowa
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
134
|
Place
1
|
Season
1991
|
School
Iowa
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
134
|
Place
1
|
Season
1990
|
School
Iowa
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
134
|
Place
1
|
Season
1989
|
School
Iowa
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
126
|
Place
4
|
College Season Records:
Season
1992
|
School
Iowa
|
Class
Senior
|
Bouts
42
|
Wins
41
|
Losses
1
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
17
|
Win PCT.
97.62
|
Place
1st
|
Season
1991
|
School
Iowa
|
Class
Junior
|
Bouts
45
|
Wins
45
|
Losses
0
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
12
|
Win PCT.
100
|
Place
1st
|
Season
1990
|
School
Iowa
|
Class
Sophomore
|
Bouts
42
|
Wins
40
|
Losses
2
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
10
|
Win PCT.
95.24
|
Place
1st
|
Season
1989
|
School
Iowa
|
Class
Freshman
|
Bouts
38
|
Wins
32
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
2
|
Falls
7
|
Win PCT.
84.21
|
Place
4th
|
Season
Career
|
Bouts
167
|
Wins
158
|
Losses
7
|
Ties
2
|
Falls
46
|
Win PCT.
94.61
|
All Coaching Dual Records:
Season
2011
|
School
Iowa
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
16
|
Wins
15
|
Losses
0
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
93.75
|
Season
2010
|
School
Iowa
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
23
|
Wins
23
|
Losses
0
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
100
|
Season
2009
|
School
Iowa
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
24
|
Wins
24
|
Losses
0
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
100
|
Season
2008
|
School
Iowa
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
22
|
Wins
21
|
Losses
1
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
95.45
|
Season
2007
|
School
Iowa
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
19
|
Wins
14
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
73.68
|
Season
2006
|
School
Virginia Tech
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
17
|
Wins
1
|
Losses
16
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
5.88
|
Season
2005
|
School
Virginia Tech
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
20
|
Wins
16
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
80
|
Season
Career
|
Duals
141
|
Wins
114
|
Losses
26
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
80.85
|
All Rankings:
Season
1992
|
Rank Date
03/18/1992
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1992
|
Rank Date
03/02/1992
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1992
|
Rank Date
02/17/1992
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1992
|
Rank Date
02/03/1992
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1992
|
Rank Date
01/20/1992
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1992
|
Rank Date
12/23/1991
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1992
|
Rank Date
11/18/1991
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1991
|
Rank Date
03/04/1991
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1991
|
Rank Date
03/14/1991
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1991
|
Rank Date
02/18/1991
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1991
|
Rank Date
02/04/1991
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1991
|
Rank Date
01/14/1991
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1991
|
Rank Date
12/17/1990
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1991
|
Rank Date
11/19/1990
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1990
|
Rank Date
02/05/1990
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1990
|
Rank Date
03/22/1990
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1990
|
Rank Date
03/05/1990
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
Season
1990
|
Rank Date
02/19/1990
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Iowa
|
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