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

Our Mission: To honor the sport of wrestling by preserving its history, recognizing extraordinary individual achievements, and inspiring future generations