Ben Kueter’s two-sport juggling act is underway. 

The U20 World champion is moving closer to his first appearance in an Iowa football uniform and also appears to be preparing to wrestle this season for the Hawkeyes at heavyweight. 

Iowa linebackers coach Seth Wallace provided an update on the 6-foot-3, 220-pound freshman on Wednesday during an interview session with Hawkeye football beat writers. 

“Ben had an ankle (issue) that showed up in that first week against Utah State,” Wallace said. “That was the only reason he didn’t practice on Tuesday and Wednesday of that week. That was the only reason he didn’t dress that weekend. That’s why you didn’t see him in uniform — no other reason other than that. 

“Ben’s done a great job. He’s doing a great job on our scout team right now. The biggest thing there is us trying to work this marriage with wrestling, because he is trying to juggle both right now. It’s not a full-time job over in wrestling, but it’s him doing a part-time job over there and trying to get over there as much as he can, and we’re trying to put weight on him as well, which I know is needed on the wrestling side as well.”

Kueter was the #2 prospect on the Class of 2023 Big Board after an incredible career at Iowa City High, where he became the seventh wrestler in state history to finish high school undefeated. 

He was a force on the football field, as well. Rivals.com ranked Kueter the ninth-best outside linebacker prospect nationally in the 2023 class and the #3 player in Iowa. He picked up scholarship offers from Missouri, Minnesota and Iowa State before committing to the hometown Hawkeyes with plans of chasing dual-sport stardom.  

“Obviously, if it’s too much on my body and I’m getting hurt or it doesn’t work with my time, yeah, I’m sure I’m going to have to pick one eventually,” Kueter said in February during a guest appearance on the On The Mat podcast. “That’s the whole reason I’m doing it — I don’t know which one I want to do yet and I’m going to hold onto that as long as I can and when I have to make a decision, hopefully I’m a little more grown up and able to make that decision. Because once you stop one, it’s hard to come back after that.”

Kueter’s wrestling timeline appears to be accelerating. 

Last month, Iowa announced that 11 current student-athletes have been suspended by the NCAA after being involved in the state Division of Criminal Investigation’s sports gambling investigation. In May, the school announced that at least 26 student-athletes in five sports, including wrestling, were under investigation. Iowa has not released the identities of those involved or their punishments, citing privacy laws, but Kueter appears to be preparing to start at heavyweight for at least some portion of the season. 

“I think (Kueter’s) world also changed a little bit a few weeks ago when there was news that came out of Carver in regards to some of the wrestlers,” Wallace said. “I think that path might have changed just a little bit in regards to his thinking. Right now he’s done a great job for us and I don’t see why he wouldn’t continue to do that. It’s just us trying to figure things out as we get closer to October, November and December.”