In one of the bigger dual meets of the weekend, Princeton is traveling to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes in what will be both teams’ first dual meet of the season. Take a look below at a full breakdown of the dual along with predictions for each match.

Probable Lineups

125: Jesse Ybarra (Iowa) vs #3 Pat Glory (Princeton)

133: #3 Austin Desanto OR Cullan Schriever (Iowa) vs Nick Kayal (Princeton)

141: #3 Jaydin Eierman (Iowa) vs Nick Masters OR Jacob Mann (Princeton)

149: Bretli Reyna OR Cobe Siebrecht OR Vince Turk (Iowa) vs Josh Breeding (Princeton)

157: #6 Kaleb Young (Iowa) vs #7 Quincy Monday (Princeton)

165: #3 Alex Marinelli (Iowa) vs Grant Cuomo (Princeton)

174: TBD (Iowa) vs Luca Pontone OR Mikey Squires (Princeton)

184: Abe Assad (Iowa) vs HM Travis Stefanik OR Forest Belli (Princeton)

197: #3 Jacob Warner (Iowa) OR Zach Glazier vs HM Luke Stout (Princeton)

285: #3 Tony Cassioppi (Iowa) vs Jack Del Garbino (Princeton)

This will be a good dual to see where both teams are at early and put some shine on some Iowa backups who would be starting at most schools in the country. With Spencer Lee not competing on Friday night, the premier match comes at 157 between two top-ten opponents with a history. Take a look below to see a match-by-match breakdown and predictions for the dual.

125: Jesse Ybarra (Iowa) vs #3 Pat Glory (Princeton)

Yes, no Spencer Lee Friday night, but Jesse Ybarra is tough. A 2020 graduate of Sunnyside High School in Tucson, AZ, Ybarra was a Fargo champ and Who’s Number One champion. He was the #16 overall recruit in the class of 2020. That being said, I don’t think he’s on Pat Glory’s level yet. Despite not wrestling folkstyle since 2020, Glory is ranked third in the country for a reason. He finished 6th in 2019 and was the #2 seed heading into the 2020 NCAA tournament. Glory just competed at the U23 World Championships, so he might be knocking the folkstyle dust off, but a win for Ybarra would be a major upset here.

Prediction: Glory by major decision

133: #3 Austin Desanto OR Cullan Schriever (Iowa) vs Nick Kayal (Princeton)

Desanto just beat Schriever at the Luther Open, but Schriever looked tough and kept it to an 8-4 decision. I have no insight as to who Iowa is going to send out here, but whoever they do will be a favorite. Schriever, a two-time Fargo champ and Super 32 champion, is a product of the Sebolt Wrestling Academy in Iowa and wrestles as you might expect: tough, hard pace, good basics, and good single leg. Desanto has the famous pace and outside carry that he can hit on just about anyone in the country.

Prediction: Desanto by tech fall

141: #3 Jaydin Eierman (Iowa) vs Nick Masters OR Jacob Mann (Princeton)

Princeton listed two freshmen as probables at this weight, which does not bode well for the Tigers. Jaydin Eierman is a prolific pinner who loves a crowd. Considering this will be Eierman’s first time competing in a packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena, I think he locks up a cradle and gets six team points for the Hawks.

Prediction: Eierman by pin

149: Bretli Reyna OR Cobe Siebrecht OR Vince Turk (Iowa) vs Josh Breeding (Princeton)

Similar to 133, I have no insight into who Iowa is going to send out, but they will be the favorite. It’s good to see Vince Turk back, who was Iowa’s starter in 2018. Reyna beat Turk, 6-5, at the Luther Open but then forfeited to Siebrecht in the finals. Josh Breeding started in a couple of duals for the Tigers in 2019 and 2020 but has never been the starter at EIWAs. 

Prediction: Siebrecht by major decision

157: #6 Kaleb Young (Iowa) vs #7 Quincy Monday (Princeton)

The premier match of the evening. Although ranked one spot behind Young, Monday actually has the last head-to-head win over Young. After losing 7-4 in 2018, Monday won 3-2 in 2019. It was an early double leg to single finish that made the difference in the match. The two also split at 2018 U23s in freestyle. So, who takes round IV?

Prediction: Monday, 3-2

165: #3 Alex Marinelli (Iowa) vs Grant Cuomo (Princeton)

Grant Cuomo was an NCAA qualifier in 2020, but I just don’t see a path to victory here for him. Marinelli is as consistent as anyone in the regular season. I think he’ll want to close out his final opening day in Carver with a bang. This once could approach bonus point territory, but I think Cuomo keeps it to a decision.

Prediction: Marinelli by decision

174: TBD (Iowa) vs Luca Pontone OR Mikey Squires (Princeton)

Hard to preview here when we’re not exactly sure who we’ll see for Iowa. Have to assume Kemerer isn’t going with a TBD listed. Myles Wilson was recently competing at the U23 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia and the two wrestlers listed for Iowa at 174 (Patrick Kennedy and Brennan Swafford) are in redshirt. Maybe we see Nelson Brands if Myles Wilson can’t go? Both Squires or Pontone are young and have yet to establish themselves on the D1 level.

Prediction: Wilson by decision

184: Abe Assad (Iowa) vs HM Travis Stefanik OR Forest Belli (Princeton)

Abe Assad vs Travis Stefanik is interesting. However, the fact that Stefanik, a two-time NCAA qualifier, hasn’t wrestled yet this season and Forest Belli is listed as a potential starter has me worried we will be deprived of this match. Assad will be looking to get back on track after dropping a match to high schooler Clayton Whiting in the Luther Open finals last weekend.

Prediction: Assad by decision over Stefanik

197: #3 Jacob Warner (Iowa) OR Zach Glazier vs HM Luke Stout (Princeton)

This is one of the more under-the-radar matches of the weekend. Luke Stout is just in the honorable mention section of the rankings right now, but he will surely be higher by the year's end. A Fargo champ, Stout was #23 on the class of 2020 big board. If Glazier ends up wrestling, I’m picking Stout. Warner is #3 in the rankings for a reason, however.

Prediction: Warner by decision over Stout

285: #3 Tony Cassioppi (Iowa) vs Jack Del Garbino (Princeton)

Tony Cassioppi’s body transformation was a large topic of discussion this preseason and it was on full display at the U23 World Championships where Cassioppi won a gold medal. Now, Cassioppi gets to debut that new physic to a loud and rowdy CHA. Big Tone by fall.

Prediction: Cassioppi by fall over Del Garbino

Final team score prediction: 30-7. Obviously, a couple of lineup changes could swing this score a little bit. The matches to circle are 157 and 197. The dual will be streamed on BTN+ and you can join the fun with our watch party!