Iowa
Iowa wrestling’s Patrick Kennedy coming off knee surgery and embracing every challenge
Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands on starter at 184 pounds
Hear from Iowa coach Tom Brands on what he’s looking for in a starter at 184 pounds
Guess who’s back… back again.
PK’s back. Tell a friend.
Iowa wrestling’s utility man Patrick Kennedy made his return to the Hawkeye lineup at a crucial time, slotting in at 174 pounds for the Cy-Hawk dual.
He faced Iowa State freshman MJ Gaitan, a high-flying guy who loves to get pins. Kennedy, typically a 165-pound wrestler in the past after qualifying for the NCAA’s at that weight last year, had one thing on his mind heading into the match.
“Put points on the board,” Kennedy said.
More: Analysis: Thoughts on Iowa wrestling’s Cy-Hawk victory, including Hawkeyes’ poise
He did that from the first whistle, racking up three takedowns in the first period alone. In a dual that saw little action in opening frames, Kennedy presented a stark contrast from what we had seen throughout the day. It came at a pivotal time in the dual as well, right after David Carr picked up a major decision victory over Michael Caliendo at 165 pounds.
After having knee scope surgery to clean up some ailments in his right knee, Kennedy finally got the all-clear to go out and wrestle. Earlier in the week, coach Tom Brands told Kennedy he would be somewhere in the lineup. He didn’t know whether it would be at 165, 174, 184 or 197 pounds, but he knew he was going to get an opportunity.
From there, he seized it.
“He is a soldier,” Brands said. “He’s a loyal, loyal teammate. He’s what anybody would crave to have on their team no matter what kind of team you have. Unbelievable character.”
Kennedy’s role for this season has been murky, to say the least with Caliendo and Jared Franek coming over from North Dakota State in the offseason. Caliendo filled Kennedy’s spot in the lineup at 165, an understandable decision from the coaching staff since Caliendo was an All-American last year and is thriving with the three-point takedown change this offseason.
More: Match-by-match breakdown on how Iowa wrestling beat Iowa State for 19th consecutive time
It’s a situation that could have upset Kennedy. If anything, however, it’s been a positive development for the team as Kennedy embraces the challenge and credited Caliendo for helping his development in the offseason.
“When you embrace a challenge, you can always learn something new about yourself,” Kennedy said. “I’m trying to be the best version of myself.”
There’s a lot to decide for the Hawkeyes in the heavier weight classes with two appeals left for wrestlers nicked in the gambling probe. Plus redshirt decisions for guys like Gabe Arnold are going to continue to weigh heavily on the coaching staff through the winter.
Until some of the “mess” as Brands describes it is sorted, Kennedy’s ability to shift to several places in the lineup is a huge asset. He’ll slot in at 174 pounds for now, where the one-two punch of Caliendo and Kennedy is a fun thing to watch for the coaching staff.
“When you’re putting two guys like that in our lineup, doesn’t matter what weight they are at,” Brands said. “Pretty good talent right there. Pretty good guys, pretty good firepower, pretty good assets and we love it.”
Projected lineups for Iowa-Penn dual
Iowa wrestlers are listed first.
- 125 pounds: No. 15 Drake Ayala vs. Ryan Miller or No. 19 Max Gallagher
- 133 pounds: No. 9 Brody Teske vs. No. 13 Michael Colaiocco or Alex Almeyda
- 141 pounds: No. 1 Real Woods vs. No. 11 CJ Composto
- 149 pounds: No. 15 Victor Voinovich or Caleb Rathjen vs. No. 24 Kelly Dunnigan or Jackson Polo
- 157 pounds: No. 2 Jared Franek vs. Lucas Revano or No. 26 Jude Swisher
- 165 pounds: No. 6 Michael Caliendo vs. Kaya Sement
- 174 pounds: No. 14 Patrick Kennedy or Drake Rhodes vs. No. 10 Nick Incontrera
- 184 pounds: Aiden Riggins vs. No. 28 Maximus Hale
- 197 pounds: No. 22 Zach Glazier vs. Cole Urbas or No. 26 Martin Cosgrove
- 285 pounds: Bradley Hill vs. John Stout