Let's Talk Wrestling

Dr. Brady Jennings comes from the storied Osage pipeline. He was a 4x placewinner for the Green Devils, capping his career with a state title. Having always dreamed of going to Iowa State, Brady fulfilled his goal of wrestling for the Cyclones. After graduating, Brady has pursued medicine, recently graduating from Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine and beginning his...

Ben Hatta is the executive producer of Clash of Dynasties, a 4-part docuseries that delves into the intense rivalry between two of the nation’s top wrestling powerhouses in the 90s: the St. Edward Eagles and Walsh Jesuit Warriors. It showcases the raw passion and mutual animosity as they battled for the coveted title of the #1 team in the country. Head to https://clashofdynasties.com/ to stream th...

Jon Trenge was a highly-touted recruit from Orefield, PA. A 3x placewinner and 2x PA state champ, he headed to Lehigh University to continue his wrestling career. Jon had an outstanding start to his college career before retinal tears in his eye almost derailed it completely. Nonetheless, he battled through and became a 3x AA and 2x runner-up on some of the best Lehigh wrestling teams in the schoo...

Luke Cherep is from Naperville, IL and attended Naperville Central. Although he failed to qualify for the state tournament in high school, Luke knew he had something to offer at the next level. He found a home at the University of Missouri as a walk-on. His work ethic and determination eventually paid off as he found himself competing in some varsity matches. After college, Luke moved on to jiu-ji...

Bryce Shelton is a recent grad of the United States Air Force Academy. He was a 4-year letterwinner and team captain this past season. He came to USAFA from Spring Grove, IL courtesy of Marian Central HS where he placed 4th at state as a junior. Now as a 2Lt, Bryce is headed to Columbus, MS for pilot training. Euphoria Coffee website: https://www.drinkeuphoriacoffee2go.com/ Let's Talk Wrestlin...

Gabe Christenson might as well have been born in the wrestling room. Starting when he was a toddler, Gabe finished high school as a 4x placewinner and 2x state champ for SE Polk. He started his college career at Iowa before transferring to Virginia. He finished up his final year at Northwestern. Although injuries dampened his college years, he still looks at his overall experience with much gratit...

Michael Kemerer was a 4x finalist and state champ for Franklin Regional in PA. He went on to have a decorated career at the University of Iowa, becoming a 5x AA and national finalist. He never finished lower than 4th. Michael is now an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota, where he just helped Max McEnelly to a national title. Euphoria Coffee website: https://www.drinkeuphoriacoffee2go.c...

James Conway was a 3x placewinner and state champ for Loyola Blakefield in Maryland. James went to Franklin & Marshall in Lancaster, PA, where he became a 2x national qualifier. He also thrived in the classroom, as he was an Elite 90 Award Winner in 2024 and is entering the medical field upon graduation. Euphoria Coffee website: https://www.drinkeuphoriacoffee2go.com/ Let's Talk Wrestling...

Mike McMullan was on the doorstep of playing football for Harvard. Thankfully for Northwestern (and wrestling fans), he chose wrestling. The No. 1-ranked heavyweight recruit in the class of 2010, Mike was a 2x national prep champion. As a Wildcat, he would go down as one of the greats. A 4x AA and national finalist, Mike never finished lower than 3rd at the national tournament. Euphoria Coffee web...

Cy Fowler hails from Cleveland…….Tennessee. With 6 siblings in total, Cy’s family started to get into wrestling. He ended high school as a 4x placewinner and 2x state champ for Cleveland HS while winning 4 state titles as a team. Cy’s freshman season at the Air Force Academy just came to a close. While it was an excellent year for his growth, that has only fed into his hunger to get better. Euphor...

It took Dr. Aaron Meyer a little time before he finally found success on the mat. He placed for the first time at any level as a sophomore in high school for SE Polk. He followed that up with back-to-back runner-up finishes before committing to the Iowa Hawkeyes. After graduating, Aaron went to Palmer College of Chiropractic and now works beside his dad at Meyer Chiropractic and Performance in Wes...

Zach Glazier is someone who embodies what it really means to stay committed to the grind, even when the spotlight isn’t always there. A 4x placewinner and 2x state champ for Albert Lea, Zach spent his first 5 years at Iowa. As a senior, he finally cracked the lineup and became a national qualifier. He spent a year at SDSU, again qualifying for nationals. This past season, he joined his brother at...

It’s hard to find kids like Andrew Rodas nowadays. He participated in 4 sports in high school, specifically excelling at football and wrestling. He’s a 3x state qualifier and 2x placewinner for MFL MarMac. He went on to both play football and wrestle at Southwest Minnesota State University before focusing solely on wrestling after his sophomore year. I’m also proud to call him my friend. Euphoria...

Joe Moon is from Ellendale, MN and wrestled at New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva HS. He won a couple Minnesota HS state titles before upping his level at Augsburg, where he was a 3x AA and 2x national champ. His 04-05 Auggies won the national team title with 10 AA’s and 4 national champs. Joe wasn’t the most talented of wrestlers, but he’d outwork anyone in the country. Euphoria Coffee websit...

Frank Weymiller has more football credentials than he does wrestling. But the trials and tribulations he endured during wrestling have left a lasting impact on his life. On the mat, he placed 5th for Waukon at the Iowa HS State tournament his senior year. As far as football goes, Frank’s name is littered in the Coe College record books. He participated in Iowa State’s Pro Day in 2013 and was induc...

Burke Paddock will be the first to tell you he came up short during his career. But he knows he’s not simply defined by his wrestling accolades. A 2x NY state champ and 5x state placewinner, Burke wrestled at Iowa for 2 years. He was a World Team Trials runner-up in both freestyle and greco and also placed 4th at the U.S. Open in 2023. Burke is now helping out  at the USAFA Prep School and living...

Just looking at Jordan Westfall’s career, you might view it as one who continuously came up short. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. A 4x placewinner for Highland Riverside and a DIII runner-up at Coe College, Jordan battled back again and again from his losses. When times got tough, Jordan got tougher. It’s a lesson he carries with himself to this day. And it wouldn’t have been possibl...

There’s a famous saying out there that states: “Behind every great man there’s a great woman.” Meet Kristen Metcalf. You may know her as the wife of Iowa State Assistant Wrestling Coach Brent Metcalf. But by the end of this episode, you’ll know her as a professor at Iowa State University who has a PhD in Health and Human Physiology. Kristen has been by Brent every step of the way. And while he cha...

If you grew up wrestling in Iowa during the early to mid-2000s, you knew the name Marshall Koethe. He was a 3x state finalist and 2x state champion for Akron-Westfield before ending his senior campaign in 3rd place for Twin River Valley. Marshall has used his experiences, both good and bad, to help shape his own athletes as he helps out at Iowa City West. A father of five, his oldest son, Owin, wi...

Ryan Deakin is a product of Legacy HS located in Broomfield, CO. He was a 3x state finalist and 2x state champion. He put together one of the best wrestling careers in Northwestern history, becoming a 4x AA and ending his career in style as a national champ. Ryan has now partnered with another DI AA in Max Wessell to start Iron Summit, a fitness and performance organization that offers personalize...

Clayton Rush put together one heck of a wrestling career. He was a 4x state finalist and 2x state champ for Aledo HS in Illinois. He had immediate success at Coe College, finishing as a DIII national runner-up his freshman year. After a 5th place finish as a sophomore, Clayton won back-to-back titles to cement himself as an all-time great. He’s since been inducted into the Coe College Athletics Ha...

Tomas did one year of wrestling when he was younger before he was persuaded to go back out in 9th grade. He ended his high school career as a 2x state finalist and state champ for Hickory Ridge in Harrisburg, NC. He’s currently a RS Sophomore at App. State, where he wrestles 184 lbs. and qualified for the NCAA tournament as a true freshman after winning a SoCon title. Not bad for a kid who started...

Ben Clymer won a PA state title for Northwestern Lehigh in 2008. He qualified for the NCAA tournament 3 times representing Hofstra University, but failed to ultimately reach his goals. That failure has fueled his success as a coach, turning Faith Christian Academy into one of the best high school teams in the nation. Euphoria Coffee website: https://www.drinkeuphoriacoffee2go.com/ Let's Talk W...

An Iowa City, IA native, Alex Kanellis was a 2x placewinner while collecting a state title for Iowa City West on the mat and was a part of one the Hawkeyes highest-rated football recruiting classes in the Ferentz era. He’s the founder of Landmine University, a strength training company focused on providing continuing education to strength coaches and athletes. If you want more information on how t...

John Erneste is every coach's dream athlete. He works hard. Puts the team above himself. Is always prepared whenever his number is called. I guess that’s why he ended up placing 4 times at Park Hill HS and finishing as an AA for Mizzou. Back in Kansas City, MO., John is a wrestling coach at his alma mater of Park Hill HS. Let's Talk Wrestling website: https://letstalkwrestlingpodcast.my.ca...