Thursday October 15th Local Sports

DES MOINES — President Trump will award former Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Speaking at a rally last night at the Des Moines airport, Trump touted Gable’s 181-1 record as a wrestler at Waterloo West High School and then Iowa State University. “You have great champions and they’re different and nobody knows why. That man is different and he’s a champion and it’s an honor to present you to the people that love you most: Iowa,” Trump said, to cheers.

Gable won 15 national championships as head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa. Trump invited Gable to speak at last  night’s political rally. Gable told the crowd Trump reminded him of some of the athletes he coached. “This guy’s already a one-time champion, but because he’s open for learning and he’s already very competent, he’s going to be a multi-champion president of the United States of America,” Gable said.

Trump indicated Gable’s award ceremony would be held in the Oval Office sometime soon. “I’m used to winning and having to do it on the mat,” Gable said. “But because I did it so many times on the mat and in other places that I’m actually getting some other awards where I can just do it and they give it to me.”

Trump mentioned previous honors Gable has won, as well as his Olympic record. “He did something never done before. He didn’t yield one point throughout the whole thing,” Trump said. “…In the Olympic finals for the gold medal, he beat the great Russian wrestler…and I’m looking at him and I’m saying to myself: ‘I’m telling you, I could take him,’ but I’d better not try it.”

Gable, who lives in Iowa City, will turn 72 on October 25th.

 

 

DES MOINES — March Madness is coming back to Des Moines. Wells Fargo Arena will host the first and second round of the men’s NCAA Basketball Championships in 2023. Greg Edwards is with the Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau.

It is the third time the city has landed the men’s tournament. Wells Fargo Arena hosted the first and second round in 2016 and 2019. Chris Connolly is the general manager of the Iowa Events Center.

Connolly was pleased with the bid they were able to put together.

Connolly says the NCAA has been pleased with the way the city has hosted past tournaments.

It was also announced on Wednesday that Cedar Rapids would host the 2023 NCAA Division II and 2026 Division III wrestling championships at the US Cellular Center. The 2020 Division III wrestling tournament was scheduled to be held in Cedar Rapids before being cancelled and the tournament will return in 2022. The 2023 NCAA Division III World Series will be held at Memorial Stadium as the venue will also host the 2021 and 2022 events as well.

 

 

IOWA CITY — Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says Spencer Petras is ready to take control of the Hawkeye offense. The sophomore from California appeared in five games the past two years and takes over for three-year starter Nate Stanley.

Ferentz says Petras has the talent and now just needs game experience.

Ferentz expects Petras to make a lot of progress this season.

The Hawkeyes open October 24 at Purdue.