By Andy Hamilton
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Waverly-Shell Rock’s Matt Ballweg wrestled with the decision for weeks while trying to pick which in-state school to attend.
In the end, the state champion from Waverly-Shell Rock decided he’ll continue his wrestling career in an Iowa singlet.
Ballweg verbally committed to the Hawkeyes on Monday night, selecting Iowa over what he said were comparable scholarship offers from Iowa State and Northern Iowa.
“It was a pretty hard decision, “Ballweg said. “Picking a school that you’re going to go to the next five years, it’s a pretty big decision to make.”
The projected 149-pounder said he ultimately decided Iowa was the best fit because of “the program, how I fit with the wrestlers on the team and the school. … I felt like I could relate to (Iowa’s wrestlers) better than the other ones.”
Ballweg is expected to sign a letter of intent with the Hawkeyes next month. He is the first wrestler to verbally commit to Iowa’s recruiting class of 2006.
Ballweg enters his senior season with a career record of 115-7 and is ranked the No. 36 recruit in the country by InterMat. He capped his junior year by earning the Outstanding Wrestler award at the Fila Cadet Nationals in April and placed eighth at the freestyle Junior Nationals in July.
Ballweg could be asked to give the Hawkeyes immediate help. He comes into a weight where Iowa loses All-American Ty Eustice after this season. Ballweg said Iowa coach Jim Zalesky discussed the possibility of competing as a true freshman.
Ballweg said the host on his recruiting visit, freshman Ryan Morningstar, helped sell him on the Hawkeye program.
“He told me how much he liked Iowa, how great it is and how much he really likes it there, “said Ballweg, whose younger brother, Mark, went undefeated last year as a freshman and won the state 103-pounds.
Wrestling Gear
