By Andy Hamilton
Iowa City Press-Citizen
The deal hasn’t been announced, and there’s no word on whether there are players to be named later involved.
But Virginia Tech appears interested in hiring Jim Zalesky as its wrestling coach in what could turn out to be the closest that college wrestling ever gets to an offseason trade.
Iowa took Tom Brands from the Hokies last week to fill the vacancy created when the Hawkeyes fired Zalesky on March 29. Now it seems as if Virginia Tech officials are zeroing in on the coach Iowa cut loose.
The Hokies have contacted Zalesky about replacing Brands, former Iowa coach Dan Gable and former Hawkeye Kevin Dresser said Tuesday.
Dresser, the head coach at high school power Christiansburg (Va.), which neighbors the Virginia Tech campus, said he spoke to Zalesky and Hokie officials Tuesday afternoon.
“There’s a good chance of it (happening), “Dresser said. “We’re fired up out here.”
That’s not how Virginia Tech wrestling fans felt last week.
After Brands departed for his alma mater, four of his top freshmen declared their intentions to follow their coach to Iowa City and Virginia Tech officials said they hadn’t ruled out the possibility of dropping their wrestling program.
“There are a lot of people who are frustrated, “Dresser said. “Some people understand. Some people are hurt. The administration feels like they went out on a limb and they made a real commitment to Virginia Tech wrestling.
“I think at first (Brands’ departure) was kind of a shock, but in the conversations I had this afternoon, Virginia Tech is fired up and in full-force again. Obviously, their commitment has been strong the last couple years, but the feeling I got this afternoon is that they’ve got a real renewed sense of fire right now.”
Zalesky, 45, did not return a phone message Tuesday night. Virginia Tech associate athletic director Jon Jaudon would not specify whether the school had contacted Zalesky.
“We are working hard for the right person and hopefully we can accomplish this in the next few days, “Jaudon wrote in an e-mail Tuesday.
Gable said he received a phone call Monday night from Zalesky and briefly discussed the Virginia Tech position with his former pupil.
Zalesky guided the Hawkeyes to NCAA titles in each of his first three seasons and led Iowa to seven top-four finishes in his nine years. But Iowa had its worst dual record and lowest Big Ten finish in 39 years this past season.
Dresser said Zalesky would bring Virginia Tech “a great reputation and a big name. “But Ohio State and Oregon State still have openings and could be interested in the former Hawkeye, as well.
“Jimmy’s made his mark on wrestling and everybody that has a big-time job opening wants a piece of him, “Dresser said. “How many coaches with three national titles are walking the streets?”
Dresser, who won an NCAA individual title for the Hawkeyes, said he had not discussed joining a potential Virginia Tech coaching staff with Zalesky “in detail.”
“I think it’s probably been brought up to him by other people, “Dresser said. “I think right now, more than anything, Jim just wants to find out what Virginia Tech has to offer. If he’s real serious about the job, I’m sure we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. That’s not even on the table right now.
“My main focus as a Virginian is to make sure we have a wrestling program. That’s my main focus, and that’s why I’ve been so involved in the past week trying to make sure the people here didn’t drop the program. And they were close to doing that, to be quite honest. I think like they felt, ‘We’ve put in all this and here’s what we’ve got to show for it.'”
Dresser said he has been in touch with Virginia Tech associate athletic director Dave Chambers, a former Iowa football player, about preserving the program. Dresser said Chambers has been instrumental in contacting Zalesky about the Virginia Tech position.
“I think it would be a good hire, “said Virginia Tech assistant Doug Schwab, who wrestled for Zalesky at Iowa and plans to remain on Brands’ staff at Iowa. “It would be interesting, to say the least.”
Brands spent seven seasons as Zalesky’s top assistant at Iowa before leaving for Virginia Tech in the summer of 2004. He was greeted with enthusiasm when he was introduced as the new Hawkeye coach last week.
“Everybody’s excited in Iowa City and I hope everybody can be excited in Blacksburg, “Dresser said. “It would be a win-win for everybody, and everybody would be excited out of the whole deal. It’s kind of ironic, though, that they’re swapping coaches.”
Reach Andy Hamilton at 339-7368 or [email protected].
Wrestling Gear
