UI gets helping Hand
By Andy Hamilton
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Another piece to the Iowa’s wrestling puzzle snapped into place Wednesday when Tom Brands picked his former top assistant to join his new staff with the Hawkeyes.
Wes Hand was officially named Iowa’s second assistant, returning to his alma mater after four years at Virginia Tech, where he worked with the Hokie upper-weights and specialized in recruiting as Brands’ No. 1 aide.
“I’m excited about the opportunity, “Hand said. “It’s a great opportunity for me to continue my relationship with Tom Brands. We’ve made a lot of progress at Virginia Tech, we work well together, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Hand, 29, joins an Iowa staff that includes Brands and legendary coach Dan Gable. The Tama native spent the past two seasons as the top assistant on Brands’ staff and handled a large portion of Virginia Tech’s recruiting efforts. The Hokies landed a class ranked No. 2 in the country last year by InterMat.
“He’s done a great job, “Brands said. “He is a terrific recruiter. He is the finest heavyweight coach in the country. He was very instrumental in what we were able to do at Virginia Tech. I value our relationship professionally and personally.
“I feel good about it and I want to continue it. He figures into it very heavily. He’s a huge piece of the puzzle with what we’re trying to do here.”
Brands is still trying to fit the other pieces together around Gable and Hand. He has yet to name a volunteer assistant, strength and conditioning coach or administrative assistant.
“I think I’m surrounded by some pretty good company, “Hand said. “I think it’s going to be a first-class operation. Working with Gable and Tom, I don’t think you could pick two better guys to work with.”
Hand was a two-time All-American for the Hawkeyes and a 2000 NCAA heavyweight runner-up. He left for Virginia Tech in 2002 to take the No. 1 assistant position under Keith Mourlam, and Brands retained Hand when he was named the head coach in 2004.
“I thought there would always be a chance (to return to Iowa), “Hand said. “My options have always been open. I do know that if it weren’t for my four years at Virginia Tech that I wouldn’t have a chance at this position. It’s been a great place and a great experience for me and it put me in position to be where I’m at right now.”
Virginia Tech quickly became a force in recruiting under Brands. The Hokies supplemented their 2005 recruiting class with another strong group this past year.
“I’m, by no means, taking credit for the recruiting because I know who the big draw of the program was, “Hand said. “But I feel confident in my ability to recruit, I feel good about it, I feel I learned a lot from Tom being at Tech, and I feel I learned a lot in the two years before Tom came when I had to do things a little bit differently than you would have at a big-budget program.”
Reach Andy Hamilton at 339-7368 or [email protected].
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