Wrestling Brands brothers return to Iowa this week
By DAN McCOOL
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
January 3, 2005
Tennessee-Chattanooga wrestling coach Terry Brands said he’s close to having the Mocs understand what competitive wrestling is all about.
Brands, a former two-time NCAA champion at Iowa, is in the third season of his first head coaching job. He’s 23-27 overall, including the 6-4 mark he and the Mocs bring to Northern Iowa’s West Gym for a noon meet today against the 0-3 Panthers, who are ranked No. 17 by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
Tennessee-Chattanooga wrestles at Iowa State at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
By the end of this week, Brands and his twin brother, first-year Virginia Tech head coach Tom Brands, will have each coached two meets in the state. Virginia Tech is at Iowa on Friday night – Tom Brands’ first trip to Carver-Hawkeye Arena since he was hired by the Hokies last June – and at Northern Iowa on Saturday.
“We’re in shape and we fight hard, “Terry Brands said. “We have some holes, but there is more of a team unity now. It’s still a fight to get them to realize the mentality it takes to win wrestling matches.”
One of the Mocs’ victories this season was a 32-13 victory over Virginia Tech on Nov. 26. Brands, who grew up with his brother in Sheldon, said coaching against his brother while serving as an assistant at Nebraska and at Montana State-Northern made the meeting as head coaches just another meet.
“I didn’t feel one bit sorry for him, “Terry said.
Tom Brands has led Virginia Tech to an 8-2 record. One of the victories was a 29-12 decision over Ohio State on Dec. 18, the Hokies’ first victory over the Buckeyes in 11 meetings.
Brands, who was an assistant at Iowa for 12 years, has made frequent trips to eastern Iowa since starting at Virginia Tech. He signed three-time state champions Jay Borschel of Linn-Mar of Marion and Daniel LeClere of North-Linn of Troy Mills and 2004 state champion Joey Slaton of Cedar Rapids Kennedy during the fall recruiting period.
Tom Brands was unavailable for comment Sunday.
Terry Brands said he’s happy to be in Chattanooga.
“It’s the best doggone thing I ever did, “Brands said. “A lot of people have told me that we can’t win (at Tennessee-Chattanooga). That in itself is motivation. The other motivation lies in the fact I was raised and ultimately coached by (former Iowa coach Dan) Gable to get the best out of these kids, whether they win national championships or not. The ultimate goal is to build a better humanity out of everybody you send out into society.”
The Brands twins have former Iowans as assistant coaches. Steve Hamilton, a two-time state champion at Emmetsburg and four-time all-American at Iowa State, assists Terry Brands at Tennessee-Chattanooga. Tom Brands has former Iowa two-time all-American Wes Hand and former Iowa NCAA champion Doug Schwab on his staff at Virginia Tech.
The Brands’ 2005 state tour
Tennessee-Chattanooga coach Terry Brands, top, and Virginia Tech coach Tom Brands, bottom, are bringing their wrestling teams to the state of Iowa this week:
Terry Brands Opponent Day, time
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Tenn.-Chatt. at Northern Iowa Today, noon
Tenn.-Chatt. at Iowa State Tuesday, 6:00
Tom Brands Opponent Day, time
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Virginia Tech at Iowa Friday, 7:00
Virginia Tech at Northern Iowa Saturday, noon
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