The biggest story in Northern Iowa wrestling – returning national champion Parker Keckeisen – recently became part of perhaps the biggest story in all of college wrestling with his NWCA All-Star meet showdown against Penn State four-timer Carter Starocci.

The biggest spotlight has not typically shined brightly on the UNI program and its 15th-year head coach, Doug Schwab.

And while the ninth-ranked Panthers certainly won’t be begging for anyone’s attention, wrestling fans should take notice of the team in Cedar Falls this season if they haven’t already.

Nine wrestlers on the roster have previously been NCAA qualifiers. That returning firepower has coach Schwab and his group aiming at big goals as they prep for their first dual of the year against #8 South Dakota State (live Sunday afternoon on Flowrestling).

“We’ve got some really good wrestlers, man,” Schwab said in a Thursday evening phone interview. “And we’ve got a whole mess of them.”

All-Star Doesn’t Dim Excitement For Keckeisen’s Final Season

Just as it’s been on the minds of everyone in college wrestling, the Starocci/Keckeisen super match was where the conversation with Schwab began as well.

The UNI coach also had a unique perspective on the 4-1 sudden-victory loss by his star 184-pounder. While Keckeisen was in State College competing, Schwab sat watching with the rest of his team nearly 900 miles away after the conclusion of the Grand View Open, where 27 Panthers competed last Saturday.

“Crazy thing was our last match (at the Grand View Open) literally got done…and that (All-Star) match started,” he said. “And we all got to sit there and watch it together. So, it was pretty cool from a team aspect.”

As for the match itself, Schwab was very complimentary of the challenge Starocci presents.

“Carter controls the space very well — incredible balance, very hard to get to…He’s not ever going to beat himself, and you’re going to have to figure out a way to be able to get to him obviously more than one time. Because one time wasn’t enough (in the All-Star match). And then if you do get to him one time, then you’ve got to capitalize on it.”

When it comes to his own athlete, the leader of the ‘Panther Train’ sounded almost enthusiastic about the opportunity to see how Keckeisen grows from a rare loss. 

“To say losses don’t sting him…they do sting. And I was thinking about it, he hadn’t lost a match in a long time. But he also doesn’t get rattled by that. If anything, it locks him in even more in the level he wants to go to and the things he wants to win,” Schwab said.

“Not that he needed a fire lit under him, but I think it takes you to another level in a real good way.”

Perhaps as much as anything, the mere existence of the match itself was the real boon for the sport.

“Talk about being a guy that’s having to put it on the line against anybody, anytime, anywhere,” Schwab said. “Those two guys actually did that. We need more of that in college wrestling.”

“Everyone’s talking about that match…What an incredible spotlight on our program, right – UNI and more than anything, Parker.”

'Ready To Win'

One of the themes from the recent UNI team media day was Schwab’s reference to a group of wrestlers who are “ready to win.”

Keckeisen’s 2024 national title certainly proved he’s ready, but what about the rest of last year’s team that placed 14th at the NCAA Championships?

The other eight returners with NCAA experience – six from the 2024 postseason lineup – have yet to attain All-American status at the national tournament. And that’s something both they and their coach are looking to change this season.

“I tell guys, you’ve put a ton of work in. And at a point, you’ve got to trust. It’s not about doing more work. It’s about going out and trusting your skills when you compete,” Schwab said.

“I want them to step out there knowing they can and know that they’re prepared for it.”

In particular, a trio of blood round finishers return from a year ago — #6 Cael Happel (141), #6 Ryder Downey (157) and #14 Jared Simma (174) — all have it within them to take the next step onto the podium.

“There’s a difference when you have an expectation to win, and like kind of hope,” Schwab said. “And these guys are there.”

If that proves to be the case come March, Northern Iowa could very well be in position to challenge for a major goal it set for itself entering the season.

An Empty Shelf

This year’s Panthers put a piece of paper up at the team’s facility stating various goals, plus practices/habits necessary to reach them.

One of those goals is a pretty lofty one when it comes to UNI wrestling.

“They want to get a team trophy,” Schwab said.

That’s something the program hasn’t accomplished at the Division I level since 1953. In fact, UNI’s highest NCAA (D1) finish since the ‘Miracle on Ice’ took place in 1980 is just 10th-place (three times).

It was at the suggestion of the father of one wrestler that the team go beyond a simple piece of paper.

“He was like, ‘You know what you should do, you should put a shelf up there. Imagination is seeing and you want to put something on a shelf,’” recalls Schwab. “So, we put a shelf up. And that’s what those guys are going after.”

But lest one think these Panthers are relying on visual props to get them to where they want to go. That’s hardly the case in Cedar Falls.

Just as there’s a strong desire to win a team trophy at the NCAA Championships, there’s an equally strong recognition of what it’ll take to get there.

“You start figuring out how many points that is and you make it clear, ‘OK, this is what you’re going after, then these are the things that we’re going to have to do,’” Schwab said.

“Do I feel like we have a group that’s capable of doing that? Absolutely I do.”

Up Next: Sunday vs. South Dakota State 

With the national tournament still four months away, any step toward Northern Iowa’s ultimate goal begins with the next opportunity.

In this instance, that means Sunday’s top-10 dual matchup versus #8 South Dakota State.

The Jackrabbits sit one spot ahead of the #9 Panthers in the latest Flowrestling rankings, the exact same order the two shared in the team score at NCAAs this past March (SDSU was 13th to UNI’s 14th).

And that’s not the only parallel UNI’s head coach sees between the two programs.

“We’re both in the top 15…but if you kind of look at us, we probably look a little bit different than most of the other teams and names that are by us,” Schwab said. “But we certainly don’t think we’re any different. We know we can compete with those guys and beat all those guys.”

The respect is evident when one listens to the coach describe the test his team is in for against SDSU this weekend.

“Their guys are prepared very well,” he said. “They can wrestle from a lot of positions. They can scramble well. They don’t beat themselves a whole lot.”

“They’ve done a really good job, man. Their guys scrap. It’ll be a fun meet.”

All-American returnees at 125, 174 and 184 pounds are a few places that particularly piqued Schwab’s interest.

“You know, I look at those guys – at ‘25 (#5 Tanner Jordan), what an opportunity to be able to wrestle an All-American. You want to show that, ‘OK, I want to be the guy in the lineup or am the guy in the lineup. I’m going to show that I can beat those type of individuals.’”

“At 74, (#3 Cade) Devos is really dang good.”

“(#4 Bennett) Berge, I’m looking forward to see how Parker (Keckeisen) responds from the All-Star match.”

Individual bouts aside, Sunday’s contest also marks the dual opener for the Panthers. Not to mention, it’ll be held at the historic UNI-Dome — site of the 1997 NCAA Championships.

And if there’s any extra motivation necessary for some reason, that’s taken care of too.

“I think they maybe got us the last time we wrestled (a 13-27 road loss back in January 2022). So, even though it’s been a few years you don’t forget those things either,” Schwab said.

“Hopefully the dome will be packed — because we’ve got a hell of a team.”

Watch Northern Iowa home duals this season live on Flowrestling, beginning with Sunday's battle with South Dakota State.