Carew commits to Hawkeye wrestling

Andy Hamilton ? Iowa City Press-Citizen ? November 7, 2008


http://hawkcentral.press-citizen.com.../81107001/1053
Dylan Carew prepped himself for the possibility that he might one day have to wear a college wrestling singlet other than the one he?s been picturing himself in nearly all his life.


?I tried and I really couldn?t (envision it),? Carew said. ?I thought if the worst thing happened, if everything fell through with Iowa, that I could see myself (wearing another singlet) then ? if all my bridges were burned with Iowa. But I just never saw it coming to that point.?

And it never got to that point.

The Hawkeyes had a big lead for Carew when the recruiting process started and then never lost their grip on the West High state champ. Carew gave his commitment to Iowa coach Tom Brands during a phone conversation late Thursday night.

?We talked about everything in the future as far as the goals of the team and individually, mind frames you need to come in with and it was all exactly what I wanted,? Carew said.

?It feels amazing to be able to say I?m going to be a University of Iowa wrestler.?

Carew, projected to wrestle at 149 pounds in college, is ranked the No. 18 recruit nationally in the Class of 2009 by InterMat. He picked the Hawkeyes over an offer from Northern Iowa.

?I talked to other schools in the beginning and told them I wasn?t interested, basically,? Carew said. ?I didn?t shop around for any schools or anything. I never went on any official visits, unofficial visits anywhere else. The only place I?ve ever strongly, strongly looked at was Iowa, and UNI was in the back of my head. (UNI coach) Brad Penrith is a great guy and I really like him a lot. If I wasn?t going to Iowa, I was more than likely going there.?

Instead, he keeps a pipeline running across town. Carew and classmate Derek St. John, who committed to the Hawkeyes in August, will join former teammates Nate Moore and Grant Gambrall, both of whom are freshmen at Iowa.

The addition of Carew to a class that already included St. John and two-time Illinois state champ Tony Ramos gives the Hawkeyes commitments from three of InterMat?s top 18 recruits.

Carew has posted a 121-11 record with the Trojans. He claimed a state title as a freshman, placed seventh at the state meet as a sophomore and third last year when he went 46-5. Three of his losses as a junior came to Iowa freshman Matt McDonough.

But Carew?s resume has been built more on national honors. He won a pair of Cadet national titles in Greco-Roman and was named the outstanding wrestler in Greco-Roman at the 2007 Cadet nationals. He was a Cadet national runner-up in freestyle in 2007.

?I think I?m really gaining ground for college-level wrestling right now every time I workout,? Carew said. ?I just need to keep pushing ahead, keep bettering myself and keep working with my workout partners ? Nick Moore and Derek St. John and Justin Koethe, the guys who are in my room right now ? and then getting into the Iowa room and then getting with some great workout partners who know what it?s going to take to get there.?

Reach Andy Hamilton at 339-7368 or ahamilton@press-citizen.com.

You know what he used to say..."Hit 'em where they ain't."

Another guy who will never see first string.

He is projected at 149

nice pickup, curious as to how someone whos not even a returning state champ is the #18 recruit though... or is that #18 for his weight?