Joey Slaton

  • Weight class: 133
  • Age: 21
  • Hometown:
    Cedar Rapids
  • Season record: 36-5
  • Year:
    Sophomore

So many elements came together during Joey Slaton’s rise to one of the nation’s best wrestlers.

The Iowa sophomore had been known since high school for his brawling style and relentless aggression that led him to four state championship appearances and a pair of titles. He polished his technique during his first two years in college, became more adept at finishing shots, escaping from opponents and punishing them on top.

Slaton added another dimension to his arsenal during his first year as a starter for the Hawkeyes, improving the main components of his preparation by better managing his weight and getting more out of his daily workouts. The result was a steady season in which Slaton established himself as one of the top wrestlers in the country at 133 pounds and became an NCAA finalist.

“One of the keys is he’s lived a lifestyle that has gotten him to be able to perform,” Iowa coach Tom Brands said. “But the No. 1 ingredient is the kid is just flat out a competitor. The No. 1 ingredient is he’s a gamer. He gets up for matches, and generally, the tougher the match, the better he is.”

Slaton was better than ever this year, especially after getting a better grasp on weight control.

“I’m just tougher now than I was before the season started,” he said in February. “Keeping my weight under control, that’s been a big part of it. Brands has helped me do that. It’s a lot easier now, (and) I’m performing better.”

Slaton’s victory against Iowa State’s Nick Fanthorpe put the Hawkeyes on a path to a victory against then-No. 1 Iowa State in December. Later in the month, Slaton handled Illinois’ Jimmy Kennedy and Michigan State’s Franklin Gomez on his way to claiming a title at the Midlands Championships.

“I’d be real surprised if Joe Slaton was intimidated by anybody,” Brands said in January. “You put King Kong out on the mat, put a 50-foot gorilla out on the mat against him, put a Tyrannosaurus rex out there against him. I don’t think he’s intimidated by much.”

— Andy Hamilton