IOWA WRESTLING

Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands receives contract extension, now signed through June 2029

Cody Goodwin
Hawk Central

Tom Brands has signed a contract extension that will keep him as Iowa's head wrestling coach through the 2028-29 season, the University of Iowa announced Monday.

Brands' new contract, obtained by the Des Moines Register, is a 7-year deal that begins July 1, 2022, and runs through June 30, 2029. He just had signed another extension last July that kept him in Iowa City until 2028.

“There is no better person to lead the Iowa Wrestling program than Tom Brands. His sustained success at the University of Iowa is unmatched,” Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said in a release, announcing Brands' extension.

“Tom epitomizes the Win. Graduate. Do it Right. philosophy. I could not be happier for Tom, his staff, student-athletes, and our fans.”

Iowa head coach Tom Brands watches a match during the first session of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships, Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Brands' annual salary for this new deal starts $550,000 for the 2022-23 season. It jumps every year thereafter:

  • $625,000 for the '23-24 season
  • $700,000 for '24-25
  • $725,000 for '25-26
  • $750,000 for '26-27
  • $775,000 for '27-28
  • $800,000 for '28-29

This is a sizable salary increase for Brands, whose annual salary for both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons was $350,000, according to a previous contract amendment.

Brands is in his 16th season as Iowa wrestling's head coach. He has led the Hawkeyes to four NCAA tournament team titles, six Big Ten tournament titles and has coached 13 individual national champions, 89 All-Americans, and 24 Big Ten champions.

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He has compiled a 250-24-1 dual-meet record while in Iowa City, including a 120-11 mark against Big Ten opponents. Even more, Iowa has led the nation in attendance every year since Brands’ first season in 2006-07.

The Hawkeyes set a national dual average attendance record in 2021-22, averaging 14,905 fans at each of their six home dates and selling out season tickets for the first time in program history.

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.