Written by Ian Toner.
Regular Season Record: 17-4 Series Record: 15-5
End of Season Standing: T-9th at College Championships, eliminated during Pool Play
Coach: Ryan Nation (2011)
Recent History:
2010 Tournaments: Trouble In Vegas, Centex, Whitesmoke XIV!, West Plains Sectionals, Central Regionals, College Championships
IHUC is one of the fastest growing programs in the highly competitive North Central Region. They’ve taken Wisconsin to a tight regional final in 2008, lost to Minnesota in the Backdoor Final in ’09, and most recently finished tied for ninth at the College Championships.
Roster Turnover & Club Experience:
To make up for the loss of former captain Abraham Graber (also formerly Carleton GOP) and three others, IHUC has added transfer students, B-team step ups, and Eden Prairie High School standout Jake Oakley. This year’s roster has two more players (23) than last year’s (21).
Ryan Nation, IHUC and Condor alum, has also joined the IHUC leadership team as a coach and advisor. Nation will help with strategic adjustments, running film sessions, and monitoring the overall well-being of the team.
Strategy:
IHUC is not concerned with being secretive about its game plan. Continuing the playing style of recent seasons, IHUC places a lot of trust in its deep cutters on both its offensive and defensive lines. Many of IHUC’s play calls out of their horizontal stack are designed to isolate grad student Sean Parker (6’4”), senior Nick Sanchez (6’2”), or junior Tyler Glenn (6’2”) to give them chances to make plays in the air.
Fall 2010:
Iowa had a respectable showing at No Wisconsequences, going undefeated in pool play but falling to a Wisconsin split-squad in the quarterfinals of the championship bracket. Missouri Loves Company was a more challenging experience for IHUC, who went winless in pool play but recovered to win the 9th place bracket.
2011 Schedule:
We haven’t heard back from them on this yet.
2011 Outlook:
Returning 17 of 21 players from the 2010 IHUC team that finished 9th at Nationals bodes well for this rising regional and national program. IHUC’s formula for success, including regular video review, team rules reviews, and standard practice and workout sessions, will be put to the test in the team’s attempt to make it back to the College Championships.
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