IOWA CITY – For many a collegiate wrestler Carver-Hawkeye Arena has provided plenty of memorable moments.

Brent Metcalf wrestled three collegiate seasons for the Hawkeyes, winning NCAA titles in 2008 and 2010. Travis Paulson, a native of Council Bluffs, competed there while wrestling for Iowa State. Jake Herbert, who won two NCAA titles for Northwestern, wrestled a pair of duals inside the building and the Big Ten Championships as a freshman.

For Clarissa Chun and R.C. Johnson this weekend marks their maiden voyage in what many consider one of the world’s top venues for wrestling.

Carver-Hawkeye, site of most of the NCAA’s highest attended wrestling meets, plays host to the United States 2012 Olympic Team Trials, Saturday and Sunday.

U.S. women’s freestyle coach Terry Steiner knows all-too-well what wrestling means in Iowa City.

“What it means to this community and this state and this university it’s exciting and I knew that coming in,” said Steiner, an NCAA champion for the Hawkeyes. "There is a great appreciation for the sport of wrestling (in Iowa). I think it is helpful for everyone when they know what they are doing is very much appreciated. When I was being recruited here as a high school athlete Coach (Dan) Gable talked about the fans and what wrestling meant here. You don’t really understand that as a high school athlete but once we stepped into the arena for the first time and there are 10 or 12 or 15,000 people got an idea real quick.”

Steiner brought the women’s team to Iowa City last December to experience the environment he experienced in college.

“I am so glad that we were able to be a part of the whole experience of being at Iowa,” said Chun, a 2008 World champion in women’s freestyle. “To come here and see the arena, to watch an Iowa practice, to hear the Brands brothers speak, it was so motivating. Being put through workouts that Terry (Steiner) has talked about, the infamous stair workouts, we are just so ready to wrestle here.”

Johnson, a native of Minnesota who goes at 211.5 pounds in Greco-Roman this weekend, has competed internationally for the last decade.

“I’ve heard about this arena,” said Johnson. “Everyone has told me it is one of the best places to wrestle. It’s going to be a great opportunity. I’ve wrestled in great arenas all over the world and this is another one I can check off that list.”

The intensity and decibel level may not reach Iowa-Oklahoma State levels but record numbers of tickets have been sold for an Olympic Trials event. Metcalf, one of the favorites at 145 ½ pounds, expects a solid turnout.

“I’m very excited,” said Metcalf, who never lost a match in his home arena in three seasons. “It’s been a while since I got to compete in that environment."

Herbert lost in the Big Ten finals as a freshman. His other two matches produced victories.

“The Iowa fans are great, they really get into it,” said Jake Herbert, a silver medalist at the 2009 World Championships. “Of course they are against you when you are not from Iowa but I think they like my style; they like that I wrestle hard. I’m looking forward to wrestling here again.”

Competing in an Olympic Trails in his home state is a dream come true.

“What was important for me was Council Bluffs or Iowa City, either place in Iowa I was happy,” said the three-time All-American for Iowa State. “People have told me I’m going over to hostile territory but Iowa fans are great, they have a lot of intensity. I love wresting in that environment. And they want to see guys from Iowa on the team so it’s going to be fun.”