Brands, Hamilton Join Manning's NU Wrestling Staff
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SID (University of Nebraska)
06/27/2000
Nebraska head wrestling coach Mark Manning has filled the two full-time coaching positions on the Husker wrestling coaching staff. Manning announced Monday, June 26, that two-time national champion and 2000 Olympic Freestyle qualifier Terry Brands will join his staff as a full-time assistant after three seasons as an assistant at Iowa. Also joining Manning's staff as an assistant is Steve Hamilton, a four-time All-American from Iowa State. Hamilton was a member of Manning's staff at Northern Iowa from 1997 through 2000. Manning said he was excited to work with both Brands and Hamilton as integral parts of Nebraska's future success. "Terry and Steve bring a wealth of experience to the table," Manning said. "They have the right kind of talent and intensity that will help kids develop and become the best they can be. They also both have a great eye for recruits which is key in building a national championship team." This past weekend at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas, Brands qualified for the 2000 Olympic Freestyle Team at 127.75 pounds. Brands defeated Kerry Boumans in two consecutive overtime matches to win the best of three finals earning him the honor of representing the United States in Sydney. "Terry worked long and hard to make it to where he is now," Manning said. "He's gone through a lot of tough times to get to this point. Our guys will be able to learn a lot from his hard work and persistence. We are just proud to have him be part of our team." As a full-time assistant for Jim Zalesky for the past three seasons and volunteer assistant and head strength and conditioning coach in the previous years, Brands, along with his twin brother Tom, have helped lead the Hawkeyes to six consecutive NCAA team titles. During his collegiate wrestling days, Brands earned All-America honors three-times, was a three-time Big Ten Champion and a two-time national champion at 126 pounds (1990-92). He finished his Iowa career with an impressive mark of 137-7-0 (.951). Brands finished his senior season in 1992 with an undefeated 35-0 record. After his Hawkeye days, Brands won the World Freestyle Championships in 1993 and 1995, and World Cup titles in 1994 and 1995. A native of Omaha, Neb., Brands received his bachelor's degree in Human Development from the University of Iowa in 1992. He and his wife, Michelle, have a son, Nelson. Prior to joining Manning's staff in 1997, Hamilton spent the five previous years in Iowa City, Iowa, with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club as both a wrestler and a coach. "Having coached with him for the last three years at Northern Iowa, he really helped build that program to where it is now," Manning said. "He really knows what it takes on and off the mat to be successful. Steve is great around the guys. His abiltity to relate with everyone is going to help make this program successful." As a collegiate competitor, Hamilton is known as one of the top wrestlers in Iowa State history. He is one of six Cyclone wrestlers to earn All-America honors four times, competing from 1988 to 1992. Wrestling at 158 pounds during his freshman and sophomore years, he placed seventh and third, respectively. Hamilton dropped down to 150 pounds his junior year and finished second. He placed third at 167 pounds during his senior campaign. Hamilton was voted ISU's Most Valuable Wrestler as a junior and senior. Hamilton will also bring his experience of wrestling at the national and international levels to Nebraska. In 1996, he was victorious at the Olympic Trials South and the Michigan International Open. He placed fifth at the 1995 Grand Prix Slovakia, took second and third at the Sunkist Open in 1993 and 1994, respectively. Hamilton was a member of the 1993 U.S. Freestyle team after placing third at the World Team Trials. He also placed fifth at the U.S. Nationals in 1993 and eighth in 1994. As a part of the Hawkeye wrestling club, Hamilton put together an extensive background in wrestling camps as a director and clinician. He was head coach of the Dan Gable Intensive Camp for four out of the five years with the club. A native of Emmetsburg, Iowa, Hamilton received his bachelor's degree in history from Iowa State in 1992.