Iowa Wrestling: Sam Stoll Suspended For First Dual of the Season

Iowa’s All-American heavyweight, Sam Stoll, was accidentally shot in the knee back on June 19. For 10 days we lived with the idea of it being a freak accident involving only himself. Then on June 29, Stoll walked back on his original statement and told the police he was playing a prank on a friend.

The police proceeded to charge him with filing “a false report to a public entity.”

For months it was quiet in Iowa City about the details surrounding this unfortunate accident, but today Tom Brands broke the silence and laid down his own law. While speaking at The Grid Club in Davenport, he officially suspended Stoll for the opening dual date against CSU Bakersfield and Kent State on Nov. 9.

“Sam Stoll is ready to roll,” Brands said. “He’s moving forward... He will be suspended that first date when we go to Kent State.”

Last year Stoll capped off a great junior campaign going 22-6 and finished 5th at the NCAA tournament. Anthony Cassioppi is expected to redshirt, so I can’t imagine him in filling in for the two duals. Instead heavyweight will be commandeered by either be Steven Holloway or Aaron Costello.

All’s well that ends well in this strange saga that finally has a happy ending. His suspension was inevitable, so all things considered, this is the best possible outcome we could have hoped for. Above all he’s healthy, he’s learned his lesson, and he’s ready to go.