Nelson Brands | Talkin’ Hawks 2025 Off Season Ep. 2

This week on Talkin’ Hawks with the VandeBergs, Matt and Laura sit down with Nelson Brands, a homegrown Hawkeye with deep wrestling roots and an incredible journey on the mat.From growing up in Iowa City to training under Tom and Terry Brands, Nelson shares his experiences navigating the sport, competing at the highest level, and the unique dynamic of having a legendary coach as a father.In this episode, Nelson opens up about:His late start in wrestling and what drew him to the sportThe intense training regimen and mental toughness required at IowaHis dad’s unconventional coaching methods (wait until you hear about the gravel buckets and lawnmower tricks)Balancing family and competition in a program built on legacyHis love for hiking 14ers and how it helps him reset outside the sportNelson also talks about recovering from injuries, cutting weight the right way, and his future in wrestling. This is one conversation you don’t want to miss.Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more in-depth Hawkeye sports stories.#TalkinHawks #NelsonBrands #IowaHawkeyes #Wrestling #HawkeyeNation #FaithAndSports #CollegeWrestling