CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — University of Northern Iowa wrestling fans won't be able to watch one of the team's top wrestlers in the 2023-24 season. Redshirt senior Colin Realbuto is using a redshirt year to train for Olympic qualifying events with Team Italy.
"The Olympics is the highest level of competition you can get for wrestling. It is the pinnacle of wrestling," Realbuto said. "And it only comes around once every four years. So the NCAA is more than accommodating and says, 'You want to go chase this great thing that's the highest level achievement. . . we'll give you a year to do it.'"
In order to qualify, Realbuto will have to make the finals of either the European Wrestling Championships or the Last Chance qualifying event.
Even though he's not enrolled in classes, Realbuto is balancing time at home and in Cedar Falls because he will still be a Panther in the 2024-25 season.
"This extra year for me is all about the growth," he said. "I want to get as good as I can for this year to not only accomplish my goals of reaching the Olympics and doing all of that, but also for coming back the year after and being at that much higher of level to do even more inside the NCAA."
His presence is beneficial to the team.
"We're pushing him, helping him trying to get better, so he can get on that world podium, you know, and he's pushing us that same way," said junior Ethan Basile. "He's still out here helping us out every day. We're helping him out wherever we can do."
The Paris Games start in late July 2024.