IOWA CITY, Iowa — The wrestlers entered cavernous Kinnick Stadium in jackets and stocking caps, marching through pyrotechnics as the AC/DC song "Back in Black" blared through the loudspeakers.
The Iowa wrestling team beat top-ranked Oklahoma State 18-16 on Saturday, shattering the NCAA attendance record in front of 42,287 fans at the first meet held in a Division I football stadium.
Penn State set the previous mark of 15,996 in 2013.The boisterous crowd at Iowa is believed to be the biggest ever to see a wrestling match in the U.S.
Hawkeyes coach Tom Brands said the event will resonate internationally for a sport still just three years removed from briefly losing its Olympic status.