Iowa wrestling redshirt sophomore Dru Ayala reportedly entered the NCAA transfer portal just before the April 30 closure date, per Flo Wrestling. Ayala joins redshirt sophomore Kale Peterson as portal departures for the Hawkeyes.
Dru, the 5-foot-6, younger brother of three-time All-American Iowa wrestler Drake Ayala, competed at the 125-pound weight class during his one season of action with the Hawkeyes in the 2024-25 campaign. This past season, the native of Fort Dodge, Iowa, elected to use a redshirt and did not see any activity.
During the 2024-25 campaign, Ayala was 11-4 overall, while recording seven bonus-point victories, including three technical falls and one pin. Due to his redshirt 2025-26 season, Ayala will have three years of NCAA eligibility remaining wherever he commits next.
Per @FloWrestling, Iowa RS freshman Dru Ayala joins Kale Petersen as Hawkeyes entering the transfer portal just before the April 30th deadline.
Ayala went 11-4 as a Hawk but did not compete this past season.
His departure puts Iowa right at the 30-man roster limit for 2026-27. pic.twitter.com/bBtiA1SHvw
— Tanner Lafever (@TannerLafever) May 5, 2026
The timing of the announcement is quite interesting for Hawkeyes fans, considering Drake Ayala reportedly just accepted an assistant coaching job on the Iowa State wrestling staff for the 2026-27 season. While nothing has yet surfaced about a possible flip to the Hawkeyes’ in-state rival for Dru, the Cyclones appear to have the familial ties to pull it off.
As for the Hawkeyes, Ayala’s departure puts Iowa exactly at the 30-man roster limit for the 2026-27 season.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa wrestling sophomore Dru Ayala enters transfer portal