Just ahead of Iowa Wrestling's biggest dual of the year, the program will be without a fan favorite and top-five-ranked wrestler.
Iowa has seemingly been in a funk dating back to the NCAA Championships last year, when the program crowned only one individual champion.
Its lone individual champion was Stephen Buchanan, and he graduated after last season.
The program attempted to replace Buchanan with a three-time Division III National Champion, and everything was going well until a recent announcement about his future with the program.
Masoma Endene is no longer on Iowa's roster
Per Tom Brands, Massoma Endene is no longer on the Iowa Hawkeye roster.
— Ross Bartachek (@rossbchek) January 13, 2026
The Division III national champ was ranked #4 in the country at 197 pounds. pic.twitter.com/s5N1xIlr7u
According to IAWrestle's Ross Bartachek, Massoma Endene is no longer on the roster after transferring from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, in the offseason.
Endene, a three-time Div. III National Champion at Wartburg, was the No. 4-ranked wrestler at 197 pounds.
Endene was 6-1 this season, endearing himself to the Iowa crowd after defeating three top-ranked wrestlers.
After dropping a match this season, Endene still has a sterling 81-2 career record at the collegiate level.
During Iowa's media availability this week, Head Coach Tom Brands made the announcement, stating that, "sometimes things work, and sometimes they don't, and this is one that just didn't work out."
Endene has not wrestled since the dual against Iowa State and also recently welcomed his first child. Bartachek reached out to Endene for a comment, and he is not responding inquiries at this time.
Endene's removal from the roster comes at a bad time, with a dual against No. 1 Penn State happening on Friday.
With Endene no longer on the roster, the program is expected to use redshirt freshman Brody Sampson or freshman Harvey Ludington in his place.