Photo courtesy of UNI Athletics Brody Teske of Northern Iowa squares off with Missouri’s Connor Brown in Ames last week.

CEDAR FALLS — Brody Teske’s focus isn’t on awards or recognition.

The four-time Fort Dodge Senior High state champion figures his wrestling will do the talking for him.

So far, the University of Northern Iowa redshirt sophomore has been doing just that. The 125-pounder is off to a 4-0 start, capped by Sunday’s victories over nationally-ranked Connor Brown of Missouri and Alex Mackall of Iowa State.

Teske’s performance netted him Big 12 wrestler of the week recognition on Tuesday.

“I’m very honored,” Teske said. “To be chosen out of all the great Big 12 athletes is special.

“It’s cool to be recognized for my efforts thus far. It means we are doing something right.”

Teske, the Dodgers’ all-time wins leader who graduated in 2018 with a career prep record of 177-1, rallied to defeat Brown, 12-10, and Mackall, 6-4. Against Brown, Teske executed a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the third period to force a sudden-victory situation. He did the same versus Mackall, registering a takedown with two seconds left to escape with the victory.

Teske is now ranked sixth in the nation at 125 pounds by FloWrestling, 16th by TrackWrestling, and 18th by Intermat.

“I still have a lot of ground to cover in the next 60 days (leading up to the national tournament),” Teske said.

As a senior in 2018, Teske helped the Dodgers capture their first team state championship in 33 years. Fort Dodge was third, second, second and first, respectively, in the seasons Teske won titles.

UNI’s 2021 home opener is Sunday against Oklahoma at the McLeod Center. Teske is one of four FDSH graduates in the Panthers’ lineup, joining Drew Bennett (141), Triston Lara (149) and Cayd Lara (157). The quartet is the first from the same Iowa community to start together for a Div. I program since 1949.