This year marks the 88th meeting between Iowa and Iowa State in a series rich with history and intensity. Despite Iowa holding a strong lead in the rivalry, head coach Kevin Dresser shared his thoughts on the overall importance of this dual.
“Maybe you circle this dual twice instead of once. The Iowa-Iowa State dual is bigger than our coaching staff and their coaching staff. This thing has been around forever. I remember watching it as a kid,” Dresser said. “Last year we had 265,000 people watch it on ESPN, the flagship station, and over 15,000 sold tickets. That tells you that this dual meet is something special that’s been around for a long, long time. For me, as a coaching staff, it’s a great opportunity. We’re always making history.”
No. 12 Iowa State will enter a hostile Carver-Hawkeye Arena as the underdogs against No. 2 Iowa, and the Cyclones seem comfortable in that role.
Dresser emphasized the importance of determination: “We’re going to go into enemy territory, and we’re going to be the underdog, and that’s when you find out what you’re made of.”
Echemendia: Wrestling in Cy-Hawk Dual Is My Version of a Party
“We don’t feel like underdogs against anybody,” Echemendia said. “We have a lineup full of guys ready to go to war. They’re going to be ready to put on a show.”
Echemendia will be competing in his first Cy-Hawk dual in Iowa City and is looking forward to the opportunity of a high-stakes match in front of the kind of crowd Carver-Hawkeye attracts.
“I grew up wrestling in Cuba with no crowds, so this is fun for me. This is how I have fun,” Echemendia said. “Being able to wrestle in front of 10,000 or 12,000 people here is going to be like a party or going to a bar for me.”
Christian Carroll: The Hunter Mentality
Christian Carroll is pissed off, and he’s going hunting.
The freshman transfer, currently ranked No. 20, faces Iowa’s No. 2-ranked Stephen Buchanan at 197 pounds in one of Saturday’s marquee matchups.
While the rankings suggest a mismatch, Carroll’s reputation as one of the top prospects in the country last year tells a different story. He’s ready to prove the numbers wrong.
“I think on paper, I’m supposed to get majored or something,” Carroll said. “I have no worries, right? I’m the young buck, an up-and-comer, but that’s an awesome position to be in. I’m super-pumped to get after it.”
Carroll’s self-described “hunter” mentality has defined his approach to the season. While others might shy away from the pressure of such a high-profile matchup, Carroll thrives on it.
“I get to come in as the hunter. I have the No. 2-ranked guy in the country. I have no pressure. He has all the pressure. He’s the one who’s been in college for like seven years now. I’m the freshman coming in,” Carroll said. “They’re probably overlooking me. I’m excited to wrestle a full, hard seven minutes and make every second of that match tough.”
The significance of this match isn’t lost on Carroll. As a newcomer to one of college wrestling’s richest rivalries, he recognizes the weight of the moment.
“Its history,” Carroll said. “It’s the dual of the NCAA season. There isn’t a more rich history of collegiate duals than the Cy-Hawk dual. It’s what makes this sport so great. I think all the fans, everyone gets rowdy, you know, maybe some beer cans flying, whatever it is, right? I think it brings the best atmosphere in college wrestling.”
Key Matchups to Watch
- 149 pounds: No. 7 Anthony Echemendia vs. No. 4 Kyle Parco
- 157 pounds: No. 10 Paniro Johnson vs. No. 1 Jacori Teemer
- 133 pounds: No. 5 Evan Frost vs. No. 9 Drake Ayala
- 197 pounds: No. 20 Christian Carroll vs. No. 2 Stephen Buchanan
- 285 pounds: No. 5 Yonger Bastida vs. No. 13 Ben Kueter
Can the Cyclones Do It?
The Cyclones are stepping into one of the toughest environments in wrestling with something to prove. As they look to write the next chapter in this storied rivalry, all eyes will be on Carver-Hawkeye Arena to see if Iowa State can seize the moment.
The Hawkeyes are favored to win by 13, according to CircaSports.
FYI: Iowa State / Iowa wrestling line from @CircaSports. Dual this weekend. pic.twitter.com/pO522Wf1Od
— Chris Williams (@ChrisMWilliams) November 22, 2024
Looking at this dual up and down the lineup, it’s clear the Cyclones will need a lot of things to go their way to pull off the upset. That said, this is an incredible opportunity for a team full of young talent and veterans returning to action to face one of the best teams in the country in November. Iowa State is in the best position heading into this dual: they have nothing to lose. This is their chance to “wrestle free.”
Saturday can be considered a success if, regardless of the final score, all ten Cyclones can walk off the mat knowing they wrestled to the best of their ability for seven minutes.
Of course, a Cyclone win would be pretty kick-ass. Only time will tell.
How to watch the Cy-Hawk
WATCH: BIG+
Big Ten Plus will be offering a one-time PPV option for this year’s Cy-Hawk. This will help fans avoid signing up for a monthly/yearly subscription. It will cost $9.99. You can register by going here.
PxP: Hayden Hoxmeier; Analyst: Tim Johnson; Matside: AJ Reisetter
LISTEN: Varsity App // Cyclones.com
PxP: Joe Sinclair; PxP: Ryan Rohlk; Analyst: Nate Carr
PROJECTED MATCHUPS
No. 12 Iowa State (1-1, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 2 Iowa (3-0, 0-0 BIG)
125: Adrian Meza (7-0) or Kysen Terukina (0-0) or Osmany Diversent (5-1) vs. #27 Kale Petersen (2-0) or Joey Cruz (0-1)
133: #5 Evan Frost (1-0) vs. #9 Drake Ayala (2-1)
141: Zach Redding (0-2) or Jacob Frost (5-1) vs. #31 Ryder Block (2-1)
149: #7 Anthony Echemendia (2-0) vs. #4 Kyle Parco (3-0)
157: #10 Paniro Johnson (3-1) vs. #1 Jacori Teemer (2-0)
165: #9 MJ Gaitan (6-0) or Connor Euton (1-1) vs. #2 Michael Caliendo (3-0)
174: Aiden Riggins (0-2) vs. #10 Nelson Brands (2-1) or Patrick Kennedy (0-0)
184: #15 Evan Bockman (2-0) vs. #7 Gabe Arnold (3-0)
197: #20 Christian Carroll (1-0) vs. #2 Stephen Buchanan (3-0)
285: #5 Yonger Bastida (0-0) or Daniel Herrera (4-1) vs. #13 Ben Kueter (3-0)
*InterMat Indiv. Rankings (11/19/2024)
Wrestling lineup updates from Dresser:
125: Game time decision between Terukina and Meza
141: Game time decision between Redding and Frost
157: Paniro Johnson is good to go. Sounds like his tweak from Saturday isn’t anything to cause too much concern.
165: Game time decision…— Jacqueline (@JacquelineCord) November 19, 2024
