Photo: Jacqueline Cordova/Cyclone Fanatic
The new year arrives with a road test for Iowa State Wrestling, not a reset, as a 10-day road stretch begins this Sunday.
No. 3 Iowa State (3-1) opens 2026 this Sunday with a ranked matchup against No. 24 Stanford (2-3) at 3 p.m. CT inside Maples Pavilion. It will be the first time Iowa State has competed at Stanford and only the third meeting between the programs. The Cyclones and Cardinal met last season in Ames, with Stanford edging Iowa State, 23-21.
Stanford brings depth and balance of its own, with ranked wrestlers spread throughout the lineup. The Cardinal finished inside the top 20 at both the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and the Midlands Championships and has shown an ability to keep duals close even against elite competition.
Following Sunday’s stop at Stanford, Iowa State begins a demanding stretch of road duals that continues at Arizona State before heading north to North Dakota State. Before the Cyclones look ahead, the focus remains on a Stanford lineup built to keep matches tight.
Three Matches to Watch
133 — No. 3 Evan Frost vs. No. 7 Tyler Knox
This might be one of the most compelling matchups on Sunday. Frost has been steady all season and continues to look comfortable setting the pace late in matches. Knox, a returning All-American, brings experience and positional discipline that could turn this into a low-scoring chess match. Whoever wins the hand fight here could give their team early momentum.
149 — No. 5 Jacob Frost vs. No. 14 Aden Valencia
There’s already history between these two guys. Frost edged Valencia earlier this season at the Cliff Keen Invitational, 4-3, and a rematch projects to be just as tight. Both wrestlers are comfortable in close matches and rarely give up big positions, making this a potential swing bout in a dual that was decided by two points last year.
197 — No. 2 Rocky Elam vs. No. 19 Angelo Posada or Brokton Borelli (Stanford)
Elam has been a bonus-point machine, entering the weekend unbeaten with multiple wins over ranked opponents. Stanford’s options at 197 are capable, but Elam’s pace and control from the top position give Iowa State a chance to create separation in a dual that could otherwise come down to the wire.
Projected Iowa State Lineup
125: No. 15 Stevo Poulin (4-5) OR Ethan Perryman (6-2)
133: No. 3 Evan Frost (10-1)
141: No. 4 Anthony Echemendia (8-1)
149: No. 5 Jacob Frost (7-2)
157: No. 3 Vinny Zerban (8-1) OR Kane Naaktgeboren (11-2)
165: No. 18 Connor Euton (5-2)
174: No. 14 MJ Gaitan (7-2)
184: No. 13 Isaac Dean (9-4)
197: No. 2 Rocky Elam (10-0) OR CJ Carter (7-2)
285: No. 1 Yonger Bastida (11-0)
Project Stanford Lineup
125: No. 14 Nico Provo
133: No. 7 Tyler Knox
141: No. 17 Jack Consiglio
149: No. 14 Aden Valencia
157: No. 9 Daniel Cardenas
165: Zach Hanson
174: No. 26 Lorenzo Norman OR Collin Guffey
184: Abraham Wojcikiewicz
197: No. 19 Angelo Posada OR Brokton Borelli
285: Jackson Mankowski
