Wrestling Schedule Features Great Home Slate

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State head wrestling coach Kevin Jackson released the 2012-13 grappling schedule, which features some of the nation’s top wrestling programs, including three squads that finished last season ranked in the top-15. The Cyclones will host five home dual meets this season, as well as the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open.

"This is a great schedule," Jackson said. "There will be more diversity in this schedule than in the past. We have some great matches at home, which I think will energize the fans. This year, we have also provided more training and recovery time between events, which I'm sure will affect results."

The Cyclones begin the season in Hilton Coliseum, with the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open on Nov. 10, and a meeting with Old Dominion on Nov. 25. On Dec. 1, Iowa State will hit the road for the first time, as they travel to Iowa City to take Iowa in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.

The Cyclones will then return home to wrestle North Dakota State on Dec. 16, followed by the Midlands Championships December 29-30, as well as four straight road dual meets. While on the road, the Cyclones will face Oklahoma (Jan. 5), Rutgers (Jan. 11), the University of Penn (Jan. 13) and West Virginia (Jan. 26) for the first time since the Mountaineers joined the Big 12.

Iowa State will return home for its first match of the new year in Hilton Coliseum against Arizona State on Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. Just two days later, the Cyclones will wrestle Oklahoma State in Ames at 2 p.m.

The Cyclones' final home dual will be Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. when the Cyclones take on Northern Iowa in the Beauty and the Beast event, which will also feature the Cyclone gymnastics squad.

"We have two home matches late in the season that will be really big for us against Oklahoma State and UNI," Jackson said. "The Beauty and the Beast event always brings out a great crowd, so we’re looking forward to that UNI match."

The Cyclones will then head to coach Jackson's home state of Michigan for a dual with Michigan State on Feb. 15, followed by a meeting with Eastern Michigan on Feb. 17.

On March 8, Iowa State will be in Stillwater, Okla. for the Big 12 dual tournament, followed by the Big 12 Championships on March 9.

"The Big 12 coaches feel that two weigh-ins and two days of competition will better prepare everyone for the NCAA Championships," Jackson said of the Big 12 dual tournament.

Iowa State will also play host to this year's NCAA Championships, March 21-23, in Des Moines, Iowa at Wells Fargo Arena.