Cyclone Wrestling Ready for Upcoming Season

10.12.2010 | Men's Wrestling

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson is

in his second year at the Cyclone helm, and will be leading a squad that has said good-bye to a senior class that consisted of two national champions and two All-Americans.

The Cyclone line-up is headlined by senior 174 pounder Jon Reader, who is a two-time All-American. Reader was a 2007 and 2008 All-American at 165 pounds with finishes of seventh and fourth, respectively. He has also qualified to wrestle for the U.S. Team at the 2010 University World Championships, which are being held in Torino, Italy. He earned the honor by winning the 2010 University World Team Trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center which took place May 28-29.

“Jon is the leader with his actions, results, and academics,” Jackson said. “He leads verbally, and he maintains that leadership every single day. He is the only senior who has put five years in at Iowa State, so he is really the one who has been here through all the changes. Jon has been here and does everything we ask him to do. He is a great leader.”

Iowa State returns two other starters from the 2009-10 season; Andrew Sorenson and Jerome Ward. Sorenson, a redshirt junior from Woden, Iowa, finished last season with a record of 26-9 at 157 pounds. Ward, a redshirt junior from Evergreen Park, Ill., wrestled his way to a 19-11 record, defeating multiple top-10 opponents along the way, wrestling at 184 pounds.

At 125 pounds, sophomore Patrick Hunter, a transfer from Iowa Central Community College, will be going into an open competition with sophomore Trevor Dearden of Salem, N.H., and freshman Brandon Jones of West Des Moines, Iowa.

“I think that the 125-pound weight class will be a very open competition,” Jackson said. “The competition will probably run through the Midlands and the wrestler with the best results at that point will be our guy for the remainder of the year."

Freshman Ben Cash will be the starter at 133 pounds, while Chris Drouin, a 2008 All-American who transferred this summer from Arizona State, will be the first option at 141 pounds.

Redshirt senior Nate Carr, Jr. will be competing against Max Mayfield of Davenport for the 149-pound weight class.

Trent Weatherman is the probable starter at 157 pounds after an impressive summer and early part of the year.

The most anticipated competition for a weight will be the battle between Sorenson and Chris Spangler at 165 pounds. Sorenson is a returning starter and proven option, while Spangler, a redshirt sophomore from Naperville, Ill., has had an impressive summer and will push hard for a spot in the starting line-up.

“This is certainly the competition that I am most excited for,” Jackson said. “I think that it is going to be a huge challenge for these two to out-perform each other."

Reader will be making the shift to the 174 pound weight class, and brings a top-ten ranking and a career record of 86-23 back to the mat.

The 184 pound weight class is another spot that is wide open heading into the season. Cole Shafer, a redshirt freshman from Heber City, Utah will fight it out with true freshmen Matt Riley of Des Moines, Iowa, and Kyven Gadson of Waterloo, Iowa.

Ward will be moving up to the 197 pound weight class, but will have some stiff competition from Iowa Central transfer Phil Hawes.

Kyle Simonson of Algona, Iowa, and Matt Gibson of Vallejo, Calif., will both try to lay claim to the 285 pound weight class.

Cyclone wrestlers that could also see time on the mat are Luke Goettl (Fr. 141 pounds), Joe Cozart (Fr. 149 pounds) and Dan Schrock (RJr. 184/197 pounds).

New additions to the Cyclone wrestling room are Cozart (149) of Brandon, Fla., Mike England (174) of Centerville, Iowa, Ryak Finch (125) of Safford, Ariz., Gadson (184) of Waterloo, Iowa, Goettl (141) of Clarksdale, Ariz., RJ Hallman (125) of Chaska, Minn., Jones (125) of West Des Moines, Iowa, Scott Moody (125) of Fairbury, Neb., Michael Moreno (165) of Urbandale, Iowa, Nik Pappas (165) of West Des Moines, Iowa, Riley (184) of Des Moines, Iowa, Dakota Tennant (285) of Des Moines, Iowa and Trevor Voelker (197) of Adel, Iowa.

Iowa State begins the dual season in Salem, Va. with a double-header against Kent State and Virginia Tech on Nov. 6.

Click the "play" link in the photo above or visit the "video" slideout tab above to access full-length interviews with Jackson, Reader, Ward and Weatherman.