Completed Event: Men's Wrestling versus Harold Nichols Cyclone Open on January 18, 2026 , , One Champ
Final
Men's Wrestling
Harold Nichols Cyclone Open
One Champ
Iowa State University Athletics
No. 16 Cyclones Face No. 7 Sooners in Conference Clash
01.18.2012 | Men's Wrestling
NOTES
AMES, Iowa - The No. 16 Iowa State wrestling team heads to Norman, Okla., Friday for a Big 12 matchup against seventh-ranked Oklahoma at 7 p.m. (CST). The Cyclones previously lost 22-13 in Hilton Coliseum Nov. 27 against the Sooners, but Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson expects a different outcome from this dual.
"Up and down the lineup we have matches that we feel we can win," Jackson said. "I think we match up pretty well and I am confident it won't be the same dominating performance Oklahoma had against us the first time."
The Cyclones won four of the five upper-weight matchups against the Sooners back in November, which began with fourth-ranked Andrew Sorenson's major decision against redshirt junior Bubby Graham, who he will again face Friday.
Redshirt freshman Mikey England has stepped into the starting spot at 174 pounds in the absence of sixth-ranked Chris Spangler. England has lost his last two duals by just two points and Jackson believes he has the capability to compete at a high level.
"Mikey England is capable, he just has to 100 percent believe that and I think you've seen that in his last two matches," Jackson said. "He's lost some very close matches and I just think it's a little bit more confidence that he needs to push over the top."
England will face Oklahoma's Nolan McBryde or Marcus Armato.
Boaz Beard continues to be a solid performer for the Cyclones at 184 pounds and has a chance to expand on his success in a top-20 matchup Friday. 16th-ranked Beard faces No. 20 Erich Schmidtke. Schmidtke is 5-5 in dual competition while Beard boasts a 7-2 dual record.
Matt Gibson, ranked No. 18 nationally, earned an 8-2 decision over Elijah Madison in Hilton Coliseum, but will face unranked Kyle Colling at heavyweight Friday. Gibson enters the dual after taking the winning bout in Iowa State's 20-14 victory over Virginia Tech Friday.
Following a revenge-filled victory against Hokie Zach Neibert, Luke Goettl will face top-ranked Kenric Maple at 141 pounds for the third time this season. Jackson views this match as a test for Goettl's chances at the NCAA Championships.
"This is a major step for Luke Goettl," Jackson said. "It will answer the question of whether or not he can be in the hunt for a national championship."
Who: No. 16 Iowa State (2-9, 0-4 Big 12) vs. No. 7 Oklahoma (8-2, 2-1 Big 12)
Where: Norman, Okla. - Howard McCasland Field House
When: Friday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m. (CST)
Live stats: www.trackwrestling.com &
http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-wrestl/archive/01_live_scoring.html
Live blog: Join in on a virtual press row for Friday's meet with an interactive live blog by members of the Iowa State athletics communications department. Fans are encouraged to participate by asking questions on the blog which will begin at 6:45 p.m. (CST).
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