Beard Thriving After Return to Iowa State

AMES, Iowa - Last year at this time, Iowa State wrestler Boaz Beard was preparing for his first season of collegiate baseball as a pitcher for the Emporia State Hornets. Beard had transfered to Emporia State after spending his freshman year on the Cyclone wrestling team.

"I kind of had a rough year mentally and I was mentally worn down and I talked myself out of wrestling and made the decision to attend Emporia State," Beard said.

Beard spent the 2010-2011 season with the Hornets. During that time, he realized he belonged on a wrestling mat, not a baseball diamond. During that season, Beard kept in contact with fellow Cyclone wrestler Trent Weatherman, who continued to hope that Beard would eventually return to Iowa State.

"As busy as we both were with baseball and wrestling, we tried to talk when we could," Weatherman said. "I tried to talk him into coming back (to Iowa State) for so long. I talked to him a million times about it."

Beard said that his year at Emporia State made him realized that he belonged on a mat rather than a mound.

"Once I took a step back and realized what I had (at Iowa State), between wrestling, the university, the friends and the coaches, I realized that I had a great thing and I wanted to come back to it," Beard said. "I just missed wrestling. I like baseball and it's a great sport, but it's just not me. I'm not a baseball player, I'm a wrestler. When I left (ISU coach Kevin Jackson) had said there would always be a home for me here."

Upon returning to Iowa State, Beard was so busy trying to get back into wrestling shape, he barely had time to find himself a place to live. For his first month back in Ames, Weatherman's couch served as Beard's home.

"He just loves to train so it doesn't matter if it's baseball or wrestling, so from the beginning of the year, he was just trying to play catchup with every one else," Weatherman said. "That may be why he banged up his knees a little bit because he was putting in so much time, when we saw right away that he hadn't lost too many steps so it was pretty unreal what he was able to do."

Injuries have been a big part of Beard's first year back on the mat at Iowa State. He has dealt with a knee injury, a strained elbow and is now dealing with a nagging chest injury. Jackson said while he still believes Beard is dealing with the transition of working into wrestling shape, he has been impressed with what the redshirt sophomore has been able to do so far.

"It takes a special person and a special athlete to go from baseball one year, to come to Iowa State to wrestle and start and then be ranked," Jackson said "I'm very excited about his future."

Beard currently sits at 9-4 this season and is rated 15th nationally at 184 pounds, after picking up two wins at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in Hilton Coliseum Sunday.

Beard has much higher aspirations than just to be ranked in the top-20, however. He said from the day he came back to Iowa State his goals were to be a three-time All-American and a two-time national champion, and his coach said there is no reason to think those goals are out of reach.

"I see him in the hunt for a national championship in the future, Jackson said. "I think if he was healthy 100 percent this year, we would be predicting the same thing," Jackson said. "Even with the injuries that he has, he's still competing at a high level. We're excited about his future at Iowa State and we're very happy that he came back."

Jackson speaks for the entire Iowa State wrestling fan base.

Beard Thriving After Return to Iowa State

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Beard Thriving After Return to Iowa State

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