NCAA Wrestling Championships Primer

AMES, Iowa - Fresh off its first Big 12 title since 2009, Iowa State looks to finish strong at the 2024 NCAA Championships March 21-23 held at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The Cyclones are in search of their first top-five NCAA finish since 2010.

What: 2024 NCAA Championships
Where: Kansas City, Mo. // T-Mobile Center
When: March 21-23
Live Stats: TrackWrestling
Watch: ESPNU (Sessions 1, 3, 5) & ESPN (Sessions 2, 4, 6)
Listen: Varsity App & Cyclones.com
[Joe Sinclair, pxp; Ryan Rohlk, pxp; Nate Carr, analyst]
Championship Central: NCAA.com

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 21
Session 1: Pigtails & First Round - 11 a.m. (ESPNU)
Session 2: Second Round & Consolation First Round - 6:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Friday, March 22
Session 3: Quarterfinals & Consolation Second & Third Rounds - 11 a.m. (ESPNU)
Session 4: Semifinals & Consolation Fourth & Fifth Rounds - 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Saturday, March 23
Session 5: Consolation Semifinals & Placing Matches - 10 a.m. (ESPNU)
Session 6: Finals - 6 p.m. (ESPN)

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS
125: No. 24 Kysen Terukina vs. No. 9 Patrick McKee (MINN)
133: No. 8 Evan Frost vs. No. 25 Braden Basile (ARMY)
141: No. 5 Anthony Echemendia vs. No. 28 Greyson Clark (Purdue)
149: No. 8 Casey Swiderski vs. No. 25 Matthew Williams (ARMY)
157: No. 14 Cody Chittum vs. No. 19 Tommy Askey (APP)
165: No. 4 David Carr vs. No. 29 Evan Maag (GMU)
174: No. 15 MJ Gaitan vs. No. 18 Benjamin Pasiuk (ARMY)
184: No. 17 Will Feldkamp vs. No. 16 Nate Dugan (PRIN)
285: No. 2 Yonger Bastida vs. No. 31 Bennett Tabor (MINN)

A more in-depth breakdown of Iowa State's First-Round matches can be found, here.

STORYLINES

This marks the fourth time under head coach Kevin Dresser that nine Cyclones have qualified for the national tournament and ISU's sixth consecutive season with at least eight qualifiers. Iowa State is one of 12 teams nationally sending nine-plus wrestlers to the tournament.
Five Cyclones received a top-10 seed in their weight class, highlighted by No. 2 Yonger Bastida at heavyweight, while 7-of-9 ISU qualifiers were given a top-15 spot. David Carr is the No. 4 seed at 165 pounds while Anthony Echemendia was given the 141-pound No. 5 seed. Evan Frost (133) and Casey Swiderski (149) are both No. 8 seeds in their respective weight classes.
Iowa State clinched its 18th conference title in program history two weekends ago. With one less placewinner than Oklahoma State, the Cyclones still managed to outpace the Cowboys thanks to 28 bonus points compared to 13 from OSU. ISU finished the weekend with 152.5 points, the fourth-most in a tournament in league history.
Anthony Echemendia (141) and Yonger Bastida (285) each won their first individual Big 12 titles in Tulsa. Echemendia defeated UNI's Cael Happel, 4-2, in the championship bout while Yonger Bastida dispatched of Wyatt Henrickson, 10-7.
Four Cyclones (Frost, Echemendia, Chittum, Gaitan) will make their NCAA Championships debuts in Kansas City. Three Cyclones (Carr, Feldkamp Bastida) have earned All-America honors at some point in their careers.
Bastida, ISU's highest seeded wrestler, is the No. 2 seed at 285 pounds following a dominant 24-0 season which included 16 bonus point victories. He has wins over five of the top-10 seeds and seven of the top-12 seeded wrestlers. In total, Bastida has 13 wins against 12 wrestlers in the heavyweight field.
David Carr, a three-time NCAA All-American, will begin his quest for a second national title against George Mason's Evan Maag. Carr is the No. 4 seed at 165 pounds, the lowest NCAA seed of his career. However, his lone national title came in the only season, prior to 2024, which he did not earn the top seed in his bracket.
Casey Swiderski has lost only one match since his return from an injury which caused him to miss most of December and January. The Cyclone notched a gritty third-place finish at Big 12s and secured two big bonus-point wins on the back side following his semifinal loss.

SPIRIT PACKAGE AND SOCIALS
Post-Match Social Graphic - 2024 NCAA Wrestling

This year's spirit packages, available to those who purchased championship tickets through Iowa State, includes a t-shirt to wear each day of the tournament and admission wristbands for the ISU wrestling socials Friday and Saturday night.

Spirit packages for ISU ticket holders will be distributed on the lobby level of the Downtown Marriott Kansas City. After entering through the front doors, fans should take a left and proceed all the way to the end of the hall near the big staircase. Take a right at the staircase and the spirit packages will be located at tables right outside the Closing Room.

Pickup times are scheduled for Wednesday from 5-8 p.m. and Thursday from 8-10 a.m.

Downtown Marriott Kansas City Address: 200 W 12th St, Kansas City, MO 64105

Social I - Friday, March 22

Social Location - Basie Ballroom at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown
Social begins upon the conclusion of Session IV Friday Night
Wristband Color: White

Social II - Saturday, March 23

Social Location - Basie Ballroom at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown
Social begins upon the conclusion of Session VI Saturday Night
Wristband Color: Red

Socials will include a complimentary light snack, keg beer (while supplies last) and a cash bar. The Basie Ballroom is located on the second level of the hotel. You must wear your provided wristband for access into the social.

Note: Admission to the socials for fans who did not purchase tickets through the ISU package is $20 per person per social.

Fans will wear their cardinal shirts Thursday, white shirts Friday and black on Saturday.

Wrestling T-Shirt Graphic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Yonger Bastida

David Carr

Cody Chittum

Anthony Echemendia

Will Feldkamp

Evan Frost

MJ Gaitan

Casey Swiderski

Kysen Terukina

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics