Gaitan Named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State 174-pounder MJ Gaitan was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week for his win over Iowa's No. 2 Patrick Kennedy on Sunday, the league office announced Wednesday.

This marks Gaitan's first career Big 12 weekly honor.

Gaitan helped Iowa State clinch its first dual victory over Iowa since 2004, snapping a 20-match skid to the Hawkeyes, with a pivotal 9-8 win over Kennedy in tiebreakers. It was the highest ranked win of Gaitan's career.

Both wrestlers recorded a takedown in the opening period, as it was tied 4-4 heading to the second. Gaitan earned the only takedown of the second period to take an 8-5 lead into the final period. Kennedy recorded an early escape in the third before Gaitan was hit with a pair of stalling calls, tying the match with 0:04 to go on the third stall call against Gaitan of the match. After no action in sudden victory, Gaitan escaped 0:12 into tiebreaker one. In the second :30, Gaitan rode out Kennedy for the victory.

No. 3 Iowa State is back in action Friday and Saturday at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Fans can tune into the Cyclone radio broadcast on the Varsity App or watch live on FloWrestling.