PRIMER: Iowa State vs. NDSU & No. 24 Penn

Saturday, November 14

Bradenton, Fla.

Noon

Iowa State

North Dakota State

Primer Cover Photo - Iowa State vs. NDSU // Penn - Nov. 14 - Noon & 2 p.m. (CT) - FloWrestling

11.12.2026 | Men's Wrestling

Watch Live Stats Match Notes

AMES, Iowa - No. 10 Iowa State is back on the road as the Cyclones travel to Bradenton, Florida for the Journeymen Sunshine Wrestling Duals on Saturday. ISU will square off against former Big 12 member North Dakota State at noon before the Cyclones see their first ranked foe of the season in No. 24 Penn at 2 p.m. (CT).

THE MATCHUP: No. 10 Iowa State (2-0, 1-0 Big 12) vs. North Dakota State (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) & No. 24 Penn (0-0, 0-0 IVY)
WHERE: IMG Academy – Bradenton, Fla.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 – Noon & 2 p.m. (CT)

The Links
WATCH: FloWrestling
LISTEN: No radio coverage of this match.
MATCH NOTES
LIVE STATS

PROBABLE MATCHUPS
No. 10 Iowa State (2-0, 1-0 Big 12) vs. North Dakota State (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
125: Rin Sakamoto (1-0) -or- Dru Ayala (1-0) vs. No. 8 Ezekiel Witt (1-0)
133: No. 16 Garrett Grice (1-1) -or- Carter Pearson (3-2) vs. No. 32 Tristan Daugherty (1-1) -or- Brenden Agcaoili (1-2)
141: No. 4 Evan Frost (2-0) vs. Devon Harrison (1-4)
149: No. 9 Jacob Frost (2-0) vs. No. 11 Gavin Drexler (3-0) -or- Zytavius Williams (2-2)
157: No. 9 Paniro Johnson (2-0) -or- Kane Naaktgeboren (0-2) vs. Michael Olson (3-1)
165: No. 17 Connor Euton (1-1) vs. Boeden Greenley (1-3) -or- Max Magayna (1-2)
174: Tate Naaktgeboren (1-1) -or- Jacob Helgeson (1-2) vs. David Alonso (2-2)
184: Aiden Riggins (0-0) vs. Andrew McMonagle (3-1)
197: No. 24 Brayden Thompson (1-1) -or- Carson Floyd (0-0) vs. No. 23 Devin Wasley (4-1) -or- Evan Perez (1-2)
285: No. 15 Coby Merrill (2-0) vs. Shilo Jones (2-1)

No. 10 Iowa State (2-0, 1-0 Big 12) vs. No. 24 Penn (0-0, 0-0 IVY)
125: Rin Sakamoto (1-0) -or- Dru Ayala (1-0) vs. No. 10 Max Gallagher (0-0) -or- Marius Garcia (2-2)
133: No. 16 Garrett Grice (1-1) -or- Carter Pearson (3-2) vs. No. 28 Davis Motyka (0-0) -or- Spencer Barnhart (4-1)
141: No. 4 Evan Frost (2-0) vs. Alex Almeyda (1-2) -or- Nathan Taylor (0-0)
149: No. 9 Jacob Frost (2-0) vs. No. 7 Cross Wasilewski (5-0) -or- Donny Almeyda (2-2)
157: No. 9 Paniro Johnson (2-0) -or- Kane Naaktgeboren (0-2) vs. No. 15 Jude Swisher (4-1) -or- Charlie De Sena (4-1) -or-- Jackson Polo (1-2)
165: No. 17 Connor Euton (1-1) vs. No. 14 Sean Seefeldt (4-0) -or- Reed Fullmer (0-0)
174: Tate Naaktgeboren (1-1) -or- Jacob Helgeson (1-2) vs. Caden Bellis (3-1) -or- Elliott Humphries (3-2)
184: Aiden Riggins (0-0) vs. CJ Betz (2-2) -or- Xander Kuokkanen (1-2)
197: No. 24 Brayden Thompson (1-1) -or- Carson Floyd (0-0) vs. John Pardo (1-1) -or- Greyson Meak (3-2)
285: No. 15 Coby Merrill (2-0) vs. Martin Cosgrove (3-2)

*InterMat Rankings (11/10/2026)

KEY STORYLINES

Iowa State defeated Utah Valley, 31-11, in its Big 12 opener last week. The Cyclones won 7-of-10 bouts, including five via tech fall.
According to InterMat's rankings, there is the potential for seven ranked-on-ranked matchups in ISU's two duals against North Dakota State and Penn this weekend. No. 24 Penn is ISU's first ranked dual opponent this season and has five wrestlers featured in InterMat's rankings, including four in the top-15 at their respective weight.
ISU will compete in the state of Florida for the first time since the 2022-23 season when it won the Battle in the River City in Jacksonville with dual wins over Little Rock, Campbell and Wisconsin.
It's a big weekend ahead for 149-pounder Jacob Frost with the potential for two highly ranked opponents in NDSU's No. 11 Gavin Drexler and Penn's No. 7 Cross Wasilewski. Wasilewski eliminated Frost from last season's NCAA Championships in the Blood Round via 9-5 decision.
Rin Sakamoto made his Cyclone debut at Utah Valley and earned a 19-1 tech fall over Geronimo Rivera. Sakamoto had three takedowns and impressed from the top position with multiple turns for near fall points. He has the potential to face two top-10 opponents this weekend in NDSU's No. 8 Ezekiel Witt and Penn's No. 10 Max Gallagher.
Heavyweight Coby Merrill is off to a 2-0 start in his Cyclone career. Merrill brought home a bronze medal from the U23 World Championships last month.
ISU 197-pounder Brayden Thompson earned his first win as a Cyclone with a 9-3 decision over Utah Valley's No. 23 Kael Bennie last week.
No. 9 Paniro Johnson is 2-0 on the season with one bonus-point win. He has eight takedowns on the season and has surrendered only one. Johnson could get his first opportunity of the season against a top-15 opponent against Penn's No. 15 Jude Swisher, a three-time NCAA Qualifier who fell in the Blood Round at last season's NCAA Championships.
No. 17 Connor Euton picked up his first win of the season last week at Utah Valley. This weekend, Euton could see Penn's No. 15 Sean Seefeldt, a 2026 NCAA Qualifier, on Saturday.
Returning All-American MJ Gaitan (174) is yet to appear in the lineup this season due to injury and is considered "day to day" and "week to week" by head coach Brent Metcalf. Tate Naaktgeboren has taken his place in the lineup and is 1-1 on the season.
Aiden Riggins in in the probable lineup in place of Sawyer Bartelt, who was banged up last week at Utah Valley. Riggins completely transformed his body during the offseason and has moved up two weight classes from 165 to 184 pounds.
No. 4 Evan Frost is 2-0 on the season with two tech falls. He has eight takedowns and has not surrendered one yet this season.

INSIDE THE SERIES (vs. NDSU)
12th Meeting
Overall: 10-1
Home: 3-0
Road: 6-1
Neutral: 1-0
Metcalf vs. NDSU: 0-0
Last Meeting: 1/11/2026 (ISU 36, NDSU 3)

CYCLONES vs. BISON
Iowa State and North Dakota State will meet for the third time in the last four seasons but this time as non-conference foes following NDSU's departure to the Pac-12 this offseason.

The Cyclones have won seven in-a-row against the Bison, including a 36-3 drubbing in Fargo last season. Only three Cyclones who competed in that dual are in the probable lineup this weekend: E. Frost, J. Frost, C. Euton.

INSIDE THE SERIES (vs. PENN)
6th Meeting
Overall: 3-1-1
Home: 2-0
Road: 1-0
Neutral: 0-1-1
Metcalf vs. PENN: 0-0
Last Meeting: 1/11/2015 (ISU 41, PENN 3)

CYCLONES vs. QUAKERS
Iowa State and Penn meet for just the sixth time ever and for the first time since 2015. The Cyclones defeated Penn, 41-3, in Ames the last time these teams met on the mat.

WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Head coach Brent Metcalf, Rin Sakamoto and Brayden Thompson spoke with the media on Tuesday. Watch their interviews below.