Iowa State Places Three in National Quarterfinals

Thursday, March 19

Cleveland, Ohio

6:00 PM

Iowa State

NCAA Championships (Session 2)

MJ Gaitan lifts his opponent at the NCAA Championships - 2026

Photo by: Randi Yeager

Iowa State Places Three in National Quarterfinals

03.19.2026 | Wrestling

Dresser Interview Team Scores and Brackets Photo Gallery

CLEVELAND – Three Cyclones advanced to the quarterfinals Thursday evening during Session 2 of the NCAA Wrestling Championships inside Rocket Arena. Anthony Echemendia (141), MJ Gaitan (174) and Yonger Bastida (285) won their Second-Round matches to complete a 2-0 first day and move into Friday morning's quarterfinals.

In total, nine Cyclones are still alive for day two action (three championship, six consolations).

Stevo Poulin (125), Jacob Frost (149), Connor Euton (165) and Rocky Elam (197) were unsuccessful in their Second-Round matches and fell to the consolation side. After losing in the First Round earlier today, Garrett Grice (133) and Vinny Zerban (157) rebounded in the evening session to keep their seasons alive while Isaac Dean (184) was eliminated.

Iowa State is sixth in the team race with 21.5 points behind Penn State (40.5), Nebraska (27), Iowa (25.5), Oklahoma State (25) and Ohio State (23).

No. 4 Anthony Echemendia was surgical in his Second-Round win over Lock Haven's No. 13 Wyatt Henson. The Cyclone registered four takedowns in the win and will make his second career national quarterfinal appearance.

In an upset at 174 pounds, No. 11 seed MJ Gaitan topped NC State's No. 6 Matty Singleton, 6-3. Gaitan used a reversal in the second period and a takedown in the third, as well as a riding time point, to secure the win. It is the first quarterfinal appearance of Gaitan's career.

No. 1 Yonger Bastida was dominant on day one of the tournament, going 2-0 with a pair of tech falls. In the Second Round, Bastida got the better of Virginia Tech's No. 16 Jimmy Mullen, 20-4, thanks to a six-takedown performance. Bastida is up to 17 tech falls this season, the most nationally.

UP NEXT
Iowa State is back in action for Session 3 of the NCAA Championships Friday at 11 a.m. (CT) on ESPNU. Quarterfinals, as well as two consolation rounds, will be wrestled.

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS
No. 13 Stevo Poulin (125)
First Round – W-D vs. No. 20 Diego Sotelo (MICH), 10-6
Second Round – L-D vs. No. 4 Sheldon Seymour (LEH), 5-4
Consis. Rd. 2 – vs. No. 19 Kysen Terukina (UNC)

No. 28 Garrett Grice (133)
First Round – L-MD vs. No. 5 Kyler Larkin (ASU), 13-0
Consis. Rd. 1 – W-D vs. No. 21 Sean Spidle (NW), 5-3
Consis. Rd. 2 – vs. No. 11 Tyler Ferrara (CORN)

No. 4 Anthony Echemendia (141)
First Round – W-D vs. No. 29 Jordan Titus (WVU), 5-1
Second Round – W-MD vs. No. 13 Wyatt Henson (LH), 14-4
QF – vs. No. 5 Luke Stanich (LEH)

No. 16 Jacob Frost (149)
First Round – WBF vs. No. 17 Lucas Kapusta (LH), 3:48
Second Round – LBF vs. No. 1 Shayne Van Ness (PSU), 2:23
Consis. Rd. 2 – vs. No. 18 Eugene Harney (MORG)

No. 12 Vinny Zerban (157)
First Round – L-D vs. No. 21 Charlie Millard (MINN), 12-6
Consis. Rd. 1 – W-MD vs. No. 28 Gavin Drexler (NDSU), 11-0
Consis. Rd. 2 – vs. No. 6 Jude Swisher (PENN)

No. 15 Connor Euton (165)
First Round – W-TF vs. No. 18 Gunner Filipowicz (ARMY), 17-2 (6:09)
Second Round – L-MD vs. No. 2 Joey Blaze (PUR), 10-1
Consis. Rd. 2 – vs. No. 32 Cody Walsh (DREX)

No. 11 MJ Gaitan (174)
First Round – WBF vs. No. 22 Brody Baumann (PUR), 2:41
Second Round – W-D vs. No. 6 Matty Singleton (NCST), 6-3
QF – vs. No. 3 Christopher Minto (NEB)

No. 13 Isaac Dean (184) - DNP
First Round – L-D vs. No. 20 Brian Soldano (OKLA), 4-1
Consis. Rd. 1 – L-D vs. No. 29 Nick Fox (UNI), 4-1

No. 2 Rocky Elam (197)
First Round – W-D vs. No. 31 Kael Bennie (UVU), 9-3
Second Round – L-MD vs. No. 15 Remy Cotton (RUT), 12-4
Consis. Rd. 2 – vs. No. 16 Branson John (MD)

No. 1 Yonger Bastida (285)
First Round – W-TF vs. No. 32 Emmanuel Ulrich (AU), 22-5 (3:20)
Second Round – W-TF vs. No. 16 Jimmy Mullen (VT), 20-4 (6:21)
QF – vs. No. 8 Ben Kueter (IOWA)