Saturday, September 10, 2022

2023 NCAA DI The Season: Iowa State

 *NOTE* - I want to make it clear what this is and what this is not.  What this is NOT is an overview of the entire team. What this is, is a who’s who preview of THIS season 2022-2023. Meaning that I am going to talk about the starters who I feel will have an impact THIS year. Those who will win big matches in duals. Those who will earn placings in major tournaments like CKLV, RENO, MIDLANDS, MATMEN INVITE, SOUTHERN SCUFFLE, CONFERENCES & NCAA’s.  In some cases a weight class will have multiple talented wrestlers. I will note that & I will also be making posts later on about the best wrestle-offs to look forward to this season.  Then after that is determined I will make post later into the season of who our best backups are in the nation.

This post will NOT include redshirts. Those who are redshirting this season will be included in a separate post entitled “22’-23’ Best Redshirts.”  





Here for a while Iowa State has had a habit of making like KiKi Dee & breaking JT#1's heart. I'm not much for sad endings. I hate it when a career doesn't end like it should. When things don't go the way they're supposed to.  A few years back, it was that way for Earl Hall & Lelund Weatherspoon. Both great wrestlers whose senior seasons ended sour.  Last season it was that way for Jarret Degen. Don't get me wrong, a 5 time NCAA qualifier, but I feel he should have done so much more with his collegiate career than the one All American honor he earned in 2019.  It also rubs me wrong that as talented as Ian Parker is, that he never made the NCAA award stand.  Some might read me the wrong way & think I'm taking a shot at the coaching staff. I'm not. I know the Cyclones have an excellent set of coaches leading them & that the future is bright for the Cardinal & Gold. I have no doubt about it. Simply stating that I hope as these guys go into their senior seasons, that the notes these careers end on are high.  I want to see that. That's my hope.  As to others who are gone, Todd Small an NCAA qualifier in 2020 proved himself to be one of the absolute best backups in the country last season. He was also 4th in the CKLV during his career as well. Austin Kraisser another tough back up was 5th at Reno. 

As I said and as I mean, Iowa State wrestling looks bright. Talent at every weight class. Wouldn't surprise me at all to see all 10 weights qualify for the NCAA's. 

125 lbs
Kysen Terukina OR Corey Cabanban Or Conor Knopick 


Aloha! Got some talent here are 125 lbs.  Hawaii native Kysen Terukina has thus far earned two NCAA qualifications for the Cyclones as he's managed to stay one step ahead of fellow Hawaiian Corey Cabanban the past two seasons. The two official meetings that they have had have ended in identical 3-1 scores, one needing overtime.  Cabanban in his own right has defeated South Dakota State's Tanner Jordan, Northern Iowa's Kyle Biscologia, Grand View's Aden Reeves & most impressively Iowa's Brody Teske. Then again, while these two go to war for the 125 lbs spot, we also have Conor Knopick a Nebraska boy who could very well sneak in there as a redshirt freshman. 

133 lbs
Ramazan Attasauov

The two time Massachusetts state champ who may very well represent Russia in future major international events had himself a pretty good showing last season. 3rd in the BIG 12, with Daton Fix of Oklahoma State also in the weight class, a title is probably out of the question this season, but there's no reason at all why he couldn't earn BIG 12 runner-up status & contend for All American honors. 

141 lbs
Zach Redding 

An NCAA qualifier for the Cyclones in 2021, look for Zach Redding to earn qualification #2 this season. 

149 lbs
Paniro Johnson 


I think we can expect some good things out of Paniro Johnson this season. The freshman went 19-6 last season majoring Zach Price of South Dakota State 12-4 & scoring a very impressive 9-5 victory over Kanen Storr of Michigan. 

157 lbs
Isaac Judge 


South Tama County was one of the teams we wrestled in high school, so I always like seeing local guys do well as the collegiate level. Isaac Judge has had his ups and downs. 18 wins last season, one of his major ups was a 8-4 decision over Joe Grello of Rutgers. Hope to see more of those types of victories out of him this year. 

165 lbs
David Carr 

A national title in 2021 & and a 3rd place finish last season, David Carr lost exactly two matches at 157 lbs. Now he is at 165 lbs, as he goes into the season expected to be one of the top wrestlers in the nation. It'll be interesting, as well as exhilarating to see how he fares against the likes of Keegan O'Toole of Missouri & D.J. Hamiti of Wisconsin. 

174 lbs
Joel Devine OR Julien Broderson


The Joel formally known as Shapiro, now known as Devine earned NCAA qualification last season on 11 victories, most impressive a 3-2 decision over Oklahoma's Anthony Mantanona. Julien Broderson, a tough wrestler himself, scored a very impressive 13-0 major decision over Arizona State's Cael Valencia as well as a 4-1 tiebreaker over Anthony Montalvo also of Arizona State. This should be a good wrestle-off. 

184 lbs
Marcus Coleman 


Marcus Coleman goes into his final season a four time NCAA qualifier who earned 7th place All American honors this past season. Thus far, 4th-5th-4th-3rd, he has yet to make a BIG 12 final. It'll be a challenge as it has been every season, but it is very doable. 

197 lbs 
Yonger Bastida 


Already an international star on the junior level, in the years to come Yonger Bastida will be winning international medals left & right for Cuba. For right now, he'll be doing it at the NCAA level for Iowa State.  Earning his first medal last season, he was 5th in the nation on a 25-7 record. 

HWT
Sam Schuyler 


Two time NCAA qualifier Sam Schuyler goes into his final season of competition looking to earn a third qualification. 




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