Iowa State Wrestlers Defeat Rival โIowa, Ending 20-Year Losing Streak
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State wrestling team defeated rival iowa 18-16 on Sunday, snapping a two-decade-long losingโฃ streak in the Cy-Hawk rivalry dual. It marked theโ Cyclones‘ first win over the Hawkeyes since 2005, ending a run of 20 consecutive Iowa victories.
The โคdual โขculminated in a decisive win by Iowaโ State’s rocky Elam over Iowa’s Massoma Endene at 285 pounds. Elam had specifically requested the possibility to wrestle last, according to Cyclone head coach Kevin Dresser. “He must have askedโฃ five times if he could go last,” dresser said.
Iowa State won a โcoinโ flip to determine the starting weightโ class, allowing Elam to wrestle in the final bout. “This is one of the reasons I came here,” Elam told Dresser after the match.
The victory was a โฃsignificant โคmoment for โขthe Iowa State program, โขwhich had struggled in recent matchupsโ against Iowa.In the last 20 contests, and 35 of the last โข36, and 59 of the previous 63, the Cyclones had fallen short in keyโข moments. This time, Elam, along with teammates MJ gaitanโฃ and Evan Frost, and three others secured โcrucial โwins.
Iowa Stateโ previously placed ahead of Iowa at the NCAA Championships in 2023,the first time sinceโ 2007. Despite high expectations for the 2024-25โ season, injuries hampered the Cyclones’ performance.
“Thatโ was one of the objectives, to get thisโค thing back on our side,” โขDresser said. “It took longer โthan I wanted to, but we got it going.”
