It was a night to remember in Ames - not just for the scoreboard, but for the milestone that came with it. Iowa State wrestling head coach Kevin Dresser notched his 100th dual win at the helm of the Cyclones, and he did it in emphatic fashion: a 42-0 shutout over Northern Colorado.
Since taking over in 2017, Dresser has steadily rebuilt the Cyclone program into a Big 12 powerhouse. He’s already earned two Big 12 Coach of the Year honors (2019 and 2024) and led Iowa State to a conference tournament title last season - their first in 15 years.
Now, with the team sitting at 7-1, Dresser’s 100th win felt like more than just a number. It was a statement.
Let’s dive into how this one unfolded, because it wasn’t just a win - it was domination from start to finish.
125 lbs: (12) Stevo Poulin (ISU) vs. Valdez (UNCO)
This one had a little extra juice. Poulin, a former Northern Colorado wrestler who placed 8th at last year’s NCAA Championships, didn’t waste any time against his former squad.
He opened with a takedown at 1:40, locked up a cradle, and ended it just 15 seconds later with a pin. That’s about as emphatic as it gets.
6-0 Cyclones
133 lbs: (3) Evan Frost (ISU) vs. (9) Dominick Serrano (UNCO)
This was the marquee matchup of the night - two ranked wrestlers, both with something to prove. Serrano came in undefeated and was Northern Colorado’s lone nationally ranked competitor.
But Frost, who dropped down from 141 earlier this season, controlled the pace. He executed two perfectly timed takedowns, one late in the second and another in the third, to take a convincing 7-1 decision.
9-0 Cyclones
141 lbs: (4) Anthony Echemendia (ISU) vs. Salazar (UNCO)
Echemendia doesn’t just win - he overwhelms. Salazar came out swinging, but once Echemendia got that first takedown, it was all downhill for Northern Colorado.
The match ended in a tech fall just 3:11 in, marking Echemendia’s fifth of the season. He improves to 12-1 and continues to look like one of the most dangerous guys in the country at 141.
14-0 Cyclones
149 lbs: (6) Jacob Frost (ISU) vs. Evans (UNCO)
Frost took a little time to get going, leading just 3-1 after the first period. But the second period was a scoring explosion - 13 points in two minutes, including a near-fall that nearly ended things early.
He added one more takedown in the third to lock up a tech fall and move to 10-3 on the year.
19-0 Cyclones
157 lbs: (8) Vinny Zerban (ISU) vs. Powe (UNCO)
Another former Bear facing his old team, Zerban took a methodical approach. After a modest 3-1 first period, he turned it on in the third, racking up three takedowns and tacking on a riding time point to secure an 18-3 tech fall.
Zerban now sits at 10-2.
24-0 Cyclones
165 lbs: (17) MJ Euton (ISU) vs. Schultz (UNCO)
This was the lone hiccup in an otherwise flawless takedown night for Iowa State - Schultz scored Northern Colorado’s only takedown of the dual in the opening minute. But Euton responded with poise, taking the lead before the first period ended and never letting go.
He piled on points en route to a 19-7 major decision and improved to 11-3.
28-0 Cyclones
174 lbs: Aiden Riggins (ISU) vs. Menke (UNCO)
Riggins stepped up a weight class and showed grit in a slower-paced battle. The turning point came in the third, when he scored a reversal and then put on a mat-return clinic.
Three returns in rapid succession kept Menke down and sealed the decision.
31-0 Cyclones
184 lbs: (12) Isaac Dean (ISU) vs. Rushton (UNCO)
Dean’s match wasn’t flashy, but it was fundamentally sound. He picked his spots, scoring two takedowns and playing strong defense to prevent what would’ve been just the second takedown of the night for the Bears.
Dean walked away with an 8-2 decision and a 13-4 record.
34-0 Cyclones
197 lbs: CJ Carter (ISU) vs. Perry (UNCO)
With No. 2 Rocky Elam unavailable, Carter stepped in and delivered.
This one was a grinder - tied 1-1 after regulation, it went to sudden victory. Carter thought he had it with a takedown 10 seconds into overtime, but it was overturned on review.
No problem - 40 seconds later, he got it again, this time for good. A 4-1 win and Carter’s second dual victory.
37-0 Cyclones
285 lbs: (1) Yonger Bastida (ISU) vs. Cappabianca (UNCO)
If you blinked, you might’ve missed it. Bastida, the nation’s top-ranked heavyweight, needed just 2:15 to wrap up a tech fall and put an exclamation point on the night.
His takedown ratio this season? A jaw-dropping 67:1.
That’s not just dominance - that’s historic.
Final: 42-0 Cyclones
This was Iowa State’s first shutout since 2023, and it was as complete a performance as you’ll see in college wrestling. Ten matches, ten wins, six with bonus points, and a 35-1 edge in takedowns. That’s not just beating an opponent - that’s sending a message.
And for Kevin Dresser, win No. 100 couldn’t have been scripted any better.