ISU wrestling head coach Kevin Jackson continues to see the improvement from Quean Smith.

The redshirt freshman heavyweight and Detroit, Mich. native may only be 5-11 overall this season, but has recorded several wins as of lately.

He took on Billy Smith of Rutgers on Jan. 17 in the Cyclones’ dual against the Scarlet Knights. Quean was looking for his second win in a row, following a win in the Iowa State dual against Oklahoma the week before.

Quean was able to keep the match close, and was even winning at one point, but by the end of the third period, the score remained tied 1-1.

“He has done a lot better job lately connecting to the fight and just giving himself the chance to win,” Jackson said. “I think the only thing we have to connect to Quean now is that you have the skills to go and take the win when it’s on the line like that.”

Quean wasn’t able to hold it out, and was eventually pinned during overtime.

But while Quean may not have won the match, Jackson feels his heavyweight still showed a lot of potential.

“The shot he took in the overtime period wasn’t his best shot,” Jackson said. “He wanted to go down firing, instead of going down some other way. We’ll take the effort. He has some things he does well, and he will have another great opportunity down in Stillwater, [Okla.]

“I am happy with where he has come from earlier in the year until now. I think he has taken the biggest steps in improvement and his consistency. I really do.”

Preparing for Oklahoma State

The ISU wrestling team will travel down to Stillwater, Okla. on Jan. 24 to take on No. 5 Oklahoma State. Some wrestlers have been looking forward to this dual for quite some time — where the competition gets a little personal on the mat.

“I feel good, I’m excited,” said Kyven Gadson on traveling to Oklahoma State. “There’s some bad blood between me and [Blake] Rosholt, and I’m excited to get down to his arena and do what I need to do.”

Sophomore Earl Hall is slated to return to the lineup as well after suffering a slight knee injury two weeks ago. Jackson said, though, that Hall is back on track.

“As far as Earl is concerned, we need him back in the lineup,” Jackson said. “As of now, he is on track to do what he needs to do to be ready for [Jan. 25]. He should be available for us.”

In regards to the rivalry feel with Oklahoma State, Jackson likes that things are getting personal, as long as it stays on the mat.

“I think that throughout the lineup, there are some matches where there is some bad blood,” Jackson said. “Things have been said, on probably both sides, that lead to some emotions getting caught up in it. It’s very difficult to lose to a guy that you don’t like.

“I’m OK with that as long as it doesn’t turn public. As long as it stays on the mat, it should continue to motivate them, and that’s what we look for in wrestling.”