It has been a season of improvement and progression for the ISU wrestling team, and among the most progressive has been redshirt freshman Tanner Weatherman.

Currently ranked No. 20 at 174 pounds by InterMat, Weatherman is 15-5 — having picked up bonus-point victories in his last three matches — this season after posting a 12-3 record while competing unattached in his redshirt season.

Weatherman was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Feb. 11, 2013, making him the only freshman to earn the honor this season.

Weatherman credits his consistent success of late to his match strategy.

“I feel like my match plan has been really good,” Weatherman said. “Travis Paulson’s kind of been overseeing me, really focusing on a couple areas, just staying to the game plan: Stay on my offense, going for the win first and then go after bonus [points].”

One of the reasons Weatherman has been able to stay hot this season is due to help from his training partner and roommate, Boaz Beard.

The two are right next to each other in weight as Beard wrestles at 184 pounds, which allows for a lot of time together in the wrestling room. That means most of their individual workouts are together.

“We’re close; we can help each other out definitely on and off the mat,” Weatherman said. “I know his game plan, he knows mine. I know who he’s wrestling, he knows who I’m wrestling, so we’re pretty close.”

Beard, like Weatherman, has been consistent for the Cyclones this season. The redshirt junior owns a 13-6 record and is ranked No. 15 at 184 pounds.

This weekend, the duo will travel to Stillwater, Okla., with the Cyclones in hopes of being crowned Big 12 champions and moving on to nationals in two weeks.

“It’s an exciting time of year,” said ISU coach Kevin Jackson. “Everything else up until now has been practice, but right now it’s time to see what we’re all about and really put all that practice into effect on Friday and Saturday.”

Although this is Weatherman’s first time at the Big 12 Championships, Beard likes his roommate’s chances of handling the pressure and making it to the NCAAs.

“He wants to upset [Chris] Perry,” Beard said. “That’s what he’s got his sights on and I think he’s fully capable.”

Perry, the 174-pounder for Oklahoma State, is currently ranked No. 2. He and Weatherman faced off when the Cowboys were in Ames on Feb. 3, 2013, and Perry held on for a 3-0 victory.

As for his own chances, Beard plans on fine-tuning some things before this weekend in order to give himself more confidence on the mat. While he’s been wrestling well as of late, he knows there are improvements to be made — namely in the area of his counter offense.

“I tend to just stay ‘offense, offense, offense,’ and I think I miss opportunities to hit my counter offense off of people’s bad shots or their fakes,” Beard said. “I think if I get that into effect, I’ll be great.”