Max Mayfield has been there before.

After missing the entire 2011-12 season, Mayfield was held out of the first part of this season when he sustained another concussion at the Harold Nichols Open on Nov. 10.

“He started indicating symptoms that led the trainers to believe that he had been concussed again,” said ISU coach Kevin Jackson. “Based on him staggering around and some of the actions of the match, they pulled him before they ended that match.”

Mayfield, a 149-pound redshirt senior, sustained a severe concussion and broke his nose in the season-opening dual meet against Boston last season.

Because of this, the concerns of the medical staff were then amplified when Mayfield began showing concussion-like symptoms last month during his match in the 149-pound wrestlebacks of the Harold Nichols Open against Chevy Goble of St. Cloud State.

“Last season, I think I made the mistake of trying to get back too soon,” Mayfield said. “It really set me back.”

More precautions have been taken this season to ensure that Mayfield is ready to go, which he will be for Iowa State’s home dual meet against North Dakota State on Nov. 16.

“Because of what happened last year, we really had to take that into account and realize that he had been concussed before,” Jackson said. “We had to be extra cautious and pull him because we lost him for a whole year last year, and hopefully that’s not going to be the case this year.”

Luke Swalla and Matt White wrestled in Mayfield’s place at 149 pounds following that tournament, but Jackson confirmed on Saturday night after the dual loss to Iowa that Mayfield has been cleared to wrestle again.

“He’s real tough,” said Luke Swalla of Mayfield. “He’s real fundamentally sound; he’s tough to score on. He’s got real good head-to-hands defense.”

As a former walk-on, Mayfield would not have been thought to be in the position that he is as the best 149-pounder on the team.

“I don’t think anybody ever expected me to be in the lineup here when I started,” Mayfield said. “But I have really high expectations for myself. Every day in the room I’m just getting in there and working as hard as I can and that’s pretty much what it comes down to … putting in the hard work to get yourself to where you want to be.”