When Andrew Sorenson was done

watching his teammate win an NCAA title last March, he made his way

to the tunnel of the arena and waited.

He waited for Jon Reader, his

teammate of four years; he waited for his training partner.

Sorenson wanted to walk out of that same tunnel, but an elbow

injury he sustained before the Big 12 Championships ended that goal

and instead had him looking ahead.

“After he won, I went down there,

congratulated him and met him in the tunnel,” Sorenson said. “That

trip to [Philadelphia] pretty much sealed what I’ve been trying to

work for, and it made it a reality that I could become a national

champion.”

Less than one year ago, Reader was a

redshirt senior ending his season with a perfect 39-0 record on his

way to becoming the 48th wrestler in ISU history to win an NCAA

title in wrestling. Today, he still remains in the room as a team

leader, only now his title is “Coach Reader.”

For coach Kevin Jackson, having

Reader in the program as a volunteer assistant coach is

important.

“We only have a couple of

upperclassmen, so we really only have a couple of true leaders,”

Jackson said. “Jon still being around and coming from a coaching

standpoint but also not too far off the age group we have out here

means a lot, and I think they soak that in a little bit

more.”

This season, nine freshmen have

already stepped on the mat in dual meets for the Cyclones, and

several of those wrestlers watched Reader train as a teammate last

season while sitting out with the other redshirts.

Jackson thinks it has been helpful

to use Reader to preach the team’s message since many saw him

firsthand become the best in the nation. Reader said he cherishes

the opportunity to continue to train with Jackson and to pass his

own knowledge along.

“I just recently got out of college.

I’ve been in the college grind more recently, and I can give my

perspective of what’s going on,” Reader said. “I try to rub off on

as many guys as I can and just lead by example.”

Sorenson, who Jackson said has a

close bond with Reader, feels Reader has been helpful to have

around the young team and believes his hard work and message is

carrying over to the other wrestlers.

“The kid is such a hard worker, and

he’s willing to put the time in for us too,” Sorenson said. “His

knowledge and his confidence in the team is great to have in the

room because it spreads — it’s like a virus.”

Thinking back to the moment in the

tunnel a year ago, Reader still remembers what he told Sorenson,

and he believes this season, their places can be

reversed.

“It was emotional for both of us,”

Reader said. “I came through the tunnel and he was right there —

the first person I hugged was Andrew. I told him right after I was

done, ‘It’s your turn now.’”