Many students use Winter Break as an opportunity to get away, relax and spend time with family. For members of the ISU wrestling team, the holiday break means the Midlands and the National Dual tournament.

Iowa State’s previously unblemished run was ended at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes on Dec. 4 with a 22-13 loss. Being the only dual meet of the month, the Cyclones’ break in competition allows for more time in the wrestling room.

“We try to increase their workload this [Dead] Week and get a lot of work in,” said coach Kevin Jackson. “During Finals Week try to give them some time off so they have energy for their finals.”

Jackson said much of the workload between now and National Duals will focus on baseline wrestling positions. He and his staff are working on improving the team’s ability to completely control tie ups, finish attacks and shot penetration defense.

Despite not having as much time off as their peers, the Cyclone wrestlers will have time off to head home from December 21 to 26. The numerous temptations and Christmas cravings can plague a wrestler’s weight management, but Jackson believes his team members are disciplined enough to maintain their diets and conditioning.

December may not yield any more dual meets, but from Dec. 29 to 30, the ISU grapplers will join teams from across the nation in one of the most recognizable and tradition-laden tournaments collegiate wrestling has to offer: the Midlands. Held at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., the Midlands showcases some of the elite individual talents as well as top collegiate programs in the nation.

“The Midlands should say what we are capable of at the NCAA tournament and act as an indication of if we can contend,” Jackson said. “It is the closest thing to a simulation of the NCAA tournament.”

In the 48th edition of wrestling’s winter tradition, the Cyclones will look to rise out of the silver position that they have called home each of the past three seasons. Last year’s strong performance marked a third consecutive runner-up finish for the team, while Jake Varner grabbed first place individually.

Current senior Jon Reader made his third Midlands finals appearance in as many years, falling to Wisconsin’s Andrew Howe. Reader has never claimed a Midlands title in his impressive career, but he is expected to be a favorite at 174 pounds.

Jerome Ward has moved up a weight class since last year’s tournament, but he is viewed as a contender at 197 pounds. Ward, who is ranked 11th in the latest Intermat.com standings, took home a seventh-place prize at the 2009 Midlands.

Reader and Ward may be the only returning grapplers to place last season, but the youth of the No. 19 Cyclones has its up sides heading into the Midlands.

“We are looking to improve on previous years and expect high performances from our team,” Jackson said. “We don’t worry about the rankings. We could be number one and we would still have to go out there and compete.”

Iowa State will dress 13 wrestlers as members of the team, while Mike Moreno and Mike England will also compete unattached. Cyclone freshman Ryak Finch, who is currently redshirting, will also compete individually, as he was invited to the tournament based on his stellar past credentials.

While the Midlands is the last meet of the calendar year, the Cyclone wrestlers will conclude their holiday break calendar Jan 8 and 9 at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in Cedar Falls.

Named for wrestling legend Cliff Keen, who coached the University of Michigan to 13 Big Ten titles from 1925 to 1970 and was a charter member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the National Duals brings together teams from all three NCAA divisions, as well as NJCAA and NAIA member schools, and women’s teams from across the country.

At the 2010 National Duals, Iowa State came into the tournament as the second-seeded team. After rolling through their three duals, the Cyclones fell to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the finals, 19-12, and prolonged the losing streak to the in-state rivals.

This season, Iowa State’s squad will head into the National Duals as more of an underdog and have the opportunity to compete against teams that will cross their path again this season, as well as battle old foes. The Cyclones are among 14 teams currently signed to compete in a field that includes Big 12 rivals Missouri and Oklahoma State, as well as the Virginia Tech Hokies, whom the Cyclones edged in an early-season dual.

“There’s nothing I don’t like about these meets,” Jackson said. “They give us a chance to compete against the best teams and the best individuals in the country.”