The Iowa State Cyclones (7-4, 2-1 Big 12) will look to build on their momentum this year as they compete in the biggest event of the season, the Big 12 Championship, in Austin, Texas, beginning this Wednesday. 

The Cyclones finished the season strong, winning four of their last five dual meets, and have high hopes they can perform on the biggest stage of the season.

With the Big 12 Championship on the horizon, coach Duane Sorenson emphasized the importance of working on “the little things” to help in the Cyclones quest of winning the meet.  

“We spent this week really working on the fine details and working on the little things,” Sorenson said. “This is a meet where tenths and hundredths of a second count.

“So if you just work on the little things, you become a lot better.”

The Cyclones have had their fair share of instances where “the little things” have mattered, including their nail-biter victory against conference opponent West Virginia University earlier this season. That victory marked the fourth time in five years that the final relay decided the victor of the dual meet between the two.

The Cyclones will have to put together some great performances this week in order to compete against tough competition such as the 2018 Big 12 Championship winners, Texas (8-0). 

In addition to the returning champions, the Cyclones will compete against a familiar foe in the Kansas Jayhawks (7-1, 2-0 Big 12), to whom they fell short against in their final dual meet of the season, 201-93.

Despite enduring a tough loss at the end of the season, senior captain Evan Hundley is confident that the team’s preparations will help the Cyclones reach their goals.

“We set goals in the beginning of every season,” Hundley said. “I have confidence that I’m going to hit those [goals] because we’ve been training really hard this year.” 

Thanks to the strong finish to the regular season, the Cyclones’ performances and preparations as of late have put them in a position to be one of the main competitors in Austin.