The Iowa State wrestling team will field an experienced, yet youthful team in the upcoming 1998-99 season. One thing this year’s team does have in common is talent.

The Cyclones will look to continue the excellent tradition of ISU wrestling through seasoned veterans but will receive plenty of support from an outstanding group of redshirt freshmen.

With four-time All-American Dwight Hinson gone and NCAA runner-up Trent Hynek redshirting, ISU will definitely have to count on some of its experienced wrestlers to step up and take the role of being a leader.

“I’m in the position of setting an example so they know what they need to do to win and become a champion,” said Cole Sanderson about the redshirt freshmen. “With Dwight gone and Hynek redshirting, it puts a little bit more weight on my shoulders to help the younger guys out.”

Head Coach Bobby Douglas did express some concern about having so many younger wrestlers in the line-up, but he remains confident in their talent.

“We have to rely on some of our freshmen this year, which puts a lot of pressure on them,” Coach Douglas said. “Any time when almost 50 percent of your line-up are freshmen it makes for an unpredictable year.”

That unpredictability will definitely provide Cyclone fans with plenty of excitement.

“Freshmen are up and down, and we have some risk takers,” Douglas said. “It will make for a very exciting year because we have lots of enthusiasm.”

What makes this year even more interesting is the new weight class certification. After a couple tragic incidences last year, this new rule prohibits wrestlers from dropping below 5 percent body fat.

“It really complicates your line-up and ability to recruit,” Coach Douglas said, “But it is for safety.”

The Cyclone line-up is still pretty sketchy, but after last Saturday’s wrestle-offs, things are starting to fall into place.

At the 125-pound weight class, redshirt freshman Jesse West will take the place of Cody Sanderson, who will move up to 133 pounds this season. Cody was 26-10 last season and should provide not only valuable points and early momentum but also a great deal of leadership.

The 141-pound weight class is a toss-up right now between two junior college transfers. Tim Bradley brings a 36-2 JC record with him, and Benjie Winegarden placed 8th in the 134-pound weight class at last year’s national junior college meet.

“I’m just going to wrestle hard and try to make the varsity team,” Bradley said. “If I don’t, I’ll just keep working and eventually try to make it.”

Winegarden was very optimistic about this opportunity in his first year at ISU.

“I still have a redshirt season left, so if I don’t make the team, I can just build on my redshirt year,” Winegarden said.

Cole Sanderson and David Maldonado return from last season’s team with solid numbers and valuable mat experience. Cole tallied 19 wins and Maldonado wrestled to a 23-11 record.

The redshirt freshman with perhaps the most potential this season is Joe Heskett. Heskett was 9-2 last year when he wrestled unattached. Heskett is confident that he and the other freshmen are capable of getting the job done.

“The experience that we have gained the past few years has us ready to do some damage,” Heskett said. “We’re prepared for this year, and we should do well.”

Junior Ben Perkins was the Big 12 runner-up last season at 167 pounds and will provide plenty of points for the Cyclones this season wrestling at 174 pounds.

Redshirt freshman Cael Sanderson will wrestle at 184 pounds, joining his older brothers Cole and Cody. Cael is a four-time state champion from Utah and was named the top prospect at his weight class coming out of high school.

All together the Sanderson brothers have 11 state titles with Cody collecting four and Cole with three.

The 197-pound spot may be the most intriguing weight class for the Cyclones. Zach Thompson and Matt Patitz will battle it out for the starting spot.

Thompson is coming off of an impressive campaign last season when he went 27-10, which included a couple of wins at the 1998 NCAA Championship. However, Thompson was defeated in last Saturday’s wrestle-offs by senior Matt Patitz.

“Matt has beaten Zach, and Zach probably will be ranked nationally,” Douglas said. “Matt has stayed with the program from his freshman year to being a fifth year senior, and perhaps he’s ready to blossom.”

With Hynek redshirting, the heavyweight slot is still up for grabs. Matt Knauer appears to be the front-runner after edging Corey Stevenson in last Saturday’s wrestle-offs, but the position is still unsettled.

This year’s squad also consists of two female wrestlers. Dominique Smalley and Emily Wolline train with the team to prepare for international competition and, hopefully, the Olympics someday.

“I believe that women’s wrestling as a medal sport could and should happen by the 2004 Olympic games,” Douglas said.

The women have also created a slightly different atmosphere during practice.

“The women have helped some of the guys act more like gentlemen also,” Douglas said with a smile.

Allowing females to join the squad is just another example of the integrity that Douglas possesses and is an attribute to the solid wrestling program at Iowa State.

The Cyclones are currently ranked seventh nationally and look to continue their strong winning tradition as they open the season with the Dr. Harold Nichols Memorial Open in Forest City at 11 a.m. on Saturday.