Iowa State Wrestling Coach Bobby Douglas says that when his wrestlers are on the mat, he knows what they’re thinking.

If their thoughts on the mat are the same as the thoughts they shared at wrestling media day, this looks to be another big season for ISU’s tradition-rich wrestling program.

The Cyclones are a young team, but they are not without their share of star performers and young upstarts.

Returning three-time All-American Dwight Hinson is the leader of this year’s squad, and he is excited about his final season.

He was chosen as a captain because of his experience and the position serves as a motivational tool.

Douglas said, “We felt that maybe being a captain would force him rise to the occasion. He’s been doing an outstanding job of leading the team.”

The 126-pound Hinson said, “This is going to be my last hurrah. I’m going for number one. I’d like to leave number one.”

And so far, Hinson is relishing his role as a Cyclone leader.

“I’ve got to take over as a leader. Being a team captain, you want to lead by example.”

Hinson is not the only one with high expectations. Matt Mulvihill, an NCAA qualifier last season said his goal is to become an All-American, and ultimately a national champion.

“I want to do this for myself and also for the team. I’ve put a lot of time into the sport and I feel I deserve it and I feel the team deserves it from me,” he said.

Mulvihill, a junior from Des Moines, also will contribute more than just points on the mat from his 177-pound position.

“I think I can take on the role of being a leader for these guys. I feel like I can lead them in the right direction. They’re real talented kids,” he said.

Mulvihill said that while the team is young, the potential is tremendous.

“There’s no stopping us. I think by nationals’ time, we can definitely grow up and definitely be contenders for the national championship,” he said.

One of the bright Cyclone prospects is 190-pound freshman Zach Thompson.

After red-shirting last season, Thompson said he is stronger and technically more skilled. He is ready to sport the cardinal and gold singlet.

“This is what I’ve been training for,” he said.

As for his season goals, he said, “I’m just going to play it by ear and try my hardest.”

He said he is optimistic about the team’s chances to place well nationally. “I think we should do quite well even though we’re young. It’s the team for the future,” Thompson said.

ISU starts the season ranked ninth, which Douglas termed “generous,” but he feels that if they develop the way he thinks they can, they will finish even higher come NCAA Tournament time.

Last year, the Cyclones took fourth place.

“We’re not a contender for the title right now, but in March, who knows?” he said.

Douglas is not sure whether he will red-shirt junior heavyweight Trent Hynek, who competed in the NCAA Championship last season.

The choice is tough because he is both looking ahead to what will help the team and Hynek. The problem is that he can’t look too far ahead.

“I don’t live in the future,” Douglas said.

One thing that Douglas is sure of is that every member of his highly-touted incoming freshman class will sit out the season.

He feels a red-shirt year will help the men gain strength and technique on the mat and will give the newcomers a chance to adjust to the college environment and academics outside of the wrestling room.

Douglas said the strong class that he and Assistant Coach Thom Ortiz put together is not an accident.

“We’ve definitely established ourselves. We can recruit from coast to coast. That’s tradition. Iowa State can recruit because of the name and tradition. Recruiting’s the name of the game,” Douglas said.

So far this practice season, Douglas said he is happy with his men’s effort but is frustrated with the technical aspects.

The men must improve to deal with the tough schedule ahead for the team. The Big 12 Conference tops all leagues with Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Nebraska picked to finish ahead of the Cyclones. Douglas will have a chance to judge his Cyclone squad in an “evaluation tournament” on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. in Hilton Coliseum during the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open.