Some wrestling teams start their schedule with easier matchups to get a few wins and boost confidence. The ISU wrestling team has employed a completely different approach.

No. 13 Iowa State is heading to Blacksburg, Va., to take on No. 6 Virginia Tech on Saturday. The ISU wrestling program has had success against the Hokies and will attempt to continue its productive run in a new, unfamiliar location.

Even though this is a top-15 matchup, ISU coach Kevin Jackson is looking at it as an opportunity to work on his lineup. Senior Earl Hall views the opportunity as a good early-season test.

“It’s nice to start off with a top-10 team like Virginia Tech because it’ll show who has been practicing and who needs work,” Hall said. “It’ll also be fun to go to Virginia and wrestle there for the first time in my career.”

The jaunt to Virginia will be the first of many trips for the ISU wrestlers this season. It will allow them to acclimate to a different environment and a crowd that isn’t on Iowa State’s side, instead wanting revenge for results in past years.

Iowa State has had a successful past against Virginia Tech, going 6-0 against the Hokies. The Cyclones’ latest win against the Hokies came last year when Iowa State won 21-12 on Jan. 18 during the Beauty and the Beast event at Hilton Coliseum.

But the starting lineup has endured significant losses since last season. National champion Kyven Gadson and teammate Michael Moreno have graduated, and new wrestlers have to take over their spots in the lineup.

Jackson isn’t worried about filling those spots, however. 

“I think our lineup is set for this weekend, but we’ll be bringing some extra wrestlers just in case,” Jackson said. “The lineups aren’t set for the entire season, and there will probably be some moving in future meets.”

Jackson had a wrestle-off Oct. 30 to determine the lineup for the Virginia Tech meet. The majority of the winners from the event will be the starters for this upcoming weekend.

The only exceptions are in the 141-pound class and 197-pound class.

In the 141-pound class, sophomore Dante Rodriguez defeated John Meeks, but Jackson would like to redshirt Rodriguez this season. Meeks, however, needs to perform at a high level to keep his spot in the starting lineup, Jackson said.

Redshirt freshman Marcus Harrington defeated redshirt sophomore Duke Egli in the 197-pound class wrestle-off. However, Harrison was charged with assault this past August, which has left him suspended for the Virginia Tech match. Egli will take his spot in the lineup. 

Additionally, redshirt junior Gabe Moreno will miss the first couple meets this season because of a shoulder injury. He is also serving a suspension for an arrest for operating a car while intoxicated in July.

Redshirt sophomore Blayne Briceno will take Moreno’s spot in lineup for the 149-pound class. 

The team is using last year’s win against Virginia Tech as a motivator this time around. Even against some ranked All-Americans on Virginia Tech’s roster, the ISU veterans still think it’s possible to defeat the Hokies this weekend.

“I expect everyone to go out hard and wrestle hard just like last weekend at intersquad,” said redshirt senior Tanner Weatherman. “Go out and compete hard for seven minutes just like last year against these guys, and good things will happen.”