The ISU wrestling season is already underway, starting with a pair of open tournaments earlier this month, but this weekend brings the first dual meets of the season.

The Cyclones will travel to Boise, Idaho, for a pair of duals against Utah Valley and Boise State.

“We’re looking for a fast start,” said All-American Michael Moreno. “We want to go out there and we want to dominate. We want to go out and win all 20 matches.”

ISU coach Kevin Jackson also used the word “domination” to describe his expectations for the weekend.

“Domination is a key word and we are going to be looking for our guys to do that so we can continue to grow and have our best performances,” Jackson said.

The Cyclones are coming into the dual meets fresh, as Jackson made the decision to rest his starters at last weekend’s Harold Nichols Open in preparation for the duals this weekend.

“I just look for them to be fresh,” Jackson said. “We had [the starters] take [last week] off for a reason, for them to be fresh, to be healthy, and ready to have an explosive performance.”

The early season duals will allow Jackson a chance to analyze his team and decide upon a lineup for bigger dual meets later on in the season.

With most of the lineup set, Jackson said he still wants to see improvement at 125 and 285, so that the team can start and finish strong. Most of the middle of the lineup is set, he said.

The only question mark in the middle of the lineup, is Luke Goettlcq at 157. Goettl originally wrestled at 141 for the Cyclones, so Jackson will look to analyze how Goettl performs at 157.

The lineup decisions will be simple as far as Jackson is concerned.

“It’s going to depend on [if] you are beating nationally ranked guys,” Jackson said.

With high expectations and a stacked lineup, it’s sink or swim for the ISU wrestlers on the fringe of starting or back-up status. The early season duals provide these athletes a chance to prove their worth.

Furthermore, the early season schedule allows the team a chance to get their feet wet and get into the flow of the season. A fast start to the season is paramount to the team.

“It’s important to start fast, start strong, get the team on a roll early and roller coaster from there,” said redshirt junior Tanner Weatherman. “If we start strong I think we’ll have a strong performance throughout the year.”

The Cyclones will take on Utah Valley at 4 p.m. and Boise State at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14 in Boise, Idaho.