Twentieth ranked UNI is the favorite as the Panthers visit Iowa State for an in-state wrestling dual. After near misses the past two years Doug Schwab hopes to notch his first win over the Cyclones as the Panther coach. Due to scheduling, this is UNI’s only match-up with one of the other state schools this season, but Panther coach Doug Schwab doesn’t think that makes it any more important than any other year.
“I don’t know if it’s any added emphasis, it’s always critical for us,” Schwab says. He says they have some guys who have not won against Iowa State and they will be looking for a win.
Schwab had to censor himself a bit when talking about the type of demeanor he wants to see from his wrestlers against the Cyclones. “Friday night we are gonna to have to be tough, mean, I’m not gonna say what I want to says what we need to be, but we need to be that,” Schwab says. He says the team is looking forward to it and will be up for it.
Schwab says tonight’s dual is one that easily could go either way, but if they win the matches they are supposed to it could be “a landslide in our favor.” ISU is 6-4 on the season and coach Kevin Jackson expects a hard fought dual.
The Panthers are 8-3 and Jackson says the Cyclones will face a confident team.
By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls