Cyclones March into NCAA Quarterfinals
CLEVELAND — Iowa State sent three wrestlers into the quarterfinals during the second session of the NCAA Championships at Rocket Arena Thursday night. Senior Anthony Echemendia (141 pounds), junior MJ Gaitan (174), and senior Yonger Bastida (heavyweight) advanced. The results gave the Cyclones a needed lift as the tournament moved into its next phase.
Key match outcomes
The session included a notable upset and two convincing wins by Cyclone starters. Each wrestler left the mat with clear outcomes that affect seedings and brackets.
Elam upset by Rutgers’ Cotton
Rutgers redshirt sophomore Remy Cotton beat Iowa State senior Rocky Elam 12-4. Cotton, the No. 15 seed, scored takedowns in each period to control the bout.
Elam suffered his first loss of the season and fell to 19-1. It was his first NCAA Championships defeat since 2024. Elam will drop into the consolation bracket to pursue a podium finish.
Cotton now draws No. 7 seed Oklahoma State freshman Cody Merrill in Friday morning’s session.
Gaitan stuns higher seed
Junior MJ Gaitan, seeded No. 11, defeated No. 6 NC State redshirt junior Matty Singleton 6-3. Gaitan used a second-period reversal and a third-period takedown to seize the lead.
He preserved riding time to secure the win. Gaitan is slated to meet No. 3 seed Nebraska sophomore Christopher Minto on Friday morning.
Echemendia posts major decision
No. 4 seed Anthony Echemendia rolled past Lock Haven redshirt senior Wyatt Henson, 14-4. Echemendia built an early lead with multiple takedowns and closed with a fourth takedown in the third.
The dominant victory registered as a major decision and added bonus points for Iowa State. Echemendia will face No. 5 seed Lehigh junior Luke Stanich Friday morning.
Advancement and outlook
Yonger Bastida also advanced to the quarterfinal round at heavyweight. Specific match details for Bastida were not reported during the session summary.
The Cyclones’ march continued toward the NCAA quarterfinals with those wins and the uphill task for wrestlers in consolation. Friday’s morning session will set semifinal pairings and shape medal prospects.
