Iowa State Wrestling Announces 2026-27 Schedule Under Coach Brent Metcalf
Iowa State men’s wrestling has officially released its 2026-27 schedule, marking the start of a new era under first-year head coach Brent Metcalf according to announcements from cyclones.com. The upcoming slate features a heavy home presence at Hilton Coliseum with seven duals, alongside challenging road tests and multi-team tournaments.
A Loaded Home Slate at Hilton Coliseum
According to cyclones.com, the Cyclones will host seven duals in Ames, welcoming Bucknell, Arizona State, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, and Cornell. Nine of Iowa State’s 15 total dual opponents finished in the top 25 at the 2026 NCAA Championships, with six landing in the top 15. Furthermore, four of the seven teams visiting Hilton Coliseum placed in the top 15 at the national tournament last season, as reported by cyclones.com.
The Metcalf era opens at home against Bucknell on Nov. 1, serving as the team’s only home date of the fall semester. After the calendar flips to 2027, a busy stretch brings Arizona State on Jan. 10 and Wyoming on Jan. 17, followed by a three-dual homestand against Oklahoma on Jan. 29, Oklahoma State on Jan. 31, and Stanford on Feb. 5. The home regular season wraps up against Cornell on Feb. 14, preceded by an in-state road trip to UNI on Feb. 12.
Early Road Tests and the Cy-Hawk Rivalry
Iowa State hits the road early, traveling to Utah Valley for its first Big 12 dual on Nov. 6. The squad then heads to Bradenton, Florida, for the Sunshine Wrestling Duals on Nov. 14, where they will face North Dakota State and Penn as detailed by cyclones.com.
The annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Dual takes place on Nov. 22 in Iowa City. According to cyclonefanatic.com, the Cyclones enter the matchup looking for consecutive wins against the Hawkeyes for the first time since the 2003-04 seasons.
December Invitational and Postseason Path
December features a single competition for Iowa State: the National Duals Invitational from Dec. 12-13 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cyclones.com reports that the 16-team tournament boasts a total prize purse of $1,230,000, with payouts distributed to the top eight teams.
After competing in the Soldier Salute on Jan. 2-3 in Coralville, Iowa, and navigating the demanding January and February dual schedule, the postseason awaits. The Big 12 Conference will award a regular-season dual championship for the first time based on conference winning percentage without tiebreakers, complementing the annual Big 12 Wrestling Championship set for March 5-6 at the BOK Center. The season culminates at the 2027 NCAA Championships from March 18-20 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, according to cyclones.com.