Iowa State @ Stanford

Iowa State edged Stanford 20-18 in a tight dual at Stanford University on January 4, 2026. The meet was a back-and-forth affair where bonus points and one big finish decided the outcome.

Stanford grabbed momentum in the middle weights when Daniel Cardenas, ranked #8, ran up a 20-5 technical fall at 157 to swing five team points. The Cardinal also got a signature upset at 149 when #12 Aden Valencia knocked off #4 Jacob Frost 4-3 in a gritty decision that kept the dual within reach for the hosts.

Iowa State answered with two high-value bonus victories that ultimately made the difference. #12 Connor Euton closed his match at 165 with a 19-4 technical fall for five points, and reigning heavyweight #1 Yonger Bastida delivered another technical fall, 19-4 at 285, which proved decisive in a two-point team win. Those techs offset Stanford’s bonus scoring and pushed Iowa State ahead late.

The dual finished as a narrow 20-18 win for Iowa State, the product of a handful of bonus-point swings and a late heavyweight technical fall that broke the tie. Several ranked matches carried the meet, and individual bonus performances determined the team result.