Marcus Coleman believes the best is yet to come in his Iowa State wrestling career

AMES — When Iowa State wrestling coach Kevin Dresser decided to leave Virginia Tech to lead the Cyclones in February of 2017, he created a list of priorities.

One that rose near the top: Making sure Ames native and three-time state champion Marcus Coleman remained on board.

Turned out Dresser had no reason for concern, though.

“I remember shortly after the state tournament my senior year he called me up,” said Coleman, whose No. 4-ranked team will face off with Big 12 rivals Oklahoma on Friday at 7 p.m., and Oklahoma State Sunday at 2 p.m. “And, I don’t know, in my head I was like, ‘I’m coming to Iowa State no matter what.’

“We just had a conversation. I remember him saying, ‘You have a chance to be a superstar if you just keep working hard.’”

Dresser’s words proved to be prophetic. Coleman attained All-America honors for the first time last season. He’s a four-time NCAA qualifier and currently ranked fourth nationally at 184 pounds. And both he and his coach believe the best is yet to come as his final collegiate season winds toward March.

“I’m just excited to see what he can do for the last two months — less than two months — here,” Dresser said.

So is Coleman, who has steadily improved throughout his six-year career. He fully began to hit his stride in the 2020-21 season after 197-pound All-America junior Yonger Bastida joined the Cyclones’ program. The talented upper-weight duo scrapped frequently and Bastida’s speed and strength challenged Coleman, who responded by augmenting his own abilities on the mat.

“Added a killer to the room,” Coleman said of Bastida’s arrival. “When he came into the room I had to be ready to go every day. It just brought my level up and I work with Yonger a lot on techniques, and asking him questions, and vice versa. There’s a lot of back and forth, so having him has been a blessing for my career.”

Coleman and Bastida stand front and center among several ISU wrestlers determined to make a bigger mark at nationals this season. That’s what every wrestler and team trains for, of course, but the Cyclones appear poised to complement long-running dual meet success with more robust tournament-based achievements this March.

First, they must go through the Sooners and 10th-ranked Cowboys, who always seem to be at their best in the latter stages of a season.

“This is a good chance to make a statement,” Dresser said. “They’re gonna come tough.”

Coleman will likely face No. 11 Travis Wittlake of Oklahoma State in Sunday’s dual.

Tenth-ranked ISU heavyweight Sam Schuyler should face a pair of Top 25 wrestlers this weekend.

“Gotta score a lot of takedowns,” Schuyler said. “I think all of us, we’re gonna open up to score because I think we’re gonna need bonus points in both duals. It should be fun.”

It certainly will be for Coleman, who aims to build off last season’s podium finish and ascend toward the very top.

“I’m focused on myself,” he said. “Making sure I’m prepared and ready to go. Just ready to go out there and fight the entire time.”

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