ISU’s Reader relishes final shot at NCAA title

A life's pursuit is on the line for Jon Reader this week at the NCAA wrestling championships.

It's national title or bust for the Iowa State senior, who has carried the No. 1 ranking at 174 pounds most of the season and is 34-0 heading into Thursday's opening-round action in Philadelphia.

“I want it bad,” Reader said. “This is what I've been working for my whole life and since I was little. This is a big deal.”

He twice was an All-American at 165 his first two seasons, then dropped his first match a year ago and was eliminated four matches later short of a spot on the podium. Injury contributed to the disappointing finish, but didn't lessen the sting.

“That has fueled the fire for this year,” Reader said.

The stiffest competition this time around will come from Penn State's Ed Ruth (32-1) and Cornell's Mack Lewnes. Reader handed Lewnes (35-2) one of his two losses this season - a 7-6 decision back - in the teams' dual meet Jan. 30 in Ithaca, N.Y.

“It was a great battle,” Reader said. “He's a great athlete.”

Lewnes was the No. 1 seed as both a sophomore and junior, but has no titles to show for it. He was runner-up in 2010.

Ruth, a freshman, was one of the Nittany Lions' five Big Ten champions.

“Anybody can be stopped, but as long as he doesn't get out of character, he wins,” Coach Kevin Jackson said of Reader, ISU's only real contender among its five qualifiers. “With the exception of the Cornell match he hasn't even been challenged. But he's got to go out and prove it. He knows what he has to do. It's one match at a time.”

Reader would join eight other Cyclones as the only unbeaten, untied national champions in school history over the last 45 years.

The list, in order starting with the most recent, includes Jake Varner, Nate Gallick, Cael Sanderson, Tim Krieger, Mike Land, Chris Taylor, Dan Gable and Ben Peterson.

Reader is confident he can join that list of greats.

“I always expect to win,” he said. “You have to be confident and walk out there like you are the man. That's the way I wrestle and the way I feel. I've put the work in. It's time to lay it out there.”

It all begins with Michigan's Justin Zeerip (16-13) in round one.

Reader is taking no one for granted, especially after last year's opening-round stunner.

“Everybody is tough at this tournament,” Reader said. “The seeds don't mean anything and the bracket never falls out like it should … I'm not looking forward in the brackets. I know who I have first.”

Twenty five of Reader's victories this season have been either by pin, technical fall or major decision. He won the Most Outstanding Wrestler award after his dominating performance at the Big 12 Conference meet March 5 at Hilton Coliseum.

A few more of those and Reader will cap one of the most impressive seasons in school history.

“We've put the work in these last couple weeks,” Reader said. “It's time to release the lion on Thursday, have fun and compete.”