Dresser expects a ‘bumpy’ first year at ISU

Humboldt native excited to be back in home state

By Phil Monson
Kevin Dresser knows all about rebuilding a wrestling program.
That’s why the Humboldt native, who begins his first year as head coach of the Iowa State University wrestling team, isn’t predicting any overnight success.
While high on enthusiasm, Dresser tempered any high predictions when he met with the media last week (Oct. 31) in Ames.
Dresser, who lifted the Virginia Tech University program from the scrapheap in 2006 and turned the Hokies into a top 10 program during 11 seasons in Blacksburg, VA, is attempting to do the same at Iowa State, where he was lured away from the east coast last February to take over a Cyclone program that went 1-11 in duals last year and finished 57th in the NCAA national tournament.
“I’d like to make predictions on this season, but this year is definitely up in the air. That is scary, but also exciting,” Dresser said. “One of the very first things I told the team is that it is going to be bumpy for a while. And that is what I tell the Cyclone nation.”
“It is definitely going to take patience. Anybody who knows me knows that patience and Kevin Dresser are not a good mix. We want to win right now, but we are also realistic knowing what we have in front of us.”
“This is not a 100-yard dash. If we are going to be a solid, long-term program, and that is what I felt like I’ve done everywhere I’ve been, it has to be done the right way. It is not by taking shortcuts and quick fixes, and that means there will be bumps on the road in front of us,” Dresser said.

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