"This is a chance to make a statement to the nation about where we stand as a program," Iowa State head coach Cael Sanderson said. "We have young talent and successful alumni and this is a platform to get more experience."
Former ISU national champions will be looking to make their mark as 2006 NCAA champ and three-time All-American Nate Gallick and 2004 NCAA champion Zach Roberson returns at 60 kg. Gallick is ranked second in the latest USA Wrestling freestyle rankings and Roberson rates fifth. Gallick finished runner-up at last year's U.S. Nationals and the 2005 World Team Trials in Ames. Roberson, who captured a bronze medal at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in Februrary, registered a third-place finish in Las Vegas last year. Gallick knows the road to the finals isn't easy.
"The top eight are always tough and it's not easy to get through the early rounds," Gallick said. "If you don't come in with the mentality to win, you'll get picked off by a weaker seed. This is the first tournament that my brother (Nick) and I have wrestled in at the same weight class and I wish him all the best."
Roberson was a three-time All-American during his stellar career at Iowa State and is looking to improve on a fourth-place finish he earned at the 2005 World Team Trials.
"I think the more you wrestle freestyle, the better you're going to get at it," Roberson said. "My defense and tie-up offense have gotten a little better since last year. It's going to be a tough weight and someone told me that (former Oklahoma two-time NCAA champion) Teyon Ware might be there but I'm ready to go."
Nick Gallick will also be competing at 60 kg. and the former Amateur Wrestling News All-American just completed a successful redshirt season. Nick, projected to compete to replace two-time NCAA qualifier Jesse Sundell at 133 pounds next season, spoke about the adjustments he's made since winning four state titles at Sunnyside High School in Arizona and the level of talent he'll be facing.
"Everyone is a lot harder to score on in college," Nick said. "They position themselves better, they're stronger and quicker. This will be a different level of competition for me and the best wrestlers in the nation will be there. It will be a great learning experience and help me get to the next level where the best are. I'm going to work hard all summer to be ready for next season."
Two-time All-Americans Trent and Travis Paulson will be competing at 74 kg. along with 2005 freestyle All-American David Bertolino. The Paulsons, fresh off their third NCAA Championships appearance, feel that conditioning will be an asset.
"We've trained collegiately and freestyle is in shorter spurts and not as intense," Travis said. "I've wrestled in freestyle and Greco-Roman my entire life."
Trent, who placed fourth at the 2005 and 2006 NCAA Championships, captured a Greco-Roman title at the University Nationals in Evanston, Ill., last year to qualify for the World Team Trials.
"This will be another opportunity to get some freestyle experience," Trent said. "After training collegiately, I feel conditioning will be a strength. Our team will be very strong next year because coach (Sanderson) has brought in the best talent from the country."
Bertolino placed seventh at the 2005 U.S. Nationals with a 2-1, 3-2 win over NYAC's Nate Patrick and surprised himself as he advanced through the 74 kg. bracket.
"I felt like I was on a runner's high," Bertolino said. "Last year I didn't go in with a lot of pressure on me and I got on a roll. I wrestle a lot shorter and harder in freestyle. I go 110%."
2005-06 starter Ben Hanisch, a first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection at 125 pounds, will be competing at 55 kg.
"I've got to go in with the mentality to win just like any other match," Hanisch said. "Cutting weight won't be a problem for me. I'm trying to improve conditioning, takedowns on my feet and technique."
One of the most host heralded recruits in the country from Bakersfield, Calif., in 2005, Jake Varner, will be testing the freestyle waters at 84 kg. after making a splash at the 2005 FILA Junior Nationals by finishing runner-up and serving as a member of the 2005 FILA Junior Freestyle World Team that went to Lithuania. Varner scored five pins in five attempts during his redshirt year.
"You've got to go in with the mentality to win," Varner said. "I've been training with older guys and I'm trying to work hard and do everything I can to prepare. I'm excited to have Coach (Sanderson) and Tim (Hartung) out there because when you look in your corner you know you're in good hands."
Redshirt freshmen Nick Fanthorpe, Mitch Mueller, Joey DeMarie, Joe Curran and David Zabriskie will also be competing in the FILA Junior Nationals in freestyle April 14-15.
Fanthorpe, a two-time Illinois state champion from Naperville, placed in the top-five in three open touranments during his redshirt year and compiled a 12-7 record. Fanthorpe placed seventh in freestyle at the 2004 Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D.
"There will be a lot of good guys in my bracket," Fanthorpe said. "I'm expecting to see the best kids in the country out there and I've been working hard in the practice room on a couple of rule changes."
Mueller has had success on both the freestyle and Greco-Roman circuits, evidenced by his freestyle crown at the 2005 National Junior Championships and freestyle and Greco-Roman titles at the 2005 Western and Rocky Mountain Regional.
"I wasn't too happy with my redshirt year but I made some improvements," the former two-time state champ at Iowa City West said. "I like freestyle and have a lot of experience with it. I'm really looking forward to next season because we'll have a real tough team and contend for a national title."
Curran wrestled as a true freshman at 197 pounds, taking over for two-year starter Trevor Smith, and scored five falls.
"My confidence gets boosted with every win," Curran said. "I've faced some of the best competition in the country (conference All-Americans Rosholt, Flaggert, Padden) so I won't be intimidated when I step out on the mat. In practice we've been working a lot on takedowns from the feet because there's no top or bottom in freestyle."
Zabriskie, a New Jersey state champion, also redshirted this season and is expected to compete to start at heavyweight next year.
"Guys are so much bigger and stronger on the collegiate level," Zabriskie said. "I was able to use my strength to my advantage in high school but guys are just as strong or even stronger here. This tournament will be pretty tough but I'll wrestle to the best of my ability and learn a lot about freestyle.
At last year's U.S. Senior Nationals, ISU brought home five freestyle All-Americans and former assistant head coach Chris Bono, now at Tennessee-Chattanooga, won a title at 66 kg. Bono carries a No. 1 ranking into U.S. Nationals. Nate Gallick was runner-up at and Roberson registered a third-place finish at 60 kg. Bertolino and former Iowa State four-time NCAA qualifier Nick Passolano placed seventh and fifth, respectively. At the 2005 FILA Junior Nationals, ISU's redshirt freshman Cyler Sanderson placed fourth a 66 kg. and Jake Varner was runner-up at 84 kg. The World Team Trials will be held at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
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