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Iowa State- No. 16 Cyclones Face No. 7 Sooners in Conference Clash

AMES, Iowa - The No. 16 Iowa State wrestling team heads to Norman, Okla., Friday for a Big 12 matchup against seventh-ranked Oklahoma at 7 p.m. (CST). The Cyclones previously lost 22-13 in Hilton Coliseum Nov. 27 against the Sooners, but Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson expects a different outcome from this dual.

"Up and down the lineup we have matches that we feel we can win," Jackson said. "I think we match up pretty well and I am confident it won't be the same dominating performance Oklahoma had against us the first time."

The Cyclones won four of the five upper-weight matchups against the Sooners back in November, which began with fourth-ranked Andrew Sorenson's major decision against redshirt junior Bubby Graham, who he will again face Friday.

Redshirt freshman Mikey England has stepped into the starting spot at 174 pounds in the absence of sixth-ranked Chris Spangler. England has lost his last two duals by just two points and Jackson believes he has the capability to compete at a high level.

"Mikey England is capable, he just has to 100 percent believe that and I think you've seen that in his last two matches," Jackson said. "He's lost some very close matches and I just think it's a little bit more confidence that he needs to push over the top."

England will face Oklahoma's Nolan McBryde or Marcus Armato.

Boaz Beard continues to be a solid performer for the Cyclones at 184 pounds and has a chance to expand on his success in a top-20 matchup Friday. 16th-ranked Beard faces No. 20 Erich Schmidtke. Schmidtke is 5-5 in dual competition while Beard boasts a 7-2 dual record.

Matt Gibson, ranked No. 18 nationally, earned an 8-2 decision over Elijah Madison in Hilton Coliseum, but will face unranked Kyle Colling at heavyweight Friday. Gibson enters the dual after taking the winning bout in Iowa State's 20-14 victory over Virginia Tech Friday.

Following a revenge-filled victory against Hokie Zach Neibert, Luke Goettl will face top-ranked Kenric Maple at 141 pounds for the third time this season. Jackson views this match as a test for Goettl's chances at the NCAA Championships.

"This is a major step for Luke Goettl," Jackson said. "It will answer the question of whether or not he can be in the hunt for a national championship."

Who: No. 16 Iowa State (2-9, 0-4 Big 12) vs. No. 7 Oklahoma (8-2, 2-1 Big 12)
Where: Norman, Okla. - Howard McCasland Field House
When: Friday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m. (CST)
Live stats: www.trackwrestling.com &
http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-wrestl/archive/01_live_scoring.html
Live blog: Join in on a virtual press row for Friday's meet with an interactive live blog by members of the Iowa State athletics communications department. Fans are encouraged to participate by asking questions on the blog which will begin at 6:45 p.m. (CST).

Iowa State- Hokies Visit Hilton for Top 20 Matchup

AMES, Iowa - Just four spots separate No. 19 Iowa State and No. 15 Virginia Tech in this week's Intermat rankings. The Cyclones (1-9, 0-4 Big 12) aim to beat the Hokies (3-2, 1-1 ACC) at 7 p.m. Friday in Hilton Coliseum.

"They are a strong and solid team with a lot of depth," said Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson. "They are going to be looking for a little revenge after last year."

Iowa State opened last season with a 17-16 victory over the Hokies in which the Cyclones staged a comeback after trailing 10-0 after the first three matches. This season Iowa State enters with four wrestlers ranked in the top-20 of their weight division compared to Virginia Tech's three.

After a championship title at the William Penn Open Saturday, Iowa State 133-pounder Ben Cash is in contention for the starting spot. Either Cash or redshirt freshman RJ Hallman will take on the nation's No.1-ranked wrestler Devin Carter.

"We're looking for Ben or RJ to step up and wrestle to their full ability," Jackson said. "We would love to get Ben out there because we have had RJ wrestle some tough matches. We're excited to see if Ben is ready to handle that level of wrestling."

At 141 pounds, Luke Goettl will be seeking personal revenge against No. 11 Zach Neibert, who ousted Goettl in the semifinals for the third place consolation final at the Midlands Championships Dec. 30.

Redshirt sophomore Cole Shafer has also been exposed to his Hokie opponent when the two faced off in Evanston, Ill. Shafer topped Nick Vetterlein 10-2 in what Jackson referred to as the best match Shafer has wrestled while at Iowa State.

In a top-10 matchup, No. 5 Andrew Sorenson will square off against Virginia Tech's seventh-ranked Pete Yates at 165 pounds. Yates enters the dual after a runner-up finish at Midlands, while Sorenson is coming off two technical falls in the past two Cyclone meets.

Iowa State now accepting credential applications for NWCA National Duals Feb. 12

Please see the release below from Iowa State regarding credentials for the National Duals on Feb. 12.

Iowa State is hosting the NWCA National Dual Midwest Regional Sunday, Feb. 12 in Hilton Coliseum. This will be a credentialed event. Applications for media credentials can be sent to Kendra Smith at kendras@iastate.edu. All credential applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3. Please forward this information on to your media who may want to attend the event.

We will not be mailing credentials out. Media will call will be located in the upper NE corner of Hilton Coliseum. Attached is a map.

Below is an event schedule, ticket and set-up information. We look forward to seeing you all in February and please let me know if you have any questions.
Event Schedule

8am - East ramp doors will be open for Teams and working staff to enter
9am - Media will call opens
9am - Weigh-ins and skin checks
10am - Doors open to the public
11am - Round 1 starts (wrestling will take place on 2 of the 3 mats)
12-1pm - Mat Cy'd will be serving lunch in the Gold Room and lunch will be served for working staff, media and coaches in the Green Room
1pm - Round 2 Starts (wrestling will take place on all 3 mats)
3pm - Round 3 Starts (wrestling will take place on 2 of the 3 mats)
5pm - Hand out Awards

Tickets

Reserved Ticket Price: Adult $30 and Youth $20
GA Ticket Price: Adult $25 and Youth $15
NWCA members will be allowed free admission to the event. They are to show their NWCA card at the ticket office in the SW corner of the building and the ticket office will provide them with a ticket.

Parking

We will hold lots C1, C2, C3 and D1 for season ticket holders with parking passes. All other lots are public parking.

Team buses/vehicles and officials will be parking in the loading area on the East ramp.

Iowa State- Cash's Major Decisions Lead to William Penn Open Title

OSKALOOSA, Iowa - Redshirt sophomore Ben Cash dominated the competition at the William Penn Open on Saturday. Cash won by major decision in all four matches of the tournament en route to a first-place finish.

In the 133-pound bracket, Cash started off with a 12-2 major decision over Javier Carbajal of Waubonsee CC. Cash then went on to post a 12-4 major decision over Logan Welch of Missouri Valley. In the semis, Cash defeated Ellsworth CC's James Kent by 15-5. Even in the finals Cash continued his commanding run with a 13-5 win over Maryville's Brandon Oshiro for the crown.

Cash's performance at William Penn secured him a spot in the Friday's lineup when the Cyclones play host to Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. (CST) in Hilton Coliseum.

Four other Cyclones also placed in Oskaloosa, including two runner-up titles by Brandon Jones at 141 pounds Trevor Voelker at 197 pounds. Both Jones and Matt White competed unattached in the 141-pound bracket. Jones earned three victories in the tournament which began with a 6-5 decision over Jake Thornton of Missouri Baptist. In the semis, Jones topped NIACC's Wismit Moiniu by 3-1 decision before Seth Noble of Northern Iowa edged past Jones in the finals.

White finished 2-2 in the tournament, scoring bonus points in both of his victories. White majored Robby Sherwood of Ellsworth CC and pinned Javon Jackson of NIACC in four minutes.

After a first round bye, Voelker pinned Josh Lambrecht of Ellsworth CC at 6:23 in the quarterfinals. The sophomore went on to top Lucas Keene of Missouri Baptist in the semis by a 10-4 decision before falling to Maryville's Matthew Baker in the championship round.

The second Cyclone competing at 133 pounds was freshman Connor Clarke, who competed unattached for Iowa State. Clarke posted two pins in the tournament enroute to a fifth place finish.

Cyclone 184-pounder Tyler Christensen earned a fourth place finish and three pins at the William Penn Open. The redshirt sophomore's quickest pin came at 3:52 against Ryan Nelson of Ellsworth CC and the other two falls were each posted in under five-and-a-half minutes.

Iowa State- Finals Results

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State 165-pounder Andrew Sorenson scored bonus points enroute to a 20-2 victory in the Cyclones' 24-11 loss to No. 16 Missouri Sunday in Hilton Coliseum. No. 20 Iowa State falls to 1-9 in dual competition with an 0-4 conference record. The Tigers improve to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 competition.

The fifth-ranked Sorenson scored bonus points in his third consecutive dual match. The Woden, Iowa native posted a technical fall against Missouri's Jordan Gagliano at 5:34. Sorenson scored four takedowns and a total of nine near-fall points en route to a 20-2 technical fall victory.

"I was out there to score and control the tempo," Sorenson said. "You can see our young guys trying to do the same, they are being scored on because they are trying to be the aggressor. We lost a couple of overtime matches that if they went our way we could have won the meet."

Redshirt freshman Luke Goettl earned his third consecutive dual victory in a 9-2 decision over Nicholas Hucke of Missouri. Three takedowns and a reversal fueled Goettl's victory in which he racked up 1:22 of riding time.

Cyclone heavyweight Matt Gibson ended the meet on a high note for Iowa State with a 5-0 decision over Devin Mellon. After two scoreless periods, Gibson earned an escape five seconds into the final period. The Vallejo, Calif., native then responded with a takedown less than 20 seconds later and secured the win after a stall call on Mellon and over three-and-a-half minutes of riding time.

Iowa State plays host to No. 21 Virginia Tech Friday in Hilton Coliseum. The meet is set to begin at 7 p.m. (CST).

Missouri 24, Iowa State 11
125: Alan Waters (UM) dec. Ryak Finch (ISU), 4-0
133: Eric Wilson (UM) dec. RJ Hallman (ISU), 9-3
141: Luke Goettl (ISU) dec. Nicholas Hucke (UM), 9-2
149: Kyle Bradley (UM) dec. Luke Swalla (ISU), 5-2
157: Drake Houdashelt (UM) Mdec. Michael Moreno (ISU), 11-1
165: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) tech fall. Jordan Gagliano (UM), 20-2 5:34
174: Patrick Wright (UM) dec. Mikey Engalnd (ISU), 4-2 (OT)
184: Mike Larson (UM) dec. Boaz Beard (ISU), 5-2 (OT)
197: Brent Haynes (UM) tech fall Cole Shafer (ISU), 22-7 6:29
285: Matt Gibson (ISU) dec. Devin Mellon (UM), 5-0

Iowa State- Cyclones Open 2012 Conference Slate with Missouri

To: All Media
From: Kayci Woodley, Iowa State athletics communications
Jan. 6, 2011

AMES, Iowa - The No. 20 Iowa State wrestling team returns home for its first conference meet of 2012 in Hilton Coliseum Sunday at 2 p.m. (CST). The Cyclones face No. 16 Missouri in a Big 12 bout after spending the end of December and first week of January on the road.

The Cyclones enter Sunday's meet with momentum after posting their first dual victory of the season Tuesday against the Sun Devils of Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz. Iowa State also placed eighth at the annual Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill. with 62.5 team points and five Cyclones placed at the tournament.

When Iowa State traveled to Missouri in early December, Luke Goettl scored his first dual win of the season and the redshirt freshman has since been on a roll. At the Midlands Championships Dec. 29 & 30, Goettl was the only unseeded wrestler to advance to the semifinals and finished sixth place at 141.

Heavyweight Matt Gibson is also coming off a strong run at Midlands in which he won seven straight matches en route to a third-place title. Gibson will have another shot at Missouri's 285-pounder Devin Mellon who edged past Gibson in Columbia by a 3-2 decision.

Who: No. 20 Iowa State (1-8, 0-3 Big 12) vs. No. 16 Missouri (5-1, 1-1 Big 12)
Where: Ames, Iowa - Hilton Coliseum
When: Sunday, Jan. 8, 2 p.m. (CST)
TV: Mediacom (10-minute break after five matches)
Live stats: Live stats will be available at www.trackwrestling.com
Webcast: Available for Clone Zone members at www.cyclones.com
Live blog: Join in on a virtual press row for Sunday's meet with an interactive live blog put on by members of the Iowa State athletics communications department. Fans are encouraged to participate by asking questions on the blog which will begin at 1:45 p.m. (CST).

Twitter: Be sure to follow "CycloneWR" on Twitter for final results after each match.

Cyclone Notebook

-Four Cyclones are ranked in the top 20 of their weight division by this week's Intermat poll.

-At 157 pounds, Michael Moreno is coming off his first dual meet victory of the season. Moreno earned a 6-5 decision over Arizona State's Victor DeJesus.

-Andrew Sorenson at 165 pounds continues to be the Cyclone leader with the most victories (17) and enters the dual after posting a technical fall against the Sun Devils' Hans Rasmusson.

-After entering the Midlands Championships with a No. 1 seed, 174-pounder Chris Spangler was forced to exit the tournament early with a concussion. Redshirt freshman Mikey England has stepped up in Spangler's absence at 174 pounds with an eighth-place Midlands finish and his second dual win of the season at Arizona State, which was by major decision.

-Boaz Beard at 184 pounds is back in the lineup for the Cyclones after wrestling in the Arizona State meet Jan. 3 for the first time since the Iowa matchup on Dec. 4. Beard is also back in the Intermat rankings at No. 11 this week.

Series Notes

-Iowa State leads the all time series 44-6.

-Last time the two teams met was on Dec. 18, 2011 in Columbia in which the Cyclones fell 31-10.

No. 20 Iowa State probables (Overall Record/Dual Record)
125: No. 12/17 Ryak Finch, RFr., 9-3/5-3
133: RJ Hallman, RFr., 4-9/0-3
or Shayden Terukina, RFr., 4-5, 0-5
141: Luke Goettl, RFr., 6-6/2-4
149: Luke Swalla, RFr., 4-8/0-1
157: Michael Moreno, RFr., 6-6, 1-6
165: No. 5/5 Andrew Sorenson, RSr. 17-1, 9-0
174: Mikey England, RFr., 13-6/2-2
184: No. 11/13 Boaz Beard, RSo. 6-1/6-1
197: Cole Shafer, RSo., 7-8/1-6
285: No. 18/18 Matt Gibson, RJr., 13-6/2-5

No. 16 Missouri probables (Overall Record/Dual Record), Hometown
125: No. 3/3 Alan Waters, So., 13-1/4-0, Kansas City, Mo.
133: Eric Wilson, Soph., 18-6/0-0, Centennial, Colo.
141: Nicholas Hucke, Jr., 12-4/0-0 Pewaukee, Wis.
149: No. 14/12 Kyle Bradley, So., 13-5/3-3, St. Peters, Mo.
157: Drake Houdashelt, RFr., 15-3/4-2, O'Fallon, Mo.
165: Jordan Gagliano, So., 13-6/0-0 Lake St. Louis, Mo.
174: Patrick Wright, Sr., 19-4/0-0 Grand Ledge, Mich.
184: No. 17/16 Mike Larson, Jr., 13-3/5-1, McKinleyville, Calif.
197: No. 19/12 Brent Haynes, Jr., 12-3/3-3, Kansas City, Mo.
285: Devin Mellon, RFr., 11-5/3-3, Lawson, Mo.

Iowa State- Bonus Points Lift Cyclones over Sun Devils

To: All Media
From: Kayci Woodley, Iowa State athletics communications
Jan. 3, 2012

TEMPE, Ariz. - Four Iowa State wrestlers earned bonus points in the Cyclones' first dual victory of the season Tuesday. The No. 15 Cyclones (1-8, 0-3 Big 12) topped Arizona State (5-4, 1-0 Pac 12) 25-14 in Wells Fargo Arena.

Young wrestlers stepped up for the Cyclones in Tempe. Redshirt freshmen Ryak Finch and Luke Goettl each scored bonus points as they returned to their native state. Finch posted a major decision and Goettl pinned his opponent in front of the large cardinal and gold following.

"This is my first time wrestling here and I think Iowa State had more fans than ASU did so it was a great experience," Finch said. "It's one out of two times I'll be wrestling in my home state so it was awesome to get the win."

Finch started the Cyclones off at 125 with a dominating 11-3 major decision over Sun Devil grappler Dalton Miller. Finch improves to 9-3 overall and posted two takedowns along with five near-fall points in the victory.

"I knew coming in getting bonus point was going to be big," Finch said. "I think we were all trying to make sure we got bonus points tonight."

At 141 pounds, Goettl trailed 5-3 before pinning Nathan Hoffer at the 4:57 mark. The Clarkdale, Ariz., native's excitement was evident as a wide grin spread across his face after posting the fall and hearing the Cyclone cheering section erupt.

"We have a good support system back home and it felt great looking up at the people I love sitting there and supporting me," Goettl said. "I didn't start the match off the way I wanted to, but came back and got the fall. Our team needed it."

Iowa State extends its lead in the all-time series against Arizona State to 25-6 overall.

"I think it's important to build momentum going into the Missouri match," Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. "It gives us a little motivation and some more energy going into that match."

In his first dual appearance since the Dec. 4 Iowa meet, 184-pounder Boaz Beard earned a 10-5 decision over Sun Devil grappler Kevin Radford. Redshirt freshman Mikey England impressed at 174 pounds with a 12-2 major decision over ASU's Jacob Graham.

Cyclone captain Andrew Sorenson scored bonus points with a dominating technical fall at 6:28 over Hans Rasmussen at 165 pounds. Fourth-ranked Sorenson defeated Rasmussen 21-5 and improves to 17-1 overall.

Iowa State is back in action Sunday as the Cyclones play host to No. 12 Missouri. The Big 12 battle is set to begin at 2 p.m. (CST) in Hilton Coliseum.

Iowa State 25, Arizona State 14
125: Ryak Finch (ISU) Mdec. Dalton Miller (ASU), 11-3
133: Shane McGough (ASU) Mdec. Shayden Terukina (ISU), 15-4
141: Luke Goettl (ISU) pinned Nathan Hoffer (ASU), 4:
157: Michael Moreno (ISU) dec. Victor DeJesus (ASU), 6-5
165: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) tech fall Hans Rasmussen (ASU), 23-5, 6:28
174: Mikey England (ISU) Mdec. Jacob Graham (ASU), 12-2
184: Boaz Beard (ISU) dec. Kevin Radford (ASU), 10-5
197: Tommy Burriel (ASU) Mdec. Cole Shafer (ISU), 11-3
285: Levi Cooper (ASU) dec. Matt Gibson (ISU), 4-1

Iowa State Opens 2012 at Arizona State

AMES, Iowa - The No. 15 Iowa State wrestling team faces Arizona State in its first dual of 2012 on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 8 p.m. (CST) in Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz. The Cyclones enter the meet in Tempe, Ariz., after claiming eighth place at the 2011 Ken Kraft Midlands Championships.

Iowa State leads the all-time series with the Sun Devils 24-6. Arizona State enters the nonconference dual after a victory over Boise State and loss to No. 14 Nebraska in the Sun Devil Duals Dec. 29.

Last season the Cyclones topped the Sun Devils 33-14 in Hilton Coliseum. The Sun Devils are the first unranked team the Cyclones have faced since early November, and have not topped the Cyclones in the series since 2004.

Who: Iowa State (0-8, 0-3 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (5-3, 1-0 Pac 12)
Where: Tempe, Ariz. - Wells Fargo Arena
When: Tuesday, Jan. 3, 8 p.m. (CST)

Live Blog: Kayci Woodley, student assistant at Iowa State athletics communications, will be holding a live blog during the meet at cyclones.com. Fans are encouraged to participate in the blog by asking questions. The live blog will begin at approximately 7:45 p.m. (CST).

Live Webcast: http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/pages/sundevils_stream/

Cyclone Notebook

- Cyclone captain Andrew Sorenson leads Iowa State this season with a 16-1 overall record. Sorenson ranks highest amongst Iowa State wreslters, sitting at the No. 4 spot by InterMat.

- At 184 pounds, redshirt sophomore Boaz Beard is 5-1 in dual competition and leads the Cyclones in takedowns with 15. Beard will take the mat for the first time since the Iowa dual Dec. 4.

- Heavyweight Matt Gibson enters the matchup after a scintillating performance at the Midlands Championships in which the Vallejo, Calif., native placed third overall. Gibson lost his first matchup of the tourmament before going on a seven-match winning streak to claim third place. Gibson will face Arizona State's only ranked wrestler, Levi Cooper, ranked 11th nationally.

- Redshirt freshman Luke Goettl earned his first dual victory of the season Dec. 18 against Missouri and has since demonstrated his potential. Goettl placed fifth overall at the Midlands Championships and was the only unseeded grappler to advance to the semifinals.

Iowa State probables
125: No. 11 Ryak Finch
133: RJ Hallman or Shayden Terukina
141: Luke Goettl
149: Luke Swalla
157: Michael Moreno
165: No. 4 Andrew Sorenson
174: Mikey England
184: No. 13 Boaz Beard
197: Cole Shafer
285: Matt Gibson

Arizona State probables
125: Dalton Miller
133: Shane McGough
141: Nathan Hoffer
149: Kyle McIntosh
157: Victor DeJesus
165: Derek Felton or Hans Rasmussen
174: Jacob Graham
184: Kevin Radford
197: Tom Burriel
285: No. 11 Levi Cooper

Iowa State Boasts Five Place Finishers

Finals Midlands Bracket Attached
EVANSTON, Ill. - Iowa State finished eighth overall at the 2011 Ken Kraft Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill., Friday. The Cyclones placed five wrestlers in the prestigious tournament, including a third-place winner and two fifth-place finishers.

"I'm happy with the effort by our guys, but not the finish," Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. "We must improve technically in must-win positions and do a better job of taking advantage of scoring opportunities."

Two reversals and a late takedown sealed a third-place spot on the podium for heavyweight Matt Gibson. Halfway through the second period Gibson posted a reversal against the 10th seed Mike McMullan of Northwestern to take a 4-2 lead. Gibson continued to wrestle until the final tick on the clock and posted a takedown with just 18 seconds remaining to seal the 9-4 decision.

Entering the tournament unseeded, redshirt freshman Luke Goettl finished sixth overall with two major upsets during his tournament run. Goettl scored 10 points against Bebeto Yewah of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in the fifth-place final, but was ousted by the 11th seed in a 17-10 decision to claim sixth place.

"Our young guys showed fans their potential in this tournament," Jackson said.

True freshman Tanner Weatherman wrestled unattached for the Cyclones and garnered a fifth-place title with a takedown in the sudden-victory round.

"Coming into the tournament I knew I just wanted to wrestle and have fun," Weatherman said. "It was a fun tournament and I learned a lot."

Weatherman posted a takedown to take the lead with 20 seconds left, but after an escape by Luke Rynish of Wisconsin-Parkside the two were sent into suddent victory. Another takedown by Weatherman in the sudden victory period gave the Huxley, Iowa native a 9-7 victory over the tournament's ninth seed.

"It was about training hard, using technique and when it came down to it I ended up getting the last takedown," Weatherman said of his final match.

Fourth-ranked Andrew Sorenson ended his tournament on a strong note with a 7-6 decision over tenth-seeded Bubby Graham of Oklahoma. Sorenson got a takedown with 17 seconds remaining in the match to take the lead and secure the victory over the nation's 18th-ranked grappler.

Mikey England's placed eighth Friday afternoon after falling to Jimmy Sheptock of Maryland in a 10-3 decision.

The Cyclones travel to Tempe, Ariz., Jan. 3 to take on Arizona State in a dual meet. The meet is set to begin at 8 p.m. (CST).

Iowa State- Three Cyclones to Battle for 5th, Gibson for 3rd

EVANSTON, Ill. - Heading into the final session of the 2011 Ken Kraft Midlands Championships, the No. 15 Iowa State wrestling team holds a seventh-place spot in the team standings. Three Cyclones will be competing for fifth place in the final session, along with heavyweight Matt Gibson competing for a third-place finish.

Redshirt junior Gibson topped sixth-ranked Peter Sturgeon of Central Michigan Friday in a 7-2 decision in the fifth consolation round. In the consolation quarterfinals, Gibson topped Roger Vukobratovich of Purdue by major decision 13-3.

"I think Gibson finally wrestled to his potential," Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. "If he competes his hardest he's going to win a lot of matches."

Gibson garnered his second upset of the day with a 10-9 victory over fourth-seeded John Helgerson, unattached for Wartburg. Gibson is set to face Mike McMullan of Northwestern, the 10th seed of the tournament.

At 174 pounds, Cyclone teammates faced off in the consolation quarterfinals as Mikey England and Tanner Weatherman battled it out for a consolation semifinal berth. Weatherman defeated England 9-7, but fell to Jordan Blaton of Illinois 15-7. Unattached for the Cyclones, Weatherman matches up with ninth-seeded Luke Rynish of University Wisconsin-Parkside in the fifth place final Friday evening.

Redshirt freshman Luke Goettl was the only unseeded wrestler in the semifinals and will face Bebeto Yewah of University Wisconsin-LaCrosse in a fifth-place battle after losing to Zach Neibert of Virginia Tech, 9-8.

"I'm happy with how the young guys [Goettl and Weatherman] competed and I think we have some really good kids with really bright futures," Jackson said.

Cyclone captain Andrew Sorenson will also be in contention for a fifth-place finish in session IV. The Woden, Iowa native lost a close 8-4 decision to Wisconsin's Ben Jordan in the consolation semifinals.

England placed eighth overall in the tournament after a tight battle with sixth-seeded Jimmy Sheptock of Maryland.

The final session of competition begins Friday night at 7 p.m. (CST).

Iowa State- Sorenson, Goettl to Semis for Cyclones

EVANSTON, Ill. - After the first two sessions of the 2011 Ken Kraft Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill., the No. 15 Iowa State wrestling team is tied for seventh place overall. Two Cyclones will be competing in the semifinals include fourth-seeded Andrew Sorenson and redshirt freshman Luke Goettl.

In Sorenson's 165-pound quarterfinal match against fifth-seeded Bekzod Abdurakhmonov of Clarion, Sorenson posted a takedown and two escapes for a 4-3 lead in the final period. With only six ticks left on the clock, Sorenson went for a shot to score a takedown in the final two seconds to win by an even larger margin. The Woden, Iowa native demonstrated Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson's philosophy of going for every point possible in both sessions of the Midlands Championships.

At 141 pounds, Goettl started his day off with a pin at 2:59 over Nick Lawrence of Purdue. Goettl then went on to stun second-seeded and second-ranked Zack Kemmerer of Penn in the Championship Round of 16 for a quarterfinal berth.

In the quarterfinals, Goettl continued to shock the wrestling faithful inside Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Clarkdale, Ariz., native posted two takedowns before pinning the No. 10 seed Billy Ashnault of Rutgers for a trip to the semifinals. Goettl had near-fall points locked up with one minute remaining, but pushed for the fall to garner bonus points.

Competing unattached for Iowa State, Tanner Weatherman lost a tight quarterfinal match to No. 5 Lee Munster of Northwestern in a 3-1 decision, but will continue to compete Friday in the wrestlebacks. Also competing in the consolation bracket will be Cyclone Mikey England who pinned Brandon Lingtner of Rider in the fourth consolation round at 3:30.

Redshirt junior Matt Gibson also remains in competition on the consolation side after a 6-2 decision of Atticus Disney of Cal Poly in the fourth consolation round.

Session III begins Friday at noon (CST) and the final session is set for 7 p.m. For live updates be sure to follow our interactive blog on cyclones.com which will begin at approximately 11:45 a.m. (CST).

Iowa State- Four Cyclones to Quarters, Goettl Upsets at Midlands

EVANSTON, Ill. - Four Iowa State wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2011 Ken Kraft Midlands Championships Thursday. Two Cyclones posted major upsets in the first session of the tournament.

Redshirt freshman Luke Goettl beat Zack Kemmerer of Penn, the second seed and No. 2 wrestler in the country at 141 pounds. Goettl topped the All-American in a 5-3 decision after a takedown in the final 30 seconds to extend his lead and secure the win. Goettl entered the tournament on a positive note after posting his first dual victory of the season against Missouri's Brandon Wiest Dec. 18 on the road.

"Goettl's health is what allowed him to compete at the level needed to win against an All-American," Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said.

Unattached for the Cyclones, true freshman Tanner Weatherman stunned Rutgers' redshirt junior Greg Zanetti, the No. 4 seed of the tournament. Weatherman defeated the nation's 10th-ranked wrestler in an 8-6 decision to advance to the quarterfinals. With three Cyclone matches happening simultaneously, Jackson glanced over to Weatherman's match near the end and his excitement was evident. Jackson jumped straight up from his chair after Weatherman's final takedown secured the victory.

The No. 1 seed at 174 pounds Chris Spangler will face Luke Rynish of University Wisconsin-Parkside in the quarterfinals Thursday night after posted victories by decision over his first two opponents of the tournament. Spangler is ranked sixth nationally and grew up attending Midlands Championships as a native of Naperville, Ill.

Redshirt senior Andrew Sorenson continues to demonstrate Jackson's meaning of Iowa State wrestling. The Cyclone captain pinned both of his opponents en route to a quarterfinal berth.

Cole Shafer posted a major decision in the second round of the consolation bracket at 197 pounds and will compete in session II against No. 10 seed Nick Vetterlein of Virginia Tech.

Follow "CycloneWR" on Twitter for live updates of the second session, which begins tonight at 7 p.m. (CST).

Iowa State- Cyclones Gear up for Midlands Championships

To: All Media
From: Kayci Woodley, Iowa State athletics communications
Dec. 28, 2011

AMES, Iowa - The No. 15 Iowa State wrestling team travels to Evanston, Ill., for the 2011 Midlands Championships at Northwestern University. The first session begins 9:30 a.m. CST on Thursday, with the final session taking place at 7 p.m. Friday.

Two Iowa State wrestlers are top contenders for the 49th annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships. Chris Spangler is ranked second in the pre-tournament rankings at 174 pounds, while Andrew Sorenson is slotted in fourth at 165 pounds.

Spangler is fresh off an upset over third-ranked Dorian Henderson of Missouri and is ranked sixth in the country by Intermat. The Naperville, Ill., native returns to his home state for the Midlands Championships in hopes of continuing his win streak. The redshirt junior is 5-1 this season and was recently named the Big 12's Wrestler of the Week Dec. 19.

"Midlands is an opportunity for Chris to win a historic tournament he grew up watching," Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. "If he wins the wrestling community will know Chris is a legitimate threat to win the NCAA title."

At 165 pounds, Cyclone captain Sorenson is ranked fourth nationally and has a 12-0 record this season. Sorenson enters the tournament after posting a major decision over then-No. 12 Zach Toal on the road against Missouri.

"This is a big tournament for Andrew," Jackson said. "His preparation has really paid off. The only days he took off during break were Christmas Eve and Christmas. He may have the opportunity to wrestle the second-ranked wrestler in the country."

Redshirt sophomore Boaz Beard is fourth on the pre-tournament contenders list, but will not compete at Midlands to ensure he is 100-percent healthy for the second half of the season. Final seeds will be announced Wednesday night.

Tickets for the 2011 Midlands Championships held at Welsh-Ryan Arena are still available at <http://www.nusports.com>www.nusports.com. All-Session general admission tickets are $38 for adults and $32 for students. Single-session tickets are also available.

Who: No. 15 Iowa State wrestling team at 49th Annual Midlands Championships
Where: Evanston, Ill. - Welsh-Ryan Arena
When: Thur. - Fri., Dec. 29-30, 2011
Radio: Takedown Radio
TV: Finals will air on Big Ten Network (same day delay 9:30 p.m. CT Dec. 30)
Live Updates: Updates on Cyclone matches will be published at the following link throughout the tournament: http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10700&ATCLID=205352526
Twitter Updates: Follow "CycloneWR" Dec. 29 & 30 for tournament updates.

2011 Midlands Championships Schedule (approximation)
Thursday, Dec. 29
Session I: 9:30 a.m.
Session II: 7 p.m. (Championship and consolation matches)

Friday, Dec. 30
Session III: Noon (Semifinals, consolation rounds, 7th place matches)
Session IV: 7 p.m. (1st, 3rd and 5th place matches)

Cyclone Notebook
-The Cyclones boast a line-up that includes four wrestlers rated in the top 20 of their respective weight classes.
-Sorenson is the highest-ranked wrestler for the Cyclones and leads the team in victories with 12.
-Iowa State is 0-8 in dual competition this year.
-14 Iowa Staters will be competing at the 2011 Midlands Championships.
Iowa State at Midlands Championships
-Last season three-time All-American Jon Reader captured the 174-pound title with a 9-4 decision over Central Michigan's Ben Bennett.
-In the 141-pound third-place championships, Iowa State's Chris Drouin fell to third-ranked Tyler Nauman of Pittsburgh.
-Returning for the Cyclones this season, Chris Spangler advanced to the 165-pound fifth-place championship of the tournament, but was forced to forfeit for medical reasons.
-Four Iowa Staters advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2010 Midlands Championships.

Iowa State- Spangler Named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State's 174-pounder Chris Spangler has been named this week's Big 12 Wrestler of the Week. Seventh-ranked Spangler upset third-ranked Dorian Henderson in the Cyclones' dual meet against Missouri Sunday.

"Chris deserves it," said Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson. "He is not close to 100 percent and is performing at a very high level. He's proving that it's about the mind not the body."

Spangler is now 3-0 against Big 12 opponents with wins over Henderson, Chris McNeil of Oklahoma State and Oklahoma's Chase Nelson.

Down in the first period against the Missouri grappler, Spangler fought off an early deficit with a takedown, two back points and late reversal. Spangler's reversal kept the match from overtime as Spangler led 5-4 with 40 seconds remaining, but Henderson had locked up riding time.

Spangler's upset was his second of the season. His first came against No. 6 Ethen Lofthouse of Iowa in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series Dec. 4.

Spangler leads Iowa State in dual takedowns this season with 13, and is third on the team in escapes with eight. The Naperville, Ill., native is 5-1 overall this year. After losing his first dual meet of the season to then-No. 10 Te Edwards of Old Dominion, Spangler has won five straight, three of which were against ranked opponents.

The Cyclones' next competition will be in Evanston, Ill., at the Midlands Championships.

Spangler Earns Upset in ISU loss

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Iowa State 174-pounder Chris Spangler upset No. 3 Dorian Henderson of Missouri in a 31-10 loss at Missouri Sunday in the Hearnes Center. The seventh-ranked Spangler topped Henderson in a 7-4 decision. The No. 17 Cyclones drop to 0-8 in dual competition and 0-3 in Big 12 duals. Missouri improves to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in conference grappling.

"(Chris) wrestled hard and smart and came back from a deficit after getting taken down first," said Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson. "I think he's really good and he has put himself in a position where everyone in the country knows he's going to be a true contender. He continues to perform the way we expect juniors in this program to compete and it was in a hostile environment, which is exciting to see."

Henderson is the highest-ranked opponent Spangler has defeated this season. Spangler improves to 5-1 overall and has posted 13 takedowns this season. The Naperville, Ill., native posted a reversal in the final 40 seconds of the match to extend his lead by three points and avoid overtime.

Two Tiger wreslters earned pins against the Cyclones. At 184 pounds, 19th-ranked Mike Larson pinned Iowa State's Mikey England at the 2:36 mark and Cyclone Joe Cozart lost by fall in the final second of his match against No. 14 Kyle Bradley.

In the second set of matches, Iowa State 141-pounder Luke Goettl earned his first dual victory of the season, beating Brandon West, 6-5.

Iowa State's Andrew Sorenson ended the meet with a major decision over Missouri's Zach Toal. Sorenson remains perfect this season and posted five takedowns in the victory. The Woden, Iowa native leads the Cyclones in takedowns this season with 17.

Iowa State travels to Evanston, Ill., Dec. 29-30 for the annual Midlands Championships.

Tigers 31, Cyclones 10
174: Chris Spangler (ISU) dec. Dorian Henderson (UM) 7-4
184: Mike Larson (UM) pinned Mikey England (ISU) 2:36
197: Brent Haynes (UM) tech fall Cole Shafer (ISU) 15-0 7:00
285: Devon Mellon (UM) dec. Matt Gibson (ISU) 3-2
125: Alan Waters (UM) Mdec. Ryak Finch (ISU) 13-4
133: Nathan McCormick (UM) dec. RJ Hallman (ISU) 9-5
141: Luke Goettl (ISU) dec. Brandon Wiest (UM) 6-5
149: Kyle Bradley (UM) pinned Joe Cozart (ISU) 6:59
157: Drake Houdashelt (UM) Mdec. Michael Moreno (ISU) 13-3
165: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) Mdec. Zach Toal (UM) 12-4

Iowa State- Cyclones Fall to Fourth-Ranked Gophers

MINNEAPOLIS - Cyclone captain Andrew Sorenson extended his perfect start this season with a 6-4 decision over Minnesota's Cody Yohn Friday in Minneapolis, Minn. Iowa State fell 34-6 in Williams Arena Friday and slip to 0-7 in dual competition while the Gophers improve to 4-2.

Sorenson is 11-0 overall in his senior campaign for the Cyclones. The Woden, Iowa native posted two takedowns and two reversals in his victory over eighth-ranked Yohn.

Seventh-ranked Chris Spangler improves to 4-1 on this season after a 5-3 victory over Gopher grappler Logan Storley. Spangler notched two takedowns and an escape en route to improving his dual record to 4-1 this season.

Iowa State was forced to forfeit at 125 pounds after Ryak Finch suffered an injury prior to the match. The Gophers swept the first five matches and were up 23-0 midway through the meet.

Even after back-to-back victories at 165 pounds by Sorenson and 174 pounds by Spangler, the Cyclones weren't able to upset the No. 4 Gophers and fell in the final three matches.

At 141 pounds, Iowa State's Luke Goettl nearly upset No. 10 Nick Dardanes, but the Gopher wrestler held on for the victory in the final period despite a late comeback try by Goettl.

The Cyclones travel to Columbia, Mo., on Dec. 18 to face Missouri at noon (CST).

Iowa State- Cyclones Prepare for Road Test Against No. 4 Gophers

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson shuffled his starting lineup this week in preparation for the Cyclones' meet against Minnesota Friday. The No. 19 Iowa State wrestling team (0-6) travels to Minneapolis, Minn., to face the No. 4 Gophers (2-2) for its fourth consecutive dual against a ranked opponent.

Jackson penciled in redshirt freshman RJ Hallman at 133 pounds and lists Mikey England as an option at 184 pounds. The Cyclones will begin their seventh dual meet of the season against the Gophers at 7:30 p.m. (CST) in Williams Arena.

Hallman returns to his home state for his second dual start of the season. The Chaska, Minn., native competed at 141 pounds in the Cyclones' meet at Old Dominion Nov. 20. Since facing the Monarchs, Hallman has wrestled at 133 pounds, including his most recent competition in UNI Open Dec. 3. Hallman will face No. 6 David Thorn who has a record of 4-1 in dual competition this season.

If healthy, Iowa State's usual 184-pounder Boaz Beard will wrestle Friday. The Wichita, Kan., native has wrestled in every Cyclone dual this season and sports a record of 5-1.

"Boaz continues to get better," Jackson said. "I think sometimes we get ahead of ourselves realizing he came off a year of not wrestling right into the season at the beginning of September and now he's wrestling. So my focus for him is to keep him healthy. If he feels good we'll wrestle him, but that is a concern of our just getting him a little bit of a higher base level of conditioning."

Either England or Beard will face No. 9 Kevin Steinhaus with an overall record of 6-3.

Eight Gopher wrestlers are ranked in the top 20 of their weight division by Intermat. Leading Minnesota this season is No. 1 Zach Sanders, who recently claimed the top spot at 125 pounds after Iowa wrestler Matt McDonough lost the first match of his career.

"Minnesota is a very strong, very good, very capable team," Jackson said. "They have tough kids that are really solid technically and as a team could easily be anywhere from number one to number four nationally."

Cyclone captain Andrew Sorenson looks to extend his undefeated record against No. 8 Cody Yohn, who has just one loss this season. The fifth-ranked Sorenson was victorious in his match against Iowa, but wasn't satisfied with his performance and has hopes of improving against the Gophers.

"Andrew is looking to wrestle a more complete match and looking to score a few more points get a few more attacks out," Jackson said. "Yohn is ranked for a reason but we expect Andrew to go out there and perform better than he did against Iowa. Obviously he recognized he didn't wrestle his best match. To not wrestle your best match, but still win is the sign of a champion."

Iowa State- Reader, Zabriskie Qualify for 2012 Trials

AMES, Iowa - Among the 21 additional athletes who recently qualified to compete at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials are former Iowa State wrestlers Jon Reader and David Zabriskie. The Olympic Team Trials will take place at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, April 21-22.

Reader finished his Iowa State career with a 39-0 record in 2011 and an NCAA title at 174 pounds. The three-time All-American claimed a Big 12 title crown and a Midlands Championship.

Zabriskie was the 2010 Heavyweight NCAA champion and a three-time All-American for the Cyclones. The 6-footer finished his senior campaign with a 26-2 record and garnered his third Big 12 crown in his final season with Iowa State.

The men's wrestlers earned their spots in the field based upon results at the Men's Freestyle Olympic Trials Qualifier, held in Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 3. The top three athletes in each of the seven weight classes who had not already qualified, earned their spot into the field in the qualifier.

Since the qualification process for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials began, 115 athletes have already earned their spot in this elite field. The qualification process will continue in the months leading up to the event.

Four former Cyclone grapplers were among the first 65 qualifiers for the trials in early October. National champion Jake Varner automatically qualified for the Championship Final Series. Three other Iowa State alums received automatic qualification: Cael Sanderson, Travis Paulson and Trent Paulson.

The approved Olympic Team Selection Criteria for each style can be read at:
http://www.themat.com/usawrestling.org/nationalteams.php?page=team_criteria

Each of the three Olympic styles of wrestling will have a different qualification process, as proposed by their individual Sports Committees, presented by USA Wrestling and approved by the USOC.

The next scheduled event to provide an opportunity to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for wrestling is the U.S. Open for Greco-Roman and Women's Freestyle will be held in Arlington, Texas, Dec. 16-17, 2011. Seven athletes in each weight class will qualify for Iowa City from this event in both styles.

In addition to listing the athletes by weight class, USA Wrestling is also producing a list of qualifiers based upon their college affiliation, either as a current or past student-athlete, current coach or involvement with a Regional Training Center.

USA Wrestling will continue to update and publish the list of athletes who have qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling.

Iowa State- Sooners Take Down Cyclones in Hilton

To: All Media
From: Kayci Woodley, Iowa State Athletics Communications
AMES, Iowa - The No. 22 Iowa State wrestling team won four of its last five matches against No. 11 Oklahoma Sunday in Hilton Coliseum, but wasn't able to hold off the Sooners (2-0 Big 12) and fell 22-13.

The Cyclones (0-2 Big 12) lost the first five matches of the day, but were sparked at 165 by Andrew Sorenson's 11-1 major decision over Bubby Graham after the intermission. The redshirt senior extends his record to 9-0 overall and 5-0 in dual competition. The fifth-ranked Sorenson racked up three takedowns and one three-point near fall in his victory over the Sooner redshirt junior.

Iowa State won its next two matches after Sorenson's victory. Spangler, ranked 10th in the country at 174 pounds, came out with a strong start against Oklahoma's Chase Nelson in the seventh match of the day. Spangler was up 7-1 just over one minute into the match and finished with two takedowns in his 12-11 decision over Nelson.

At 184, Beard continued the Cyclone momentum with a 7-4 decision over redshirt junior Erich Schmidtke. Beard posted three takedowns and one escape in the victory and improves to 4-1 in dual competition this season.

Redshirt junior Matt Gibson also posted a victory at heavyweight for the Cyclones with an 8-2 decision over Elijah Madison, who was ranked 13th by W.I.N. Magazine in the preseason poll. Gibson improves to 4-1 in dual competition this season and is 1-1 in Big 12 duals.

Oklahoma's highest ranked wrestler, Jarrod Patterson at 125, handed redshirt freshman Ryak Finch his first loss of the season in a 9-0 major decision.

Redshirt freshman Michael Moreno was back in the Cyclone lineup for the first time since Iowa State's second dual meet of the season in which Moreno suffered a concussion. Moreno lost in a 9-5 decision to No. 12 Matt Lester. Redshirt freshman Kyven Gadson saw his first match in a Cardinal and Gold singlet against the Sooners, but fell to Keldrick Hall at 197 pounds in an 8-2 decision.

Iowa State plays host to No. 1 Iowa Sunday in Hilton Coliseum for the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk rivalry matchup. The meet is set to begin at 2 p.m. (CST) and will be televised on Mediacom.Iowa State plays host to No. 1 Iowa Sunday in Hilton Coliseum for the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk rivalry matchup. The meet is set to begin at 2 p.m. (CST) and will be televised on Mediacom.

125: Jarrod Patterson (OU) MDec. Ryak Finch (ISU) 9-0
133: Jordan Keller (OU) Dec. Shayden Terukina (ISU) 8-3
141: Kendric Maple (OU) MDec. Luke Goettl (ISU) 13-5
149: Nick Lester (OU) Tech Fall Joey Cozart (ISU) 5:17
157: Matt Lester (OU) Dec. Michael Moreno (ISU) 9-5
165: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) MDec. Bubby Graham (OU) 11-1
174: Chris Spangler (ISU) Dec. Chase Nelson (OU) 12-11
184: Boaz Beard (ISU) Dec. Erich Schmidtke (OU) 7-4
197: Keldrick Hall (OU) Dec. Kyven Gadson (ISU) 6-1
285: Matt Gibson (ISU) Dec. Elijah Madison (OU) 8-2

Iowa State- Second-Ranked Cowboys Top Cyclones

AMES, Iowa - The No. 22 Iowa State wrestling team fell 29-9 to No. 2 Oklahoma State in its Big 12 season opener Friday night. The Cowboys won seven of the 10 matches in front of the 2,248 spectators at Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones fall to 0-4 in dual competition, while Oklahoma State improves to 1-0.

At 125, redshirt freshman Ryak Finch upset No. 8 Ladd Rupp in a 6-4 decision to shake up the Cowboy momentum in the third match of the night. Finch led Rupp 2-0 with over one minute of riding time entering the second period. A quick reversal in the second extended the Safford, Ariz., native's lead to 4-0. After a near-comeback by Rupp, Finch held off the Cowboy grappler with a 5-4 lead after regulation and one point of riding time to seal the victory.

"We'll take the win but he can compete at a higher level than that," said Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson. "He can be more offensive than that and it shouldn't have been that close. But again he's a redshirt freshman and we'll take it at this point but we have to continue to get better."

Finch has inched up in the rankings each week and was slated at the No. 12 spot in Tuesday's Intermat poll. The 125-pounder improves to 4-0 in dual competition.

Cyclone captain Andrew Sorenson remains undefeated this season after earning a decision over No. 11 Dallas Bailey at 165 pounds. Fifth-ranked Sorenson entered the third period down one, but an early escape by the Woden, Iowa native knotted the score. Less than one minute later a stall call on Bailey gave Sorenson a 2-1 lead and a single-leg takedown by the redshirt senior secured the match and riding time for a 5-1 decision over Bailey.

"He continues to try to show our guys how we want to wreslte and that's continue to attack and score points and seal the match," Jackson said. "He didn't have to have that last takedown to win that match but he went and got it because that's what he's trained to do and that's what he knows is the correct way to win."

Redshirt junior Chris Spangler earned a 9-5 decision over Chris McNeil for the third Cyclone victory in the meet. 10th-ranked Spangler grabbed McNeil's left ankle with 1:30 remaining in the second period for a takedown to extend his lead to 6-2 and add up riding time for well over one minute. Spangler held off McNeil's late effort in which the Cowboy 174-pounder had a takedown and near-takedown as time expired.

The Big 12 bout began at 197 pounds in which No. 3 Cayle Byers of Oklahoma State defeated redshirt sophomore Cole Shafer in a 9-1 major decision. Heavyweight Alan Gelogaev extended the Cowboy lead in the second match with a 9-3 decision over Matt Gibson in his second dual of the season.

Both top-ranked Jordan Oliver and No. 7 Josh Kindig posted pins for the Cowboys. Oliver earned the fall at 2:38 against true freshman Shayden Terukina and Kindig posted the fall over Luke Goettl in the 1:57 mark.

Cowboy 184-pounder Chris Perry defeated Cyclone Boaz Beard with a 9-2 decision in the final match of the night.

The Cyclones return to Hilton Sunday for their second Big 12 dual of the season against No. 16 Oklahoma. The match is set to begin at 2 p.m. (CST).

197: Cayle Byers (OSU) MDec. Cole Shafer (ISU) 9-1
285: Alan Gelogaev (OSU) Dec. Matt Gibson (ISU) 9-3
125: Ryak Finch (ISU) Dec. Ladd Rupp 6-4
133: Jordan Oliver (OSU) Pinned Shayden Terukina (ISU) 2:38
141: Josh Kindig (OSU) Pinned Luke Goettl (ISU) 1:57
149: Jamal Parks (OSU) Dec. Joey Cozart (ISU) 6-3
157: Albert White (OSU) MDec. Luke Swalla (ISU) 13-5
165: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) Dec. Dallas Bailey (OSU) 5-1
174: Chris Spangler (ISU) Dec. Chris McNeil (OSU) 9-5
184: Chris Perry (OSU) Dec. Boaz Beard (ISU) 9-2

Iowa State- Cyclones Host Cowboys in Big 12 Opener

AMES, Iowa - The No. 22 Iowa State wrestling team plays host to No. 2 Oklahoma State Friday in the first Big 12 meet of the season. The match will begin at 7 p.m. (CST) in Hilton Coliseum and be televised by Mediacom. Both the Cyclones and Cowboys search for their first dual victory of the season as Iowa State is 0-3 in dual competition. Oklahoma State has yet to compete in a 2011-12 dual match.

Three Cyclones return to Hilton with undefeated dual records. No. 12 Ryak Finch (125), No. 5 Andrew Sorenson (165) and No. 15 Boaz Beard (184) all sport 3-0 dual records. Both Finch and Beard will face Cowboy opponents ranked eighth in their respective weight classes. Sorenson will either face No. 11 Dallas Bailey or unranked Chris Chionuma at 165 pounds. All three Cyclone grapplers moved up a spot in the rankings after solid performances against Old Dominion Sunday.

Redshirt freshman Joey Cozart got a feel for dual competition after Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson penciled him into the lineup for the first time in a dual meet against Old Dominion. After an injury plagued Mike Moreno at 157 pounds, Jackson bumped Cozart up a weight class and the Brandon, Fla., native proved he could hold his own. Cozart is coming off a tight battle against Monarch Brennan Brumley in which the Cyclone posted a takedown 16 seconds into the sudden victory period for the win.

Cyclone fans may get a chance to see redshirt freshman Kyven Gadson on the mat for the first time Friday. Even without competing yet this season, Gadson ranks 13th at 197 pounds. If the Waterloo native gets the nod for Friday he will have his work cut our for him against No. 2 Cayle Byers. Redshirt freshman Mike England may reenter the Cyclone lineup after upsetting then-No. 5 Hunter Meys of Boston University in the second dual match of the year. No. 7 Chris Spangler ousted England in a Cyclone wrestle-off Thursday for the starting spot against Old Dominion, but either grappler could be in the mix against the Cowboys.

Oklahoma State claimed nine of the 10 possible titles at the Central Missouri Open Nov. 13. All but one of Oklahoma State's wrestlers are ranked in the top 20 of their weight class. Leading the way for the Cowboys is top-ranked 133-pounder Jordan Oliver, who looks to defend his NCAA Championship crown this season. Both Jamal Parks (149) and Cayle Byers (197) are ranked second nationally for Oklahoma State.

Who: Iowa State (0-3 dual competition) vs. Oklahoma State (0-0 dual competition)
Where: Ames, Iowa - Hilton Coliseum
When: Friday, Nov. 25, 7 p.m. CST
Live Stats: Live stats will be available at www.trackwrestling.com
TV: Mediacom
Live Blog: Members of the Iowa State athletics communications staff will be holding a live blog throughout the meet. Fans are encouraged to participate and ask questions on the blog at www.cyclones.com. The blog will be open approximately 10 minutes before the match begins Friday.

Iowa State probable starters:

125: Ryak Finch, RFr., 7-0/3-0
133: Shayden Terukina, Fr., 4-1/0-1 or Brandon Jones, RFr., 0-0/0-0
141: Luke Goettl, RFr., 0-0/0-0 or RJ Hallman, RFr., 2-2/0-1
149: Luke Swalla, Fr., 0-0/0-0 or Mike Moreno, RFr., 0-2/0-2
157: Joey Cozart, RFr., 7-1/1-0
165: Andrew Sorenson, RSr., 7-0/3-0
174: Chris Spangler, RJr., 0-1/0-1 or Mike England, RFr., 4-1/1-1
184: Boaz Beard, RSo., 3-0/3-0
197: Cole Shafer, RSo., 5-2/1-2 or Kyven Gadson, RFr., 0-0/0-0
285: Matt Gibson, RJr., 1-0/1-0

Oklahoma State probable starters:

125: Ladd Rupp, So., 5-0
133: Jordan Oliver, Jr., 0-0
141: Josh Kindig, So., 0-0 or Julian Feikert, RFr., 4-2
149: Jamal Parks, Sr., 5-0
157: Albert White, Sr., 6-0
165: Dallas Bailey, So., 4-1 or Chris Chionuma, Sr., 4-0
174: Chris McNeil, Sr., 5-0
184: Chris Perry, So., 4-0
197: Cayle Byers, Sr., 7-0
285: Alan Gelogaev, Jr., 4-0

Cyclone Notebook

-Iowa State looks for its first dual victory and Big 12 victory against the Cowboys Friday.

-Redshirt senior Andrew Sorenson bumped up another spot in the rankings this week and now sits at the No. 5 spot at 165 pounds.

-Sorenson is 3-0 in dual competition this season and 7-0 overall.

-Six Cyclones are ranked in the top 20 of their weight divisions by Intermat.

No. 5 Andrew Sorenson (165)
No. 10 Chris Spangler (174)
No. 12 Ryak Finch (125)
No. 15 Boaz Beard (184)
No. 13 Kyven Gadson (197)
No. 18 Matt Gibson (HWT)

A Look at Oklahoma State University

-The Cowboys have not yet participated in dual competition.

-Oklahoma State won nine of the possible 10 titles at the Central Missouri Open in Warrensburg, Mo., Nov. 13.

-Junior Jordan Oliver is the top-ranked wrestler at 133 pounds and was an NCAA champion last year, finishing the season undefeated at 29-0.

-The Cowboys are coached by six-time World Champion and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist John Smith.

-Smith is Oklahoma State's winningest coach and has been at the helm of five NCAA Championship teams.

Iowa State- Five Cyclones Crowned at Harold Nichols Open

AMES, Iowa - Six Iowa State wrestlers qualified for the finals of the 2011 Harold Nichols Cyclone Open Sunday. Five of those six finalists earned titles, including two Cyclone wrestlers who pinned their opponents in the championship round.

"I really feel good about seeing some of our guys connect with the technical skills and the attitude in which we want to see them wrestle, score points and get falls," head coach Kevin Jackson said. "I think we scored a ton of bonus points, got a ton of falls and then we got a few champs and we won some matches late as well. All in all I feel good and we'll get better yet. I did see a great deal of improvement even from last week."

Cyclone captain Andrew Sorenson continues to dominate this season for Iowa State. The seventh-ranked Sorenson walked away with the 165-pound Cyclone Open crown. He pinned his first two opponents, each in under five minutes. In his semifinal match against Cody Tibbetts of St. Cloud State (unattached), Sorenson posted a 20-5 technical fall at 6:46. In the final, Sorenson earned a 19-1 technical fall in 5:58 against Northern Iowa's Riley Banach.

"He did what our captain does," Jackson said. "He went out there and he wrestled the way we want our guys to compete, very aggressive, very powerful, looking for points all the time, looking to pin guys, looking to dominate and continue to wrestle in every situation and every position."

Redshirt freshman Ryak Finch became the 125-pound Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open champion in dominating fashion. The Safford, Ariz. native won his first match of the day on a 17-0 technical fall against Tyler Reiste of Iowa Central with just 11 seconds left in the first period. Finch then went on to post two falls in both the semifinal and final rounds. In the championship match, Finch defeated Northern Iowa's Cruse Aarhus with a fall 1:41 into the match. Going for pins isn't uncharacteristic of Finch, who believes in Jackson's philosophy to fight for a pin if the chance is ever presented.

"That's what we're taught," Finch said. "You go out there and you score every chance you get, you're not looking at points and you see a fall you take it. I think that's one of coach Jackson's main philosophies and I think you'll see that as the season goes on."

Freshman 133-pounder Shayden Terukina wrestled unattached and won his division title after two technical falls and a pin at 4:27 in the semifinals. Terukina nearly had a pin in the second period, but trailed 7-6 entering the final period. After a penalty against Northern Iowa's Ryan Juach, the Kamehameha, Hawaii native made a takedown for a 9-7 advantage, which he held onto for the remainder of the match.

"I started off slow and should have been leading going into that final match, I really had to do something to try and get that win," Terukina said. "I trusted my conditioning and I went for it and came up with the win."

After moving up to 197 pounds last week, redshirt sophomore Cole Shafer impressed Jackson with dominating performances. One of Shafer's highlights was a pin in the first 32 seconds of the championship match against Iowa Central grappler Kolten Kersten.

"I think 197 fits his style better," Jackson said. "I think he's strong enough to be able to wrestle with anybody at that weight class. He's going to challenge for that weight class, if Kyven Gadson's not healthy obviously Cole Shafer is going to be a guy that's going to fill in for us and be able to win for us."

Redshirt junior Matt Gibson wrestled unattached for Iowa State and won the 285-pound title. Gibson pinned two of his four opponents and finished the day with a 5-0 decision over Jake Kahnke of St. Cloud State.

"Gibson is an athlete for that weight class," Jackson said. "He's long enough to deal with the guys in that weight class so he's capable of beating anybody in the country as long as we continue to get him a little bit better shape and get his offense going a little bit more."

Redshirt freshman 174-pounder Mikey England advanced to the finals, but fell in a 13-4 major decision to Luke Rynish of Wisconsin-Parkside. England won his second round match with a pin at 1:04 and defeated Jack Barnes who wrestled unattached 6-5 in the quarterfinals.

Iowa State will hit the road Nov. 20 to face Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. at noon (CST).

Iowa State to host Harold Nichols Open

AMES, Iowa - The No. 21 Iowa State wrestling team plays host to the annual Harold Nichols Cyclone Open Sunday in Hilton Coliseum. Doors will open for the general public at 8 a.m. with competition beginning by 9 a.m. Eight mats will be set up for matches and the tournament is expected to end around 8 p.m.

20 Iowa State wrestlers will be taking part in the action Sunday, 11 of which will compete unattached for the Cyclones. Iowa State athletics communications staff will be live-blogging for the entirety of the tournament on cyclones.com.

Iowa State enters the Cyclone Open with an 0-2 record in dual competition, but sports five ranked wrestlers in this week's Intermat poll, two of which will be competing Sunday. Redshirt senior and captain for the Cyclones, Andrew Sorenson, is Iowa State's highest-ranked wrestler at the No. 7 spot. 165-pounder Sorenson pinned his first opponent of the season and beat his second in a 5-2 decision. Redshirt freshman Ryak Finch is ranked No. 12 at 125 pounds after coming away from the Nor'Easter duals with a 2-0.

Redshirt freshman Mikey England stunned Boston's No. 5 Hunter Meys at the Nor'Easter Duals Nov. 6. After losing his first match of the season to Army's Collin Wittmeyer by major decision, England came back strong and battled through after trailing 3-1 heading into the final period with Meys. For the Centerville, Iowa native, beating the nation's fifth-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds was a confidence booster to say the least.

"I think that every now and then your confidence level is what determines whether you're going to win or lose," Jackson said. "It's what your thought process is, what's going on in your mind when the match is going on and there was a point in that match where he decided he was going to win and compete to his full potential."

All four Cyclones who won titles at the annual Kaye Young Open Nov. 5 will be amongst the competitors Sunday. Freshman Logan Molina will participate in the 165 weight division and redshirt junior Matt Gibson will be competing at heavyweight, both unattached. 149-pounder Joey Cozart and 174-pounder Quinn Wilson will be wrestling for the first time in an Iowa State singlet at the Open.

All tickets for the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open are general admission and will be $10 for adults and $5 for youth. The first row in Section 111 and 112 will be reserved for Mat Cy'd ticket holders only. Members will be wearing blue wristbands to designate they are part of the Mat Cy'd Club.

No outside food or drink will be allowed into Hilton Coliseum. Concession stands will be open throughout the day and fans will be allowed to come and go as they please and reenter the facility.

Fans with wrestling season parking passes will be allowed in the four reserved lots (C1, C2, C3 & D1) as well as the East Ramp. Teams and volunteer workers are to enter Hilton through the East ramp where check-in will occur. Doors will be open for wrestling to check-in at 6 a.m., with weigh-ins and skin checks set for 7 a.m.

ISU Wrestling Press Day Tuesday, 3:30 p.m.

To: All Media
From: Kayci Woodley, Iowa State athletics communications

Iowa State Wrestling Media Day Tuesday

ADVISORY: The Iowa State wrestling program will play host to its 2011-2012 media day at 3:30 p.m. this Tuesday, Nov. 1 in the Cyclone wrestling room located on the second floor of the Lied Recreation-Athletic Facility. See you there.

2011-2012 IOWA STATE WRESTLING SCHEDULE

Sun, Nov 06
Army
at Boston, Mass.
2:00 p.m.
Sun, Nov 06
Boston
at Boston, Mass.
6:00 p.m.
Sun, Nov 13
Harold Nichols Cyclone Open
Ames, Iowa
All Day
Sun, Nov 20
Old Dominion
at Norfolk, Va.
12:00 p.m.
Fri, Nov 25
Oklahoma State *
Ames, Iowa
7:00 p.m.

Fri, Dec 09
Minnesota
at Minneapolis, Minn.
7:00 p.m.
Sun, Dec 18
Missouri *
at Columbia, Mo.
12:00 p.m.
Thu, Dec 29 -
Fri, Dec 30
Midlands Championships
at Evanston, Ill.
All Day
Tue, Jan 03
Arizona State
at Tempe, Ariz.
8:00 p.m.
Sun, Jan 08
Missouri *
Ames, Iowa
2:00 p.m.

Fri, Jan 20
Oklahoma *
at Norman, Okla.
7:00 p.m.
Sun, Jan 22
Oklahoma State *
at Stillwater, Okla.
2:00 p.m.
Sun, Jan 29
Cornell
Ames, Iowa
1:00 p.m.

Fri, Feb 03
Northern Iowa
at Cedar Falls, Iowa
7:00 p.m.
Sun, Feb 12
National Dual Meet Midwest Regional
Ames, Iowa
TBA
Sun, Feb 19
National Dual Meet Championships
at TBA
TBA
Sat, Mar 03
Big 12 Championships
at Colombia, Mo.
All Day
Thu, Mar 15 -
Sat, Mar 17
NCAA Championships
at St. Louis, Mo.
All Day

To: All Media
From: Kayci Woodley, Iowa State athletics communications

Iowa State Wrestling Media Day Tuesday

ADVISORY: The Iowa State wrestling program will play host to its 2011-2012 media day at 3:30 p.m. this Tuesday, Nov. 1 in the Cyclone wrestling room located on the second floor of the Lied Recreation-Athletic Facility. See you there.

2011-2012 IOWA STATE WRESTLING SCHEDULE

Sun, Nov 06
Army
at Boston, Mass.
2:00 p.m.
Sun, Nov 06
Boston
at Boston, Mass.
6:00 p.m.
Sun, Nov 13
Harold Nichols Cyclone Open
Ames, Iowa
All Day
Sun, Nov 20
Old Dominion
at Norfolk, Va.
12:00 p.m.
Fri, Nov 25
Oklahoma State *
Ames, Iowa
7:00 p.m.
<x-msg://205/>
Sun, Nov 27
Oklahoma *
Ames, Iowa
2:00 p.m.
<x-msg://205/>
Sun, Dec 04
Iowa
Ames, Iowa
2:00 p.m.
<x-msg://205/>
Fri, Dec 09
Minnesota
at Minneapolis, Minn.
7:00 p.m.
Sun, Dec 18
Missouri *
at Columbia, Mo.
12:00 p.m.
Thu, Dec 29 -
Fri, Dec 30
Midlands Championships
at Evanston, Ill.
All Day
Tue, Jan 03
Arizona State
at Tempe, Ariz.
8:00 p.m.
Sun, Jan 08
Missouri *
Ames, Iowa
2:00 p.m.
<x-msg://205/>
Fri, Jan 13
Virginia Tech
Ames, Iowa
7:00 p.m.
<x-msg://205/>
Fri, Jan 20
Oklahoma *
at Norman, Okla.
7:00 p.m.
Sun, Jan 22
Oklahoma State *
at Stillwater, Okla.
2:00 p.m.
Sun, Jan 29
Cornell
Ames, Iowa
1:00 p.m.
<x-msg://205/>
Fri, Feb 03
Northern Iowa
at Cedar Falls, Iowa
7:00 p.m.
Sun, Feb 12
National Dual Meet Midwest Regional
Ames, Iowa
TBA
Sun, Feb 19
National Dual Meet Championships
at TBA
TBA
Sat, Mar 03
Big 12 Championships
at Colombia, Mo.
All Day
Thu, Mar 15 -
Sat, Mar 17
NCAA Championships
at St. Louis, Mo.
All Day

Former Cyclone wrestlers qualify for U.S. Olympic Team Trials

AMES, Iowa - Four former Iowa State wrestlers were among the first 65 athletes who have qualified to compete at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, April 21-22. The qualifiers were announced Thursday by USA Wrestling.

The qualification process for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials has begun, based upon the qualifying procedures approved by the U.S. Olympic Committee for wrestling.

Former Cyclone national champion and 2011 World bronze medalist Jake Varner automatically qualified for the Championship Finals Series. Varner qualified for the 96 kg (185 pounds) weight class.

Three other Iowa State alums received automatic qualification for the 2012 men's freestyle U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Both Travis and Trent Paulson, past U.S. World team members, qualified for the 74 kg (163 pounds) weight class. 2011 World Team Trials Champion Cael Sanderson qualified for the 84 kg (185 pounds) class.

Each of the three Olympic styles of wrestling will have a different qualification process, as proposed by their individual Sports Committees, presented by USA Wrestling and approved by the USOC.

Athletes who have already qualified include the following:

Past U.S. World and Olympic Team members in all three styles
The top three placewinners at the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials in men's freestyle wrestling.
The list of past U.S. World and Olympic Team members includes wrestlers who have indicated that they may try out for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.

Based upon the approved qualification process, three athletes have already guaranteed themselves a spot in the Championship Finals Series at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, by virtue of winning a medal at an Olympic weight class at the 2011 World Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

The approved Olympic Team Selection Criteria for each style can be read at:

<http://www.themat.com/usawrestling.org/nationalteams.php?page=team_criteria>http://www.themat.com/usawrestling.org/nationalteams.php?page=team_criteria

The next scheduled event which will provide the opportunity to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for wrestling is the Sunkist Kids International Open in Mesa, Ariz., October 29-30.

This year, there will not be a U.S. Open for men's freestyle. Instead, there will be a Men's Freestyle Olympic Trials Qualifier held in Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 3 in Las Vegas, Nev., held alongside the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational. Three athletes in each weight class will qualify for Iowa City.

In addition to listing the athletes by weight class, USA Wrestling will also produce a list of qualifiers based upon their college affiliation, either as a current or past student-athlete, current coach or involvement with a Regional Training Center.

USA Wrestling will continue to update and publish the list of athletes who have qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling.

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State assistant wrestling coach and former two-time NCAA 190-pound champion Eric Voelker is resigning to pursue a call to the ministry. Voelker, a three-time NCAA All-American as a Cyclone from 1987-89, had joined the staff of Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson last fall.

"Eric has been a valuable asset to our wrestling program," Jackson said. "He is respected by our wrestlers, alumni and prep coaches in Iowa and across the country. He is a great leader, which will serve him well in the ministry."

Voelker will be joining the staff of his church, Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines.

"This past year has given me cause to refocus," Voelker said. "For many years I have been moving been toward full-time ministry and believe that now is the time to go 'all in,' to use our Cyclone language."

"Kevin is a great leader and working with him and the Iowa State wrestling program has been a special time in my life," Voelker said. "The Iowa State wrestling program has a top-notch staff, a very supportive athletics department and a committed booster community. I am confident great achievements lie ahead."

Jackson knows that Voelker will continue to be a part of the Cyclone wrestling family.

"More than anything, Eric made an impact on our wrestlers by example," Jackson said. "They see him as an individual who wouldn't ask for any effort from another that he would not ask of himself. His place in Iowa State history is assured."

Iowa States Kevin Jackson Looks to New Cyclones to Make Difference

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State wrestling head coach Kevin Jackson has announced his recruiting class for the 2011-12 season. There will be nine new signees joining the Cyclones next year, including some with names that Iowa State fans will immediately recognize.

The nine new signees are: Connor Clarke (Sherwood, Ore.), Logan Molina (Lincoln, Neb.), Quean Smith (Highland Park, Mich.), Bo Schlosser (Bettendorf, Iowa), Aaron Sorenson (Forest City, Iowa), Alex Spooner (Forest City, Iowa), Tyler Swope (Davenport, Iowa), Shayden Terukina (Kamehameha-Kapalama, Hawaii) and Tanner Weatherman (Huxley, Iowa). Between the nine wrestlers, they have collected 13 state titles.

"I am really excited about the group that we are bringing in," Jackson said. "I think that we have identified some really talented kids that have the ability to make an immediate impact, and if they are the best kids we have at that weight, they will wrestle."

This Cyclone recruiting class has a strong core of successful Iowa high school wrestlers in Spooner, Schlosser, Sorenson, Weatherman and Swope.

"One athlete that will make an immediate impact on our program is Bo Schlosser," Jackson said. "He has all of the skills that would allow him to step into our line-up and start for us next year. I am also very excited about Tyler Swope, the heavyweight from Davenport Assumption. He is a big, strong heavyweight who is very passionate and has a lot of energy. We also believe that Tanner Weatherman is at the top of the list of Iowa high school wrestlers this year and look for him to make some early noise."

Weatherman is the younger brother of current Cyclone Trent Weatherman, who was Iowa State's starter at 157 pounds last season. The family affair does not stop there with state champion Aaron Sorenson joining older brother Andrew Sorenson on the Cyclone roster. Andrew was ranked as high as fifth in the country at 165 pounds last season before suffering a season ending injury.

Along with the strong class of Iowans, Jackson and his staff have also brought in a very tough group of grapplers from other states. Clarke, Molina, Smith and Terukina have combined for an impressive seven state titles.

"Quean Smith is a special heavyweight whose athletic ability is going to be unmatched in the heavyweight division," Jackson said. "He has all of the skills and we expect special things out of him."

According to Jackson, Terukina is a special wrestler. He hails from Kamehameha high school in Hawaii.

"Another wrestler who is going to be special that people don't know much about will be Shayden Terukina," Jackson said. "He is out of Hawaii and sent us his videos so that we could recruit him. We have a relationship with a former Cyclone wrestler, Grant Nakamura, who kind of pointed him in our direction. I went out and watched him wrestle and he is very talented. I am really excited about him joining our squad. Being from Hawaii, I think he is going to be a diamond in the rough that people did not get a chance to see."

The Cyclone coaches are very pleased with this class, because they feel that along with last year's recruiting class, this group is pointing the program in the right direction.

"The last two classes are definitely full of the kind of kids that we want from a understanding that everything they do affects their performances on and off of the mat," Jackson said. "We like their toughness and fight for the entire match. Another thing I am very excited about is their technical skill level. I think that this group we are bringing in is at a very high level technically. That is an added bonus on top of the toughness that they have demonstrated."
Jackson Excited to Announce Iowa State Cyclone Recruiting Class

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State wrestling head coach Kevin Jackson has announced his recruiting class for the 2011-12 season. There will be nine new signees joining the Cyclones next year, including some with names that Iowa State fans will immediately recognize.

This Cyclone recruiting class has a strong core of successful Iowa high school wrestlers in Spooner, Schlosser, Sorenson, Weatherman and Swope.

"Quean Smith is a special heavyweight whose athletic ability is going to be unmatched in the heavyweight division," Jackson said. "He has all of the skills and we expect special things out of him."

According to Jackson, Terukina is a special wrestler. He hails from Kamehameha high school in Hawaii.

The Cyclone coaches are very pleased with this class, because they feel that along with last year's recruiting class, this group is pointing the program in the right direction.

"The last two classes are definitely full of the kind of kids that we want from a understanding that everything they do affects their performances on and off of the mat," Jackson said. "We like their toughness and fight for the entire match. Another thing I am very excited about is their technical skill level. I think that this group we are bringing in is at a very high level technically. That is an added bonus on top of the toughness that they have demonstrated."
No. 11 Iowa State Drops Final Dual to No. 14 Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. - The 11th ranked Iowa State wrestling team finished its 2010-11 regular season with a - to - loss against No. 14 Nebraska on Sunday at the NU Coliseum. The Cyclones fell to 0-4 in Big 12 dual competition and 9-10 overall. The Cornhuskers rose to 14-5 overall and 2-2 in Big 12 competition.

Jon Reader started the dual off in fine fashion for the Cyclones with a 16-4 victory over Caleb Kolb at 174 pounds. The senior racked up almost five minutes of riding time while turning his opponent multiple times throughout the match. Reader is now 32-0 on the season and is the top-ranked 174 pounder in the country.

In only his second match back after a lengthy injury layoff, Chris Drouin got the Cyclones back on track with a 13-3 major decision victory over Mike Koehnlein at 141 pounds. Drouin was up by four late in the match when he threw Koehnlein to his back to ensure bonus points for his team.

Max Mayfield used an early takedown and back points to take a very quick 4-0 lead in his match at 149 pounds against Ross Grande. The Davenport, Iowa native controlled the rest of the match to earn a solid 8-4 victory.

Neither Trent Weatherman or his opponent Tyler Koehn could create much offense through the first three periods of their match at 157 pounds. Early in the overtime period it was Weatherman who took advantage of a scramble situation to earn the 3-1 sudden victory win.

Despite a loss to top-ranked Jordan Burroughs in the final match of the night, Cyclone head coach Kevin Jackson was pleased with the effort of 165-pounder Chris Spangler.

"Chris just learned on Friday night that we would need him on this trip due to an injury to Andrew Sorenson," Coach Jackson said. "He dropped 15 pounds and came out and wrestled dang tough against one of the best wrestlers in the entire country. He ran out of gas that third period, but I am extremely pleased with the way he put it on the line out there."

While the dual season is officially over for the Cyclones, the most important part of the season looms ahead.

"Our next stop is the Big 12 Championships and our guys have to flat out be ready to wrestle," Jackson said. "It's not that they have to learn something new between now and then, they know what to do, but they have to flat out compete. We saw some good things today and some bad things, we need to cut down on those mistakes and just compete harder at Big 12s."

The Cyclones will next be in action at the Big 12 Championships on March 5th at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.

Results
174: Jon Reader (ISU) mdec. Caleb Kolb (Neb), 16-4
184: Josh Ihnen (Neb) tech fall Cole Shafer (ISU), 16-1
197: Andy Johnson (Neb) dec. Jerome Ward (ISU), 5-3
HWT: Tucker Lane (Neb) dec. Kyle Slifka (ISU), 2-0
125: David Klingsheim (Neb) dec. Brandon Jones (ISU), 4-2
133: Ridge Kiley (Neb) dec. Ben Cash (ISU), 3-0
141: Chris Drouin (ISU) mdec. Mike Koehnlein (Neb), 13-3
149: Max Mayfield (ISU) dec. Ross Grande (Neb), 8-4
157: Trent Weatherman (ISU) vs. Tyler Koehn (Neb),
165: Jordan Burroughs (Neb) vs. Chris Spangler (ISU)
No. 14 Iowa State Tripped Up by No. 18 Missouri

COLOMBIA, Mo. - The fourteenth-ranked Iowa State wrestling team could not hold off the No. 18 Missouri Tiger as the fell by a score of 23-11 at the Hearnes Center Sunday. The Cyclones now fall to 9-9 in dual competition, while the Tigers' win sends them to 15-8.

"Once again I feel that we have two sets of guys on this team," head coach Kevin Jackson said. "We have a group that goes out there and gives it their all, and we have a group that just does not compete the way that they should."

After quickly falling into a 6-0 hole, the Cyclones looked to redshirt junior Andrew Sorenson to get something going. Sorenson did not disappoint earning a 7-3 victory over ninth-ranked Zach Toal at 165 pounds.

"That was a tough match for me because I keep giving up that early takedown," Sorenson said. "I really have to go one hundred percent for the whole seven minutes and wrestle a complete match to be where I want to be."

Jon Reader continued to dominate with a 16-0 technical fall over Dorian Henderson at 174 pounds. The Davison, Mich. native turned Henderson to his back four separate times before the match was ended only halfway through the third period. Reader is the top-ranked 174 pounder in the country and now sports a record of 31-0.

Jerome Ward earned three takedowns as he defeated 15th ranked Brent Haynes at 197pounds. The Evergreen Park native was dominant throughout, racking up two and a half minutes of riding time en route to the 8-3 victory.

"I want to point out that Kyle Slifka came out and put himself in a position to have a very close match against a FILA Junior World Champion and the third-rated guy in the country," Jackson said. "If everyone on our team gave that kind of effort then I would be extremely happy. I am glad that Kyle got the opportunity to really help out our team and put forth maximum effort."

The Cyclones will wrestle their final dual of the 2010-11 season Sunday at 2 p.m. in Lincoln, Neb. against the Cornhuskers.

Results
149: Kyle Bradley (Mizzou) dec. Nate Carr Jr. (ISU), 6-2
157: Nick Gregoris (Mizzou) dec. Trent Weatherman (ISU), 7-4
165: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) dec. Zach Toal (Mizzou), 7-3
174: Jon Reader (ISU) tech. fall Dorian Henderson (Mizzou), 16-0 (5:43)
184: Mike Larson (Mizzou) dec. Cole Shafer (ISU), 4-3
197: Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Brent Haynes (Mizzou), 8-3
285: Dom Bradley (Mizzou) dec. Kyle Slifka (ISU), 4-0
125: Alan Waters (Mizzou) mdec. Brandon Jones (ISU), 19-8
133: Nathan McCormick (Mizzou) mdec. Ben Cash (ISU), 10-2
141: Todd Schavrien (Mizzou) dec. Chris Drouin (ISU), 3-1
Iowa State Pounds Arizona State in FInal Home Dual

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State wrestling team ended its home dual season in emphatic fashion with a 33-14 victory over Arizona State on Sunday in Hilton Coliseum. This was the final home dual for the Cyclones' four seniors: Jon Reader, Chris Drouin, Nate Carr Jr. and Kyle Slifka. The Cyclones are now 9-8 in duals while the Sun Devils fall to 5-10.

Reader bumped up to the 184-pound weight class in order to get a match in his final dual appearance at Hilton Coliseum. The top-ranked senior racked up five takedowns and garnered five and a half minutes of riding time in a dominant 14-3 victory over Jake Meredith.

"I asked Jon to move up to help us today and to make sure he got to wrestle a match," Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. "I think it is great for him to be able to wrestle here again for the Big 12 Championships."

"We have the greatest fans and I enjoyed the ceremony before the match," Reader said. "By this time of the season, you are starting to focus on perfecting what you have learned all season. Moving up is not that big of a deal. The same technique applies."

Jerome Ward used a late first period takedown in his match, and held off his opposition for a 3-1 victory over Luke Macchiaroli at 197 pounds.

"Our upperclassmen are wrestling well and I'm pleased with them," Jackson said. "Ward is getting close to wrestling seven minutes and (ISU heavyweight) Kyle (Simonson) looks to be back on track."

Kyle Simonson won his 23rd match of the season with a 9-3 victory over Levi Cooper at 285 pounds. The Algona native turned his opponent late in the second period to ensure a comfortable victory.

Max Mayfield earned his second dual victory of the weekend with a punishing 18-2 technical fall victory against Tai Fukumoto at 149 pounds. The redshirt sophomore tilted his opponent for three near fall points twice during the match and secured a takedown with only one second left to earn five team points for the Cyclones.

In his first action since being injured in the semi-finals of the Midlands Championships Dec. 30, Chris Spangler threw in a half nelson late in the first period to pin Te Edwards in 2:41 at 165 pounds.

Trent Weatherman and Andrew Sorenson picked up forfeits for the Cyclones at 157 and 174 pounds respectively.

The Cyclones will be back in action Sunday against Big 12 rival Missouri in Columbia, Mo. at 1 p.m. CST

Results
125: Anthony Robles (ASU) technical fall Brandon Jones (ISU), 17-1
133: Kalin Goodsite (ASU) dec. Ben Cash (ISU), 3-2
141: Carlos Castro (ASU) win by forfeit
149: Max Mayfield (ISU) technical fall Tai Fukumoto (ASU), 18-2
157: Trent Weatherman (ISU) win by forfeit
165: Chris Spangler (ISU) pin Te Edwards (ASU), 2:41
174: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) win by forfeit
184: Jon Reader (ISU) mdec. Jake Meredith (ASU), 14-3
197: Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Luke Macchiaroli (ASU), 3-1
285: Kyle Simonson (ISU) dec. Levi Cooper (ASU), 9-3
No. 16 Iowa State Fall to No. 6 Oklahoma State 29-13

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State wrestling team was paced by wins from Andrew Sorenson and Jon Reader in a 29-13 loss to sixth-ranked Oklahoma State on Sunday afternoon in Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones fall to 6-7 in dual competition, while the Cowboys are now 8-2-1 in duals.

Sorenson had a very tight match with Dallas Bailey at 165 pounds. Sorenson used a late takedown and rode Bailey out in the third period after falling behind early in the match to secure a 5-3 victory.

"The last time Andrew wrestled Bailey, Andrew gave up an escape late that changed the match," Jackson said. "Today, we finished moves and that should give Andrew additional confidence."

Reader continued his dominance with an 11-2 victory over Mike Benefiel at 174 pounds. He used repeated takedowns and accumulated over four minutes of riding en route to his 26th victory of the season.

True freshman Brandon Jones picked up a forfeit for the Cyclones at 125 pounds. Max Mayfield wrestled tough against ninth-rated Jamal Parks of OSU.

"When a guy gives his all and stays in there, as a coach you have to recognize that your wrestler is giving his best effort," Jackson said.

Iowa State will be in action again Jan., 30 in New York against top-ranked Cornell and Binghamton. The Cornell match will be at noon CST and the Binghamton match will start at 5 p.m. CST.

Results
184: Chris Perry (OSU) pin Cole Shafer (ISU), 4:36
197: Clayton Foster (OSU) dec. Jerome Ward (ISU), 3-1
HWT: Blake Rosholt (OSU) dec. Kyle Simonson (ISU), 6-2
125: Brandon Jones (ISU) win by forfeit
133: Jordan Oliver (OSU) mdec. Ben Cash (ISU), 22-8
141: Josh Kindig (OSU) win by forfeit
149: Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Max Mayfield (ISU), 6-4
157: Neil Erisman (OSU) mdec. Nate Carr Jr. (ISU), 8-0
165: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) dec. Dallas Bailey (OSU), 5-3
174: Jon Reader (ISU) mdec. Mike Benefiel (OSU), 11-2
Iowa State Wrestles Exciting Dual Against Minnesota

AMES, Iowa - Jon Reader and Andrew Sorenson once again combined to bring the crowd at Hilton Coliseum to its feet despite a 26-13 loss to fifth-ranked Minnesota Sunday.

"We won the matches I thought we should win and we lost the matches that I thought we were the underdog in," Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson. "We had a 6-4 split today. We have spent hours and hours in the wrestling room working with the guys on individual technique. We didn't have (ISU 141-pounder) Chris Drouin, who has failed a concussion test. We hope to get him back in the lineup next week."

Reader got the Cyclones off on the right foot at 174 pounds with a 13-3 major decision over eighth-ranked Scott Glasser. Reader took the Golden Gopher down five times during the match and accumulated almost five minutes of riding time to improve his record to 24-0.

In the most exciting and last match of the night, Sorenson used a furious comeback to defeat seventh-rated Cody Yohn at 165 pounds. Yohn secured a takedown off of the whistle and then a takedown in the second period to build a 5-1 lead over the Cyclone. Sorenson then demonstrated his will for victory by using a reversal and two late takedowns to bring the Hilton crowd to their feet in a 9-7 comeback win.

In one of his first matches back since knee surgery, Iowa State's Jerome Ward outlasted Joe Nord at 197 pounds. In the second period Ward used a tilt to score a quick two points and then used a pair of escapes and exactly one minute of riding time to secure a 5-2 victory.

Trent Weatherman scored a 2-0 win over Joe Grygelko at 157 pounds. Weatherman accumulated nearly two minutes of riding time to wrap up the victory.

Iowa State will next be in action Friday at 7 p.m. against Oklahoma. This will be one half of the Beauty and the Beast event in which the wrestling team will be participating at the same time against the Sooner as the gymnastics team battles Missouri.

Results
174: Jon Reader (ISU) mdec. Scott Glasser (M), 13-3
184: Kevin Steinhaus (M) TF5 Cole Shafer (ISU), 18-3
197: Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Joe Nord (M), 5-2
HWT: Tony Nelson (M) dec. Kyle Simonson (ISU), 6-1
125: Zach Sanders (M) TF5 Brandon Jones (ISU), 20-4
133: David Thorn (M) mdec. Ben Cash (ISU), 18-5
141: Mike Thorn (M) win by forfeit
149: Danny Zilverberg (M) dec. Max Mayfield (ISU), 6-2
157: Trent Weatherman (ISU) dec. Joe Grygelko (M), 2-0
165: Andrew Sorenson (ISU) dec. Cody Yohn (M), 9-7
Long Leaving Iowa State

AMES, Iowa - Former Iowa State wrestler Andrew Long intends to transfer to Penn State to continue his collegiate wrestling career it was announced Wednesday. Long was the 125-pound runner-up for the Cyclones at the NCAA Championships in March. He finished the season with a 27-7 record.

"We gave Andrew a series of steps he needed to accomplish to rejoin our team," Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. "During that process, Andrew decided that he could best address those issues in a place where he would be starting over. We will honor his decision and support his efforts to address his personal issues."

Long was dismissed from the Iowa State wrestling team in June after violations of team rules. He is currently enrolled as a student at Iowa State.

"I want to thank coach Jackson for his support while I have been here," Long said. "We were working on a process through which I would be able to join the team for the second semester. As I worked through this process I came to the conclusion that I needed a chance to start over somewhere else. "
Iowa State Cyclones Crown Four Champions at Harold Nichols Open

AMES, Iowa - For the fourth time, Iowa State senior Jon Reader is the Harold Nichols Open champion. Reader continues to crush his opposition, and won his finals match by a 21-5 technical fall in the 174-pound weight class.

"This was another great opportunity to wrestle, compete and lead by example just like coach preaches," Reader said. "I bleed cardinal and gold, and am proud to have won four titles here in front of my home crowd."

Joining Reader on the top of the podium were true freshman Ryak Finch and Kyven Gadson and redshirt junior Kyle Simonson.

Finch used a non-stop motor to power his way to the championship at 125-pounds. The youngster from Safford, Ariz. completely shut down his opposition's offense the entire day, only allowing ten points in four matches, including a dominant 13-2 major decision in the finals.

"It felt good coming into an environment like this for the first time," Finch said. "There are so many Cyclone fans because this school has such a great tradition. I think that two freshman champions shows where this program is heading."

Gadson had a tough road to the finals of the 184-pound weight class, but made the most of his first appearance in-front of Iowa State fans. The freshman from Waterloo met up with seventh-ranked Josh Ihnen in the second round. The match was knotted up at 2-2 before Gadson locked up a cradle and earned the fall in just under six minutes. He posted twin 3-2 victories in the semis and the finals to claim his first tournament victory as a Cyclone.

"I thought that I wrestled alright, because it is the first time I have wrestled since February because of a torn labrum," Gadson said. "It helps a lot when you know how much hard work you have put in and you know how hard you can push yourself. It really helps in those close matches."

Simonson, a junior from Algona, continued to show why the coaches are so excited about the 285-pound weight class this year. He used strong defense and excellent riding ability to completely shut-down his opposition. Simonson racked up a pin and a technical fall en route to the finals, where he claimed an 8-2 victory.

"It feels good to wrestle well, it is exactly what we train for," Simonson said. "I trained three years hard with Jake Varner and I think that has really helped me out a lot."

Brandon Jones pinned his first opponent of the day before falling in consecutive matches.

For the second tournament in a row, Max Mayfield did things the hard way. After falling in his second match of the day by a score of 8-7, Mayfield reeled off an incredible six consecutive victories on the bottom side of the 149-pound bracket to come back all the way for a third-place finish.

Iowa State's success in the 149-pound weight class did not end there, with true freshman Joe Cozart also putting in an impressive performance. Cozart reached the semi-finals before falling to runner-up Justin DeAngelis of Oklahoma. Cozart then traversed his way through the consolation bracket and won a tight 3-2 match for fifth-place.

Trent Weatherman continues to improve quickly in his redshirt freshman season at 157-pounds. After a big dual victory on Thursday night, Weatherman muscled his way all the way to the finals. He fell victim to an early five-point throw and could not fight his way back, earning himself a strong second-place finish.

Michael Moreno gave Cyclone fans even more reason to be excited when the true freshman earned a third-place finish. Moreno's only loss on the day came to Nebraska's national champion Jordan Burroughs in the semi-finals. He was the third Iowa State true freshman to qualify for the semis in today's action.

"I really think that we came out today with more fire and intensity," Coach Jackson said. "Our freshman really came out and helped set the tone today, which really shows you where we are headed. I am happy with the results, because this is certainly the hardest we have competed so far this year."

Of the trio of Tyler Christensen, Matt Riley and Cole Shafer at 184-pounds, it was Shafer who wrestled the best today. Shafer defeated Christensen by a score of 6-0 to make his way into the consolation finals, where he fell in a tough match with Nebraska's seventh-rated Josh Ihnen.

Jerome Ward breezed past his competition on this way to the finals to verse Wartburg's Byron Tate. Ward fell behind late and could not quite recover, losing by a score of 8-5 to claim second place. Trevor Voelker also wrestled well at 197-pounds as he had to wrestle through the consolation side of the bracket on his way to a sixth place finish.

"You are going to compete the way you practice, and we have been practicing hard," Jackson said. "Jon Reader is really the leader in this. He performs at a very high level every day and puts everything on the line. The rest of the team is starting to follow his lead. Congratulations to him on his fourth title, he puts in the effort and is reaping the rewards."

125 pounds - Ryak Finch (ISU) mdec. Cruse Aarhus (UNI), 13-2
133 pounds - Ridge Kiley (NU) dec. Ryan Jauch (UNI), 4-3
141 pounds - Gabriel Suarez (SCSU) dec. Seth Noble (UNI), 7-5
149 pounds - Essai Dominguez (Unatt.) dec. Justin DeAngelis, 5-2
157 pounds - George Ivanov (Unatt.) dec. Trent Weatherman (ISU), 11-6
165 pounds - Jordan Burroughs (NU) forfeit over Robert Kokesh (NU)
174 pounds - Jon Reader (ISU) wbtf Ryan Pankoke (Unatt.), 21-5
184 pounds - Kyven Gadson (ISU) dec. Spencer Johnson (NU), 3-2
197 pounds - Byron Tate (Wartburg) dec. Jerome Ward (ISU), 8-5
285 pounds - Kyle Simonson (ISU) dec. John Helgerson (Wartburg), 8-2
Iowa State Topple Virginia Tech, Kent State to Open Season

SALEM, Va. - The Iowa State wrestling team staged a furious comeback to topple Virginia Tech 17-16 after going down 10-0 after the first three matches. The Cyclones also took out the 14th ranked Kent State Golden Flashes 23-19.

Junior Jerome Ward found his team needing a win in the last match of the dual to beat Virginia Tech. Ward stepped up for the team and defeated Chris Penny 6-4 to secure a 17-16 win for the Cyclones.

The Cyclones got off to a slow start with losses at 285, 125 and 133 pounds, but Chris Drouin was determined to get the momentum going Iowa State's way. Drouin defeated returning All-American Chris Diaz in a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

"Chris Drouin battled back in a match against a really tough kid," Coach Jackson said. "It was a match that we needed to win and he went out there and got it done."

Nate Carr, Jr. garnered the deciding takedown with only eight seconds left in overtime to defeat Brian Stephens.

Andrew Sorenson and Jon Reader came through with two of the most impressive performances of the Virginia Tech dual as both wrestlers pounded their opposition on their way to major decisions.

"Andrew Sorenson came out and competed exactly like he trains, like a Cyclone," Jackson said. "He really took it to a kid that was rated ahead of him, and I really think that was the most important match in the dual for us. Jon Reader just came out and dominated, which is exactly what we expected of him."

True freshman Matt Riley wrestled well but was unable to crack his opponent's defense in the match at 184-pounds, falling 1-0.

After the 184-pound match, the team score was 16-14 in favor of Virginia Tech, but Ward would not allow the win to slip through the fingers of the Cyclones.

Junior 285-pounder Kyle Simonson started off the Kent State dual in exciting fashion with a pin over Brenden Barlow, the fourteenth ranked heavyweight in the nation.

"Kyle's pin was a huge way for us to start the dual," Jackson said. "He is a pro the way that he wrestles and sticks to what he does well. He pinned a highly ranked kid, and I expect him to jump up in the rankings as well."

In his first dual match of his Iowa State career, Brandon Jones dominated Sean Collins the entire match en route to 9-3 victory.

Drouin immediately notched his second victory as a Cyclone with an 11-4 victory over Chase Skonieczny, while compiling well over three minutes of riding time.

Nate Carr won another close match with a 2-1 decision victory over Marcell Clopton.

Chris Spangler won a back-and-forth match over Ross Tice in overtime. Spangler notched the winning takedown with fifteen seconds left.

Jon Reader dominated from the whistle in his match against Chris Estep. The two-time All-American piled up six takedowns in the third period to ice the dual with a 24-9 technical fall.

Tyler Christensen and Phil Hawes suffered defeats from a pair of tough opponents to close out the dual.

"We have to clean things up and improve before we hit the mat tomorrow," Jackson said. "We did not wrestle great today, but we won, and that is what matters. We expect to wrestle better and bring a lot of intensity tomorrow."

Iowa State vs. Virginia Tech
285 pounds - David Marone dec. Matt Gibson, 7-4
125 pounds - Jarrod Garnett dec. Patrick Hunter, 7-2
133 pounds - Devin Carter tech. Ben Cash, 23-8
141 pounds - Chris Drouin dec. Chris Diaz, 2-1
149 pounds - Nate Carr, Jr. dec. Brian Stephens, 6-4
157 pounds - Pete Yates dec. Trent Weatherman, 8-1
165 pounds - Andrew Sorenson mdec. Matt Epperly, 13-3
174 pounds - Jon Reader mdec. Nick Vetterlein, 14-6
184 pounds - Tommy Spellman dec. Matt Riley, 1-0
197 pounds - Jerome Ward dec. Chris Penny, 6-4

Iowa State vs. Kent State
285 pounds - Kyle Simonson pin Brenden Barlow, 6:18
125 pounds - Nic Bedelyon pin Patrick Hunter, 0:47
133 pounds - Brandon Jones dec. Sean Collins, 9-3
141 pounds - Chris Drouin dec. Chase Skonieczny, 11-4
149 pounds - Nate Carr, Jr. dec. Marcel Clopton, 2-1
157 pounds - Matt Cathell pin Trent Weatherman, 6:38
165 pounds - Chris Spangler dec. Ross Tice, 7-5
174 pounds - Jon Reader tech. Chris Estep, 24-9
184 pounds - Casey Newburg dec. Tyler Christensen, 8-2
197 pounds - Dustin Kilgore mdec. Phil Hawes, 13-2
Former Iowa State All-American Travis Paulson Prepares for World Championships in Moscow

AMES, Iowa - Former Iowa State All-American and Council Bluffs native Travis Paulson will be making the trip to Moscow, Russia to compete at the 2010 World Championships for the U.S. men's freestyle team in the 74 kg (163 pounds) weight class.

Paulson, a three time All-American, defeated twin brother Trent in the finals of the challenge portion of the U.S. National Tournament to advance to a best-of-three final against 2010 NCAA Champion Andrew Howe of Wisconsin.

Despite a previous setback at the U.S. Open, Paulson had no problem clinching his first berth on the U.S. World Team, defeating Howe in two straight matches.

Paulson has been under the watchful eye of Cyclone head coach Kevin Jackson. Coach Jackson was the U.S. National Team coach from 2001-2008, and is a former World and Olympic gold medalist.

"There is no doubt that Travis is ready for the competition at the World Championships," Jackson said. "He has medaled at the toughest tournaments in the world. As long as he is healthy and wrestles according to plan, he has every chance to medal in Moscow."

The 74 kg weight class will weigh-in Saturday, and will wrestle Sunday.
NCAA Recognizes Iowa State University Wrestling Team for Academic Success

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State University wrestling team has received the NCAA Public Recognition Award.

This honor is bestowed on teams that have an NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate in the top ten percent of all squads in their respective sports.

Iowa State head wrestling coach Kevin Jackson is proud of the team and hopes to see the success in the classroom and on the mat continue.

"It really speaks volumes to what we are all about, I think it epitomizes what a true student-athlete is," Jackson said. "Iowa State University has established a great wrestling program and we are putting emphasis in the right areas. Academics comes first and something like this says to everyone in our program, especially young freshmen coming in, that it is your job to maintain the standards set by the student-athletes who were here before you."

The nine other universities that were also recognized in the men's wrestling category are Bucknell, Columbia, Duke, Millersville (Pa.), Northwestern, The U.S. Air Force Academy, Oklahoma, Penn and Virginia.

Iowa State and Oklahoma (fifth) are the only schools listed which placed among the top 10 teams at the NCAA Championships in Omaha, Neb. in March.
Iowa State Wrestling Roster Bolstered by All-American Transfer

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State wrestling coach Kevin Jackson is adding immediate experience to his Cyclone lineup with the announcement that former All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier Chris Drouin is transferring to Iowa State for his senior campaign in 2010-11.

"Anytime you add an All-American to your team it is going to make you stronger," Jackson said. "Chris was an All-American two years ago, but did not reach his goals this year with a new coaching staff. I have known Chris for a few years and have had a chance to get to know and coach him when I was with the Sunkist Wrestling Club. I think he adds a positive attitude and he brings the experience of what it takes to become an All-American. Anytime you add someone like that to the program it is exciting and can only help us get better and accomplish our goals."

As a sophomore competing for Arizona State in the 2009 NCAA Championships, Drouin earned All-America status with a sixth-place finish at 141 pounds. He wrestled his way to a 29-9 record and a second-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships.

As a freshman, Drouin saw immediate success on the mat. He compiled a 21-16 record en route to a second-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships and his first-ever trip to the NCAA Championships, where he fell just one match short of All-America status.

During his junior year Chris battled his way to a 21-13 record and qualified for the 2010 NCAA Championships for the third successive year, going 1-2 in 141-pound competition.

"I didn't wrestle up to my goals this past season," Drouin said. "My goals are to be standing on top of that podium and that's what I'm coming to ISU to achieve. I know I'll have the fans' support here. The coaches told me about the crowds and that is the sort of thing to give me an extra boost in energy."

Drouin is familiar with ISU's coaching staff of Jackson, along with assistants Chris Bono and Yero Washington.

"I've known the coaching staff at Iowa State for a while and they know me," Drouin said. "I'm coming here to compete and I have a good relationship with this coaching staff. When it comes to match preparation, that all comes down to having good communication with the coaches. Being able to communicate with the coaches about everything is important, and I think I'll be able to do that at Iowa State and accomplish my goals."

Already a talent on the mat, Drouin has found success in the classroom as well. In his first two years at ASU, he was named All-Academic Pac-10 second team, and in 2010 he was included on the All-Academic Pac-10 first-team list.
"Academics come first," Drouin said. "They are a top priority. I'm graduating over the summer and will take more coursework at ISU. The plan is to then make the jump to law school."

His effort in the classroom has also been noticed by coaches around the country, as he's been named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic team twice in his career.
Iowa State Wrestlers Ready to Make Impact at World-Level

AMES, Iowa - When it comes to the international scene of wrestling, Iowa State has always been well-represented. The Cyclones have boasted World and Olympic champions in the past. ISU currently has three wrestlers of past and present looking to continue that trend.

ISU head coach Kevin Jackson, the former U.S. freestyle head coach (2001-08) and 1992 Olympic gold medalist, would like to put a large, "Cyclone" stamp on the national freestyle arena.

"My experience as a former Olympic coach and World Team coach and coach Bono's experience as a three-time World Team member are aiding these wrestlers," Jackson said. "With the help of the Cyclone Wrestling Club, we are continually working to have a national training site in Ames."

Senior Cyclone 165-pounder Jon Reader is the 2010 University World Team Trials champion at 74 kg (163 pounds). The two-time All-American will be competing at the University World Championships Oct. 24-30 in Torino, Italy. Reader has had success at the freestyle level before. He was the 2009 Pan-Am Games silver medalist, and spent part of last summer honing his skills in Poland.

Incoming freshman Ryak Finch won the 2010 FILA Junior World Team Trials at 55 kg (121.5 pounds) without losing a single period in four matches. The future Cyclone was a three-time Arizona state champion and concluded his high school career with a record of 208-2. Finch will be representing the country at the FILA Junior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, July 20-25.

Former Iowa State three-time All-American Travis Paulson (74 kg) will be making his first appearance on the U.S. World Team. Travis dropped only one period through five matches en route to winning the 2010 World Team Trials. Paulson, who hails from Council Bluffs, defeated an Olympian and the 2010 U.S. Open champion in his bracket. The senior-level competitor will be representing the U.S. at the World Championships Sept. 6-12 in Moscow, Russia.

While all three Cyclones have seen success, Jackson believes there is still room for improvement.

"I think they all can get better going into the World Championships, when you are talking about wrestling the Russians, Iranians or other countries that have wrestled freestyle their whole lives," Jackson said. "Normally it takes around three years to make that transition from folkstyle to freestyle wrestling, and these guys have to do it in a short period of time to really give them a chance to be gold medalists."

With the great success that current and former Cyclones are having in different world-level competitions Jackson is confident that more top-level talent will continue to make its way to the Cyclone wrestling room.

"One of the goals for the Cyclone wrestling program, without a doubt, is creating a strong freestyle basis to show kids that we have the pieces in place that would allow them to become World and Olympic champions," Jackson said. "I think the best wrestlers in the country not only want to be NCAA champions, but also World and Olympic champions. If you have all of the necessary pieces in place, it makes your university more attractive for student-athletes coming out of high school."
Iowa State Cyclones Ready For World Team Trials in Council Bluffs

AMES, Iowa - Several former Iowa State wrestlers will be competing Saturday and Sunday in Council Bluffs, Iowa, at the World Team Trials. The competitors will be seeking to qualify for the U.S. world freestyle team that will be competing at the 2010 World Championships, September 6-12 in Moscow, Russia.

ISU head coach Kevin Jackson, formerly the head coach of the US freestyle team, is confident about the chances of former Cyclones in the tournament.

"I feel good about the guys who have been training here full-time." Jackson said. "They will be ready to perform at a high level at the Trials, we expect those guys to be in pursuit of a spot on the World team."

Past ISU national champion and three-time All-American Nate Gallick (2004-07) will be competing in the 60 kg (132 pounds) weight class. Gallick won the title at the New York AC International tournament this year and was a U.S. Open champion in 2007. He has been previously ranked No. 1 in the country at his weight.

Taking the mat in the 74 kg (163 pounds) division will be former Cyclone national champion and three-time All-American Trent Paulson (2005-08). The Council Bluffs native won a bronze medal at the 2010 Pan-American Championships. He was the winner of the 2009 Team Trial event last season to become a U.S. World Team member at 66 kg (145.5 pounds).

Also competing at the 74 kg weight is Trent's twin brother Travis Paulson. The latter was a U.S. Open champion in 2009 and placed third at the event this season. Travis Paulson was a three-time All-American at ISU (2005-08). The Paulson brothers will be competing in front of their hometown supporters for the second-straight year at the World Team Trials event.

Wrestling in the 84 kg (185 pound) class is former Iowa State All-American David Bertolino (2008). He placed third in the U.S. Open this year and competed at the Pan-American Championships.

ISU's Jake Varner, a two-time national champion and four-time finalist, will be wrestling in the 96 kg (211.5 pound) bracket. Varner was a 2009 U.S. World Team member after dominating the World Team Trials in 2009. He placed second this year in the U.S. Open after winning the event last season.

Jackson stressed the fact that having the best collegiate wrestlers in the Cyclone wrestling room can translate into World and Olympic-medal contention.

"Within in our program we have the structure to allow wrestlers to go past being an NCAA champion to reach their lifelong dreams of being the best in the world," Jackson said.
Iowa State's Zabriskie Participates In Mini-Camp With Cleveland Browns

AMES, Iowa - David Zabriskie didn't own a pair of football cleats, but that didn't stop Iowa State's 2010 NCAA heavyweight champion from saying yes to another challenge. Zabriskie flew to Cleveland, Ohio, April 30-May 2 to participate in the Cleveland Browns' rookie mini-camp.

Zabriskie spent his five-year collegiate career in the Cyclone wrestling room, leaving zero time to pursue other athletic interests. Dating back to his high school days in Branchville, N.J., "Z" never found his way to the gridiron, but that didn't faze him in his first attempt to grapple with a pigskin. He had known a bid to an NFL camp was a possibility.

"One of Cleveland's coaches asked me a few months ago if this was something I wanted to pursue," Zabriskie said. "And then they got a hold of me after the draft."

Zabriskie went through a rigorous weekend schedule of two-a-day practices and hours of team meetings.

"It was different," Zabriskie said. "It wasn't as physically demanding as I thought it would be. I'm used to wrestling practice where you're kind of working the whole time. At the camp, you spend a lot of time going over plays, and then part of the time you're just standing there watching. It was long, though. Each day was about 15 hours."

If Zabriskie were to attain NFL success, he wouldn't be the first NCAA heavyweight champion to walk the same path. Stephen Neal, a member of the New England Patriots football team, was a two-time heavyweight titlist for Cal-State Bakersfield (1998-99). Carlton Haselrig, a six-time NCAA champion between Division I and II (Pitt.-Johnston, 1987-89), went on to a five-year career in the NFL. The athleticism and explosiveness generally exhibited by wrestlers can sometimes translate to the professional football ranks.

Zabriskie found himself positioned at linebacker during parts of the camp, a spot on the field with many unknown nuances.

"I gained a lot of respect for the sport," Zabriskie said. "There is a lot of work that goes into the plays. You can't see or hear it sometimes. I found that was a major challenge to playing that position."

The Cyclone wrestling standout exited the camp on its final day with an experience to remember.

"Sunday morning, I talked to a few guys who told me good job and thanked me for coming out," Zabriskie said. "It was a fun experience. A few guys I talked to didn't believe I'd never played football before."

The cleats that are on loan from the ISU football team may or may not be returned.

"I'm not sure when I'll use them again," Zabriskie said. "But right now, that's about all I have from my football career. And a couple Browns' t-shirts."
Iowa State Assistant Wrestling Coach Bono to Lead U.S. Pan-Am Team in Mexico

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Iowa State assistant wrestling coach Chris Bono has been named coach of USA Wrestling's Pan-American Championships freestyle squad, it was announced. The 2010 Pan-American Championships are in Monterrey, Mexico, April 30-May 5.

Bono will be coaching several of the top U.S. competitors at the Senior-level in his first coaching opportunity internationally.

"I get to represent the United States in an international tournament as a coach," Bono said. "I've been at the Pan-Am tournament before as a competitor, but I'm really excited for this first opportunity to coach."

Bono, a four-time Pan-Am participant, has placed third in the tournament three times. He will call upon his past experiences to aid the current squad members.

"Instead of worrying about myself, I'll be worrying about seven athletes," Bono said. "It'll come down to everything, not just making sure they are ready to wrestle. I plan to give them everything they need to compete at the highest level possible."

Countries from North, Central and South America will be competing in the event. Arizona State head coach Shawn Charles is also on the U.S. staff. Charles was an ISU assistant from 1993-1995.

Former Cyclone national champion Trent Paulson will be competing at 74 kg (163 pounds).

Bono plans to take notes for his return to coaching in the Cyclone wrestling room.

"We'll be studying what everyone is doing," Bono said. "Hopefully we'll be able to bring home some new technique and strategies. There are those little things that it takes to win a World Championship or an Olympic Gold medal."
Varner and Zabriskie Named Iowa State's Outstanding Wrestlers

AMES, Iowa - Jake Varner and David Zabriskie, NCAA wrestling champions at 197 pounds and heavyweight at the 2010 NCAA Championships , were named Iowa State's Outstanding Wrestlers Thursday evening at the ISU Wrestling Awards Banquet held in Hickory Hall. Honored alongside the two Cyclone seniors for achieving All-America status was 125-pound redshirt freshman Andrew Long. Iowa State placed third nationally for the second-straight year.

Varner, a two-time NCAA titlist at 197 pounds and four-time finalist, received the Most Falls Award. The Bakersfield, Calif., native stuck 10 opponents in his final Cyclone campaign. Varner concluded his standout career with a 121-10 record.

Zabriskie, Iowa State's first heavyweight national champion since the legendary Chris Taylor, went 116-22 in his career.

Long was named the squad's Freshman of the Year. The Creston, Iowa, native notched a 27-7 record en route to his national runner-up finish. Long also garnered the Progress Award, given to the ISU wrestler who makes the most strides individually throughout the season.

For the fourth time in his career, ISU's Nick Fanthorpe garnered the Total Commitment Award. Fanthorpe capped his career with a 2-2 mark at the NCAA Championships to bring his career record to 100-32. The Naperville, Ill., native is the 35th member of ISU's "100-Win Club."

Fanthorpe, along with fellow senior teammate Joe Curran were honored with the Outstanding Academic Award, which is given to the two wrestlers with the highest grade-point average. Additional academic recognition was given to Curran, Fanthorpe, Mitch Mueller and Kyle Simonson. Fanthorpe and Mueller were Big 12 All-Academic first team members.

Mueller notched the Most Improved Award after going 27-9 for the best mark in his ISU career. Mueller was knocked out of contention in this season's NCAA Championships just one win shy of All-America status.

The Dr. Wise Burroughs Leadership Award, given to the wrestler who demonstrates the most leadership on the team, was received by two-time All-American Jon Reader. The Davison, Mich., native also notched the Most Takedowns Award.
Iowa State’s Long Pulls Stunner; Three Cyclones To NCAA Finals

OMAHA, Neb. – For Iowa State’s wrestling team, Friday’s action at the NCAA Wrestling Championships was truly a roller coaster ride. The peak of the day’s up-and-down journey saw the Cyclone trio of Andrew Long (125 pounds), Jake Varner (197) and Dave Zabriskie (HWT) sweep into Saturday’s championship round. Their efforts propelled ISU into third place after the first two days of the competition. Iowa State has tallied 67 points. Iowa leads with 120 œ points. Cornell is second with 75 points.

The valley of the day’s action was the loss of Nick Fanthorpe (133), Mitch Mueller (149) and Jon Reader (165) in narrow defeats in matches in which the winner earned All-America honors. Consequently, the Cyclones have no wrestlers in the consolation round.

The championship round begins Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The session will be televised live on ESPN. Iowa State has three wrestlers in the NCAA finals for the first time since 2007 (Trent Paulson, 157; Jake Varner, 184 and Kurt Backes, 197). Consolation and placing matches begin Saturday at 10 a.m and will be shown on ESPNU.

“It was bittersweet tonight,” Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. “All college wrestlers dream of wrestling in the NCAA finals and we have three guys who will do that Saturday. It was very tough to see our guys go out in the consolations.”

Long’s stunning and decisive upset of top-seeded, undefeated and former national champion Angel Escobedo of Indiana was a euphoric moment for Iowa State fans. Escobedo was untouchable in his first three matches with a major decision, victory by fall and technical fall win heading into the semifinal match.

Long came back from a 2-1 deficit to score a pair of takedowns to win 5-4 over Escobedo. The Cyclone is now 27-6. Escobedo is 36-1. Long was thrilled he had the opportunity to shine at his first NCAA Championships.

“It feels real good knowing that I can compete with all these guys,” Long said. “It’s exciting to know that my talent is equal, if not better than theirs.”

Long is the first ever ISU 125-pounder to make the NCAA finals. NCAA weight classes were reclassified in 1998. Long will face fellow freshman and third-seeded Matt McDonough in Saturday’s title match. It is the first match in the finals pitting a Cyclone and a Hawkeye against each other since Eric Juergens and Cody Sanderson in 2000.

“Andrew is a stud,” Jackson said. “He has bought into everything that we have been teaching. He was not at all intimidated going into the match.”

Varner will appear in his fourth NCAA finals after shutting out Cornell’s Cam Simaz, 6-0. The Iowa Stater pushed the action throughout the match, inducing a stalling warning and successive penalty point on the Big Red grappler.

“It is frustrating when you wrestle a guy who doesn’t want to wrestle,” Varner said. “He just wanted to keep it close. But I am here to win, it doesn’t matter who I am wrestling.”

Varner joins Cyclone wrestling legend and former head coach Cael Sanderson as the only Iowa State wrestlers to be four-time finalists.

“It is bad for wrestling when a guy comes out and doesn’t want to compete, like Jake’s opponent tonight,” Jackson said. “But Jake has dealt with this all season long and he dealt with it tonight.”

The Cyclone standout (30-0) will face rival Craig Brester of Nebraska in the 197-pound title bout, a rematch of the 2009 NCAA 197-pound title match. Varner is 5-1 all-time against the Husker. He turned away Brester for the Big 12 197-pound crown two weeks ago, 5-2.

Zabriskie got revenge in his semifinal win. The Cyclone heavyweight took full advantage of his chance to avenge his 2009 NCAA semifinal loss to No. 4 Konrad Dudziak of Duke. Zabriskie struck first in the match, but found the match score tied 5-5 in the third period. After being cut loose by Dudziak, ISU’s “little heavyweight” fought away the Blue Devil on a final shot attempt to secure the victory. Dudziak had taken a minute and a half of injury time in the second period to catch his breath. Zabriskie never took a time out.

“Conditioning was a factor,” Zabriskie said. “If he doesn’t take that rest the score would not have been as close.”

Zabriskie, a three-time All-American, will face rival No. 2-seeded Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State. Zabriskie downed the Cowboy in overtime for the Big 12 title two weeks ago by a score of 3-1 (SV2).

“One thing about Dave in this tournament has been that he has not wrestled a single overtime match,” Jackson said.

Zabriskie, often outweighed by more than 20 pounds in a match, has won 16 of 19 career matches in overtime, but has not yet needed an extra period for victory in the tournament. Zabriskie is already the first three-time All-American heavyweight in school history. “Z” is 25-2 this season and 115-22 in his career.

Fanthorpe’s Cyclone career ended just short of All-America status in consolation action, with the 2008 All-American falling in overtime to Maryland’s ninth-seeded Steve Bell, 7-5 (SV). Fanthorpe notched two wins in his final NCAA tournament to become the 35th member of Iowa State’s “100-Win Club.” The Cyclone finishes the season with an 18-9 record as a senior, with a 100-32 mark for his career.

“Nick gave it all he had,” Jackson said. “After his leg injury last year, I don’t think he had all the movement he had before. The fact that he underwent surgery this summer and came back like he did is a testament to his character. It speaks louder than words.”

It was almost Mueller’s best tournament, but it just wasn’t meant to be for the 149-pound Cyclone. Mueller, a four-time NCAA qualifier, couldn’t fend off ninth-seeded Kevin LeValley of Bucknell in overtime, dropping the match by a score of 7-6 (TB1). Mueller concluded his final ISU season with a 27-9 mark, a career-best in single-season wins. The Iowa City, Iowa, native notched a career record of 93-47.

Reader, a two-time All-American (165), was denied for a third chance at All-American after falling to No. 9 Andy Rendos of Bucknell, 7-2, in consolation. Reader, the fourth-seed, suffered an early defeat in the tournament after dropping his first round match to Old Dominion’s Chris Brown, 5-4. The Cyclone battled in the wrestleback rounds, picking up three straight wins before eventually falling to Rendos. Reader went 25-6 on his junior campaign, after going 3-2 in his third NCAA event.

Click the slideout tabs above to access video and a full bracket (.PDF) through Day Two action.

Session IV Results
Championship Semifinals
125 pounds - No. 5 Andrew Long (ISU) dec. No. 1 Angel Escobedo (Indiana), 7-4
197 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) dec. No. 4 Cam Simaz (Cornell), 6-0
HWT - No. 1 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 4 Konrad Dudziak (Duke), 6-5

Consolation Round 5
133 pounds - No. 9 Steve Bell (Maryland) dec. No. 10 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU), 7-5 (SV)
149 pounds - No. 9 Kevin LeValley (Bucknell) dec. No. 7 Mitch Mueller (ISU), 7-6 (TB1)
165 pounds - No. 9 Andrew Rendos (Bucknell) dec. No. 4 Jon Reader (ISU), 7-2
Full Iowa State Lineup Will Make Trip To Omaha

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Six Iowa State wrestlers are seeded among the
top-eight competitors in their respective weight classes for the NCAA
Wrestling Championship, March 18-20 in Omaha, Neb. Two Cyclones, Jake
Varner and David Zabriskie are the top seeds at 197 pounds and
heavyweight, respectively.

The NCAA released the brackets Wednesday. Iowa State will bring its
full lineup to the event for the fourth-straight year. After
qualifying nine wrestlers at the Big 12 Championship March 6, Cyclone
184-pounder Jerome Ward was awarded an at-large bid to the national
tournament. The addition of Ward completes the ISU lineup for the trip
to Omaha.

At 125 pounds, redshirt freshman standout Andrew Long earned the No. 5
seed for the Cyclones. Long will face Stanford's Ryan Mango in the
first round.

ISU senior 133-pounder Nick Fanthorpe is seeded 10th. The 2008
All-American matches up with Brown's Cortlandt Choate in the initial
round.

Iowa State 141-pounder Dalton Jensen faces No. 4 Reece Humphrey of
Ohio State in the first round. Humphrey edged the Iowa Stater 6-5 at
the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals.

ISU senior Mitch Mueller garnered the seventh-seed at 149 pounds. His
first round opponent is Frank Gayeski of Liberty.

ISU's Andrew Sorenson will take on Michigan State's Anthony Jones in
initial action.

Cyclone Jon Reader was awarded the fourth-seed at 165 pounds. The
two-time All-American is set to face Old Dominion's Chris Brown.

At 174 pounds, ISU's Duke Burk draws 10th-seeded Jordan Blanton of
Illinois. Burk turned away the Illini wrestler at the Midlands
Championships by decision, 9-8.

Ward will face top-seeded Kirk Smith of Boise State at 184 pounds.
Ward drew Smith as his first round opponent at last year's NCAA
Championships. The Boise State wrestler escaped with a 3-1 victory
over the Cyclone.

ISU's Varner will look for a title-repeat at 197 pounds to cap his
senior campaign. Varner, the top-seeded wrestler at the weight, faces
Boise State's Matt Casperson in first round action.

Fresh off his third Big 12 title at heavyweight, Iowa State's
Zabriskie holds the No. 1 seed entering the NCAA event for the
second-straight season. The two-time All-American matches up with
Wisconsin's Eric Bugenhagen in the first round.

The first round of the NCAA Championships begins March 18 at 11 a.m.
in the Qwest Center.

Iowa State NCAA Qualifiers (10)
125 pounds - No. 5 Andrew Long
133 pounds - No. 10 Nick Fanthorpe
141 pounds - Dalton Jensen
149 pounds - No. 7 Mitch Mueller
157 pounds - Andrew Sorenson
165 pounds - No. 4 Jon Reader
174 pounds - Duke Burk
184 pounds - Jerome Ward
197 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner
HWT - No. 1 David Zabriskie
Varner and Zabriskie End Championship With Titles, Iowa State Takes Second

NORMAN, Okla. - The Iowa State wrestling team entered the Big 12 Championship finals Saturday evening with the team score lead, but a string of close finals losses proved too much to overcome for the three-time defending champions. ISU relinquished its stranglehold on the league championship to Oklahoma State, which took the conference crown with a 70.5-point performance. The Cyclones, paced by individual champions Jake Varner (197) and David Zabriskie (HWT), took team runner-up honors with 69 points. Oklahoma posted a 64-point score for third place, with Missouri (33) and Nebraska (32) rounding out the event

Nine Iowa State wrestlers are automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships. Only ISU 184-pounder Jerome Ward, who placed fifth Saturday, must await the awarding of a at-large berth March 11.

"We are disappointed," Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. "We had a chance to take care of our own destiny and didn't wrestle and do the things we knew we had to do. I was impressed with Varner's match. He rode Brester throughout the match and was real quick on his takedowns. I am starting to worry less about Dave Zabriskie in these overtime matches. You always worry when it comes down to that in overtime at the NCAA tournament but what can I say. He beat two of the nation's best heavyweights to win a third Big 12 title. Very impressive.

The man waiting at the end of the Cyclone lineup always brings his best for the Big 12 Championship. Iowa State's Zabriskie has a storied rivalry with Oklahoma State's Jared Rosholt, but that was in the back of the two-time All-American's mind. With the score knotted at 1-1 after regulation, a first sudden victory period and a tie breaker period couldn't determine a winner. In the second sudden victory period, Zabriskie sprawled away from a Cowboy shot attempt and covered for the decisive takedown with 20 seconds remaining on the clock to record his third Big 12 title at heavyweight. He is the first ISU heavyweight ever to take home three conference first-place trophies.

"It was really hot and we both were sweating," Zabriskie said. "I wanted to come out aggressive because he had clubbed me in the dual meet and I got down early. We were both tired but I kept up the pace the whole match."

Zabriskie improves his career record against Rosholt to 6-3. The Cyclone 285-pounder is the 14th three-time conference champion in ISU history.

Varner, Iowa State's defending NCAA champion at 197 pounds, kept Nebraska's Craig Brester at bay this time. After surrendering a takedown to the Husker in their previous match, Varner left no doubt this time with a controlling 5-2 victory for Big 12 first-place honors. Varner added a takedown with three seconds left in the match to distance his lead. The title is Varner's second league trophy, with his first coming at 184 pounds as a sophomore.

"It starts with going to practice with a purpose," Varner said. "I don't focus on any one person. It is all about the bigger goal."

Varner improves to 5-1 all-time against the Husker. ISU's three-time NCAA finalist is 26-0 this season. He is the 38th two-time conference titlist in program history.

"It feels good as a senior to have another conference title," Varner said. "But this isn't the big one. That is in two weeks and that is what I've been training all season for. That is the title I'm after."

Iowa State's first four finalists fell to their opponents for runner-up performances, with No. 1-seeded Andrew Long dropping first to Oklahoma's second-seeded Jerrod Patterson at 125 pounds, 5-3. Senior 133-pounder Nick Fanthorpe was unable to turn away top-seeded Cowboy Jordan Oliver, losing by decision, 6-2. Fellow senior teammate Mitch Mueller was edged by No. 1 Kyle Terry of Oklahoma, 4-2.

ISU's Jon Reader couldn't pick up his second career victory against Missouri's Nicholas Marable at 165 pounds. With the score in the Tiger's favor, 6-5, in the final thirty seconds, the Cyclone two-time All-American couldn't secure the proper hold to record the takedown necessary to win.

ISU 157-pounder Andrew Sorenson notched a third-place finish with a grinding decision against Nebraska's Tyler Koehn, winning 2-1. Senior 174-pounder Duke Burk used overtime to score a third-place finish for Iowa State. Burk downed OU's Jeff James in sudden victory, 3-1. Cyclone sophomore Dalton Jensen placed fourth at 141 pounds after dropping to third-seed Todd Schavrien of Missouri, 7-6.

In consolation semifinal action, Iowa State split bouts with second-seeded Sorenson winning 15-4 over Missouri's Patrick Wright, and No. 3 Jerome Ward falling to fifth-seeded Sooner Erich Schmidtke, 4-3.

2010 Big 12 Championship Final Team Scoring
Oklahoma State 70.5
Iowa State 69
Oklahoma 64
Missouri 33
Nebraska 32

2010 Big 12 Championship - Second Session Results
Finals
125 pounds - No. 2 Jerrod Patterson (OU) dec. No. 1 Andrew Long (ISU), 5-3
133 pounds - No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) dec. No. 2 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU), 6-2
149 pounds - No. 1 Kyle Terry (OU) dec. No. 2 Mitch Mueller (ISU), 4-2
165 pounds - No. 2 Nicholas Marable (MU) dec. No. 1 Jon Reader (ISU), 6-5
197 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) dec. No. 2 Craig Brester (NU), 5-2
HWT - No. 2 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 1 Jared Rosholt (OSU), 3-1 (SV2)

Third-Place Matches
141 pounds - No. 3 Todd Schavrien (MU) dec. No. 5 Dalton Jensen (ISU), 7-6
157 pounds - No. 2 Andrew Sorenson (ISU) dec. No. 4 Tyler Koehn (NU), 2-1
174 pounds - No. 4 Duke Burk (ISU) dec. No. No. 3 Jeff James (OU), 3-1 (SV)

Consolation Semifinals
157 pounds - No. 2 Andrew Sorenson (ISU) major dec. No. 4 Patrick Wright (MU), 15-4
184 pounds - No. 5 Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. No. 3 Jerome Ward (ISU), 4-3
No. 2 Iowa State Looking For Fourth-Straight Big 12 Title

Cyclone Notebook

* The No. 2 Iowa State wrestling team races into the postseason in search of its fourth-straight Big 12 Conference team championship. ISU finished the regular season with a 13-2 overall record in dual action. The Cyclones tied Nebraska (70 pts) last season for a share of the league trophy.

* Iowa State's wins at No. 10 Oklahoma (21-12) and No. 3 Oklahoma State (20-18) Jan. 22-24 mark just the second time in Cyclone history (1971) that ISU has won at OU and at OSU in the same season. Iowa State is perfect in the Big 12 (4-0) with a Feb. 14 victory over No. 17 Missouri, 28-10, and a Feb. 21 win over Nebraska, 34-7.

* ISU notched the 1,000th dual victory in program history Feb. 7 at Arizona State with a 30-10 win. ISU is 1,002-263-20 all-time in duals, dating back to 1916.

* The Cyclones posted their best National Duals finish since 2000, earning second place Jan. 10 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. ISU beat Bloomsburg, No. 8 Maryland and No. 3 Ohio State before falling to No. 1 Iowa, 19-12.

* The Cyclones notched earlier dual victories Nov. 12 in Hilton Coliseum over South Dakota State (43-3), Dec. 19 at UNI, 42-0, Jan. 3 at No. 6 Minnesota, 19-16 and Jan. 16 at home over Illinois by a score of 33-9.

* ISU is currently ranked 2/2 in the Intermat and W.I.N. Magazine polls, respectively.

* Three Iowa Staters have at least 24 wins this season. Varner (197) is perfect at a 24-0 mark. ISU's Mitch Mueller (149) and Andrew Sorenson (157) have both tallied 24 wins, as well.

Iowa State at The Big 12 Championship

* Iowa State has won at least a share of the last three Big 12 Conference Championship team titles (2007-09). ISU tied Nebraska for the title last season in Lincoln, Neb. with a total of 70 points.

* The 2009 Big 12 co-championship marked the first ever conference three-peat for the Cyclones in any sport.

* Iowa State's Nick Fanthorpe (133) and David Zabriskie (HWT) notched their second individual
conference belts at the 2009 edition of the event. ISU's Jake Varner was the 184-pound winner in 2008.

* Before the 2007 Big 12 team win, the Cyclones previous best performances were second-place showings in 1997, 2000 and 2005.

* Since the first Big 12 Conference championship in 1997, there have been 28 individual Iowa State league champions.

* The Cyclones have won 15 conference team titles. ISU has taken home the first-place trophy in 1933, 37, 41, 47, 58, 70, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82, 87, 2007, 08 and 09.

Scouting The Big 12 Championship

* Three Big 12 Conference wrestling squads reside within the top-10 in rankings. No. 2 Iowa State will clash with fourth-ranked Oklahoma State, as well as No. 8 Oklahoma.

* Five individual Big 12 champions from last season return to defend their titles. Iowa State's Nick Fanthorpe (133), Oklahoma's Kyle Terry (149), Missouri's Nicholas Marable (165), Nebraska's Craig Brester (197) and ISU's David Zabriskie (HWT) brought home top-honors last year.

* In Big 12 dual competition, eight grapplers sport undefeated records. Wrestlers with clean league records are: ISU's Andrew Long (125), 3-0; OSU's Jordan Oliver (133), 5-0; Oklahoma's Kyle Terry (149), 5-0; Iowa State's Jon Reader (165), 4-0; Nebraska's Stephen Dwyer (174), 4-0; Missouri's Max Askren (184), 4-0; ISU's Jake Varner (197), 4-0; and Oklahoma State's Jared Rosholt (HWT), 5-0.

* Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1997, Oklahoma State leads with 50 individual champions. Iowa State's count of 29 places second over Oklahoma (22), Nebraska (17) and Missouri (12).

* The Big 12 regularly crowns some of the top-talent in the nation. Since 1997, Big 12 wrestlers have accounted for 38 NCAA individual champion trophies.

Varner Wins, No. 2 Cyclones Dismantle Huskers, 34-7

* No. 2 Iowa State capped off the regular season in dominating fashion Feb. 21 with a 34-7 win over Big 12 foe Nebraska on Senior Day. The highlight match at 197 pounds went to the wire, with top-rated Jake Varner (24-0) turning away Craig Brester (25-1) of Nebraska in overtime, 6-4.

* The Cyclones took eight of the 10 contested weights, with five matches resulting in bonus points for the ISU team effort. The victory was the largest Cyclone victory over the Huskers since 1985 (34-4).

* Iowa State finished the 2009-10 dual season with a 13-2 overall record, and a perfect 4-0 mark in league action. ISU swept its four Big 12 opponents for the second time in the dual season (2006-07).

ISU's Three-Time NCAA Finalist Varner Continues To Light It Up

* Iowa State's Jake Varner is as dominant as ever at 197 pounds this season. After recording a 31-2 record en route to a NCAA title at 197 pounds in 2009, Varner is undefeated in his senior campaign with 24 victories.

* The Bakersfield, Calif., native earned bonus points in 83 percent of his matches this season, with either a major decision, technical fall, pin or forfeit.

* Varner holds a 114-10 record in his career, which equates to a .919 winning-percentage. The Cyclone sports an outstanding 61-4 mark in dual competition.
Varner Wins, No. 2 Iowa State Dismantle Nebraska, 34-7

AMES, Iowa - The second-ranked Iowa State wrestling team capped off the regular season in dominating fashion Sunday afternoon with a 34-7 win over Big 12 foe Nebraska on Senior Day. The highlight match at 197 pounds went to the wire, with top-rated Jake Varner (24-0) turning away Craig Brester (25-1) of Nebraska in overtime, 6-4. The Cyclones took eight of the 10 contested weights, with five matches resulting in bonus points for the ISU team effort. The victory is the largest Cyclone victory over the Huskers since 1985 (34-4).

"We're getting better," ISU head coach Kevin Jackson. "Jake got a big takedown when he had to," Jackson said. "We practice those situations all the time, trying to get a takedown when you are almost drained."

Iowa State finishes the dual season with a 13-2 overall record, and a perfect 4-0 mark in league action. ISU swept its four Big 12 opponents for the second time in the dual season (2006-07). Nebraska concludes its season with a 9-11 overall dual record, with a 0-4 mark in the Big 12.

"It was a great afternoon," Jackson said. "Nick Fanthorpe is wrestling at his best and he went after the pin. Mitch Mueller wants to be an All-American and he is wrestling better than he ever has."

Before the dual had even began, the Cyclone cheers rang down upon the mat as ISU honored its seven senior wrestlers. The crowd of over 3,500 was on their feet to applaud the career efforts of Cyclones Duke Burk, Joe Curran, Nick Fanthorpe, Nick Gallick, Mitch Mueller, Varner and David Zabriskie. Senior Cyclones scored four wins in the affair.

"The pre-match ceremony was great," Fanthorpe said. "I made the right choice going to Iowa State and I could not have wrestled for better fans."

The rematch of the 2009 NCAA 197-pound title bout was everything fans expected. Heading into overtime with a sudden victory period, ISU's Varner and NU's Brester were tied 4-4. Both grapplers each notched takedowns and a pair of escapes in regulation. Varner snapped his familiar foe towards the mat and circled around for the decisive takedown with three seconds remaining in the period to secure the victory.

"When you are out there, you aren't thinking about last year or it being your last home match," Varner said. "It was a great way to go out and I love being a part of this team."

The dual meet started with consecutive pins from Cyclones Andrew Long (125) and Nick Fanthorpe (133). Long stuck Husker David Klingsheim in the third period at the 6:43 mark. Fanthorpe made quick work of Nebraska's C.J. Napier, ending the match at 2:32 in the first period.

Cyclone senior Mitch Mueller scored his first technical fall in dual action of this season with an 18-3 (4:34) performance over Nebraska's Dustin Payne at 149 pounds.

Iowa State's Andrew Sorenson (157) and Jon Reader (165) put up major decision victories for the ISU team score. Sorenson used a strong third period to power his way to an 18-5 win against Nebraska's Tyler Koehn. Reader scored a 21-8 win over Husker 165-pounder James Nakashima.

ISU 184-pounder Jerome Ward gutted out a 3-1 decision of Nebraska's Josh Ihnen. Heavyweight David Zabriskie concluded the dual by defeating Husker Tucker Lane by decision, 3-2.

"It has all gone by so fast," Zabriskie said. "I can't believe that we wrestled our last match in Hilton Coliseum. I have loved it here."

The Cyclones will march towards the postseason with the next stop being March 6 in Norman, Okla. for the 2010 Big 12 Championships.

Click the slideout tabs in the above photo for access to video, a photo album and full results (.PDF) from the ISU-NU dual.

IOWA STATE 34, NEBRASKA 7
125 pounds - No. 5 Andrew Long (ISU) pinned David Klingsheim (NU), 6:43
133 pounds - No. 9 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) pinned C.J. Napier (NU), 2:32
141 pounds - Mike Koehnlein (NU) dec. No. 18 Dalton Jensen (ISU), 4-2
149 pounds - No. 9 Mitch Mueller (ISU) tech. fall Dustin Payne (NU), 18-3 (4:34)
157 pounds - No. 20 Andrew Sorenson (ISU) major dec. Tyler Koehn (NU), 18-5
165 pounds - No. 2 Jon Reader (ISU) major dec. James Nakashima (NU), 21-8
174 pounds - No. 4 Stephen Dwyer (NU) major dec. No. 20 Duke Burk (ISU), 11-2
184 pounds - No. 13 Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Josh Ihnen (NU), 3-1
197 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) dec. No. 2 Craig Brester (NU), 6-4 (SV)
HWT - No. 5 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 14 Tucker Lane (NU), 3-2
Iowa State Cruise To Win No. 1,000 Over Arizona State, 30-10

TEMPE, Ariz. - It was a big win. For Iowa State head wrestling coach Kevin Jackson, it was the 11th victory of his coaching career, but for the vaunted Cyclone wrestling program, it was a more tremendous milestone. No. 2-ranked ISU posted the 1,000th dual win in program history Sunday afternoon in Wells Fargo Arena, beating Arizona State, 30-10. Iowa State turned up the heat on the Sun Devils, winning seven of the nine contested matches to become the first collegiate program to reach 1,000 wins.

Jackson recognized the magnitude of his team's win, but stressed to importance of further improvement from the Cyclone grapplers.

"We're happy with the victory," Jackson said. "We're glad this group of guys was able to accomplish that for our university and for all Cyclones out there.

"I don't believe we wrestled to our full ability today. Overall, we'll take the win, but we have to improve. We have to wrestle the way we want to wrestle at the Big 12 Championship and the NCAA tournament. That will be our focus over the next few weeks."

Four Cyclone win results added bonus points towards the team's effort, with 157-pounder Andrew Sorenson scoring the biggest victory. The sophomore Iowa Stater pinned ASU's Michael Swigart in the first period at the 1:53 mark. Sorenson drove the Sun Devil straight to his back after finishing a double-leg takedown. Top-ranked Cyclone Jake Varner also earned six team points after being forfeited to at 197 pounds. The two teammates hold season records of 22-6 and 22-0, respectively.

ISU 165-pound junior Jon Reader recorded his fifth technical fall of the season against Arizona State's Kyle DeBerry. Reader powered his way to a 13-0 lead to finish the first period. Starting in neutral, the two-time All-American ended the match with a takedown at the 3:23 mark. Reader improves to 19-3 and 11-2 in dual matches.

Senior 133-pounder Nick Fanthorpe scored bonus points for Iowa State with a 12-3 major decision of ASU's Ben Ashmore. Fanthorpe (13-6) nears the 100-win plateau with a 95-29 overall record for his career.

Cyclones Mitch Mueller (149), Duke Burk (174) and David Zabriskie (HWT) notched victories by decision in their matchups against Arizona State. Mueller edged Sun Devil Vicente Varela by a score of 3-2. Burk was victorious over ASU's Eric Starks, 7-2. Zabriskie concluded the dual meet with a 4-1 win over Erik Nye of Arizona State.

The ISU-ASU dual began with fireworks at 125 pounds with a matchup of top-five individuals. Fifth-ranked Cyclone Andrew Long was unable to finish off an upset of No. 3 Anthony Robles of ASU after leading 10-2 in the second period. The Sun Devil went on a run of 10 points to close the match against the redshirt freshman Cyclone, 12-10.

The Cyclones return home to Hilton Coliseum Feb. 14 to dual Big 12 foe Missouri. Mat competition begins at 2 p.m.

IOWA STATE 30, ARIZONA STATE 10
125 pounds - No. 3 Anthony Robles (ASU) dec. No. 5 Andrew Long (ISU), 12-10
133 pounds - No. 10 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) major dec. Ben Ashmore (ASU), 12-3
141 pounds - No. 18 Chris Drouin (ASU) major dec. No. 13 Dalton Jensen (ISU), 10-1
149 pounds - No. 10 Mitch Mueller (ISU) dec. Vicente Varela (ASU), 3-2
157 pounds - Andrew Sorenson (ISU) pinned Michael Swigart (ASU), 1:53
165 pounds - No. 2 Jon Reader (ISU) tech. fall Kyle DeBerry (ASU), 15-0 (3:23)
174 pounds - Duke Burk (ISU) dec. Eric Starks (ASU), 7-2
184 pounds - Jake Meredith (ASU) dec. No. 10 Jerome Ward (ISU), 3-2
197 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) won by forfeit
HWT - No. 4 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 14 Erik Nye (ASU), 4-1
No. 2 Iowa State Journey West To Battle Arizona State

Cyclone Notebook
* The second-ranked Iowa State wrestling team will travel to Arizona State Sunday. ISU wrestled the Sun Devils to a 24-11 victory last season.

* The Cyclones handled sixth-ranked Cornell, 24-13 last Sunday, in Ithaca, N.Y.
* Iowa State's wins at No. 10 Oklahoma (21-12) and No. 3 Oklahoma State (20-18) Jan. 22-24 marks just the second time in Cyclone history (1971) that ISU has won at OU and at OSU in the same season.
* The Cyclones posted their best National Duals finish since 2000, earning second place Jan. 10 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. ISU beat Bloomsburg, No. 8 Maryland and No. 3 Ohio State before falling to No. 1 Iowa, 19-12.
* Iowa State notched a team runner-up finish at the 47th Annual Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill., Dec. 29-30. ISU's Jake Varner took the 197-pound crown.
* The Cyclones are 10-2 in the 2009-10 season with earlier dual victories coming Nov. 12 in Hilton Coliseum over South Dakota State (43-3), Dec. 19 at UNI, 42-0, Jan. 3 at No. 6 Minnesota, 19-16 and Jan. 16 at home over Illinois by a score of 33-9.
* ISU is currently ranked 2/2 in the Intermat and W.I.N. Magazine polls, respectively.
* Iowa State is 999-263-20 all-time in duals, dating back to 1916.
* The Cyclones are coming off a third-place showing at last year's NCAA Championships.
* Four Iowa Staters have at least 20 wins on their record this season. Varner (197) is perfect with a 21-0 record. Cyclones Andrew Long (125), Mitch Mueller (149) and Andrew Sorenson (157) have all tallied 21 wins, as well.

Iowa State vs. Arizona State Series Notes
* Iowa State holds the advantage in the series with ASU, 22-6.
* ISU has won the last five meetings between the two wrestling programs, dating back to 2004.
* The Cyclones have taken 11 of the last 12 duals, with the lone loss to the Sun Devils coming Jan. 7, 2004 by a score of 22-20.
* The Iowa State squad was victorious in last year's matchup with Arizona State, winning 24-11 without the presence of five ISU starters.

Scouting Arizona State
* ASU is 9-6 in dual competition thus far in the 2009-10 season.
* The Sun Devils were turned away by Oregon State Jan. 31 by a score of 35-5 at home in Wells Fargo Arena.

* Arizona State was perfect at the Lone Star Duals in Arlington, Texas Jan. 16, going 3-0 with wins over Harvard (39-12), Air Force (38-6) and Utah Valley (27-15).

* Two Sun Devils return with All-America accolades on their resumes. ASU's Anthony Robles placed fourth at 125 pounds last season. Also in 2009, Chris Drouin notched a sixth-place finish at 141 pounds.

* Three matchups from last season's 24-11 Cyclone dual victory over Arizona State could occur again in this season's edition of the dual. ISU's

Jon Reader scored a major decision of Arizona State's Kyle DeBerry, 16-7. Cyclone 174-pounder Duke Burk won by decision over ASU's Eric Starks, 8-4. Iowa Stater Jerome Ward needed extra time at 184 pounds to edge Sun Devil Jake Meredith, 6-4 (SV1).

No. 2 Cyclones Turn Away No. 6 Cornell, 24-13

* The second-ranked Iowa State wrestling team beat No. 6 Cornell Jan. 31 by taking seven of 10 matches for a 24-13 victory before more than 4,000 Big Red fans in Newman Arena. The Cyclones improved their dual record to 10-2 in its 2009-10 campaign. The dual victory was the 999th in program history. Cornell fell to 3-4-1.

* Iowa State's top-ranked Jake Varner (21-0) rolled up the points quickly against No. 5 Cam Simaz, holding a 14-1 advantage heading into the final period. ISU's three-time NCAA finalist ended the match with a technical fall by a score of 19-1 (6:56).

* Two-time All-American Jon Reader scored a 14-4 major decision of Cornell's Justin Kerber at 165 pounds. The victory improves Reader's season mark to 18-3.

* Five Cyclones won matches by decision. Iowa Staters Nick Fanthorpe (133), Mitch Mueller (149), Andrew Sorenson (157), Jerome Ward (184) and David Zabriskie (HWT) contributed wins by decision to the ISU cause.

ISU's Three-Time NCAA Finalist Varner Continues To Light It Up
* Iowa State's Jake Varner is as dominant as ever at 197 pounds this season. After recording a 31-2 record en route to a NCAA title at 197 pounds in 2009, Varner is undefeated in his senior campaign with 21 victories.

* The Bakersfield, Calif., native has won 81 percent of his matches this season for bonus points, with either a major decision, technical fall or pin.

* Varner has been a standout in the Cyclone lineup since taking the starting spot at 184 pounds as a redshirt freshman. Varner holds a 110-10 record in his career, which equates to a .917 winning-percentage. The Cyclone sports an outstanding 58-4 mark in dual competition.
Varner Pins To Seal 20-18 Iowa State Victory At Oklahoma State

STILLWATER, Okla. - Who is the nation's best collegiate wrestler? Some say Iowa State's defending NCAA 197-pound champion and U.S. Freestyle team member Jake Varner. Varner underscored his credentials Sunday, pinning sixth-rated Alan Gelogaev of Oklahoma State on the Cowboy's mat at 197 pounds to lead No. 2 Iowa State to 20-18 victory over No. 3 OSU in Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cyclones improve to 9-2 in duals and 2-0 in Big 12 Conference action. The Cowboys fall to 8-2-1. It is Iowa State's fourth win in its last five matches against Oklahoma State.

Varner's 10th fall of his senior season came at the 4:43 mark of the 197-pound bout. Varner is 20-0 this season while Gelogaev is 21-2. The first period's score was 0-0 after several fruitless shot attempts by Varner. Gelogaev elected to take the bottom position to begin the second period and the Cyclones' three-time NCAA finalist ended the top-10 individual matchup with a cradle.

"Jake (Varner) is a world-class wrestler," Jackson said. "For him to come through with the fall is not surprising at all."

The star-studded dual featured top-10 matchups at 125 pounds, 165 pounds, 197 pounds and heavyweight. Iowa State won three of those four matches.

No. 5 125-pounder Andrew Long of Iowa State started the dual on a solid note for the Cyclones by scoring a technical fall over ninth-ranked Cowboy Chris Notte, 20-5 (6:59).

ISU's sixth-ranked 165-pounder Jon Reader was victorious over No. 9 Alex Meade of OSU by decision, 7-5. Also adding a decision for ISU was senior 149-pounder Mitch Mueller. The Cyclone controlled OSU's Quinten Fuentes for the win, 7-2.

Another match hero was ISU 157-pounder Andrew Sorenson. The sophomore didn't stop fighting in his effort to get Cyclone team points. He scored a takedown in the final second of his bout with Oklahoma State's 13th-ranked Neil Erisman to be victorious by decision, 8-7.

"We wrestle to the whistle," Sorenson said. "The coaches push us every day. That takedown was one of those extra sprints or an extra go in practice."

At dual's end, ISU's David Zabriskie couldn't topple the top-ranked OSU heavyweight Jared Rosholt. The Cowboy was the winner in the bitter rivalry's latest bout, 8-5. The match was tied 5-5 late in the third period before Rosholt pulled away from the Cyclone senior. Zabriskie leads the series against Rosholt, 5-4.

Eleventh-ranked ISU 133-pounder Nick Fanthorpe came up short to Oklahoma State's sixth-ranked Jordan Oliver, 7-5. No. 8-ranked Cyclone 184-pounder Jerome Ward fell to 13th-ranked Cowboy Clayton Foster by decision, 3-1.

The Cyclones continue their road tour with sixth-ranked Cornell for a dual Jan. 31 in Ithaca, N.Y. Mat action starts at noon CST.

IOWA STATE 20, OKLAHOMA STATE 18
125 pounds - No. 5 Andrew Long (ISU) tech. fall No. 9 Chris Notte (OSU), 20-5 (6:59)
133 pounds - No. 6 Jordan Oliver (OSU) dec. No. 11 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU), 7-5
141 pounds - No. 7 Jamal Parks (OSU) pinned Dalton Jensen (ISU), 2:42
149 pounds - No. 10 Mitch Mueller (ISU) dec. Quinten Fuentes (OSU), 7-2
157 pounds - Andrew Sorenson (ISU) dec. No. 12 Neil Erisman (OSU), 8-7
165 pounds - No. 3 Jon Reader (ISU) dec. No. 9 Alex Meade (OSU), 7-5
174 pounds - No. 12 Mike Benefiel (OSU) dec. No. 13 Duke Burk (ISU), 10-3
184 pounds - No. 13 Clayton Foster (OSU) dec. No. 8 Jerome Ward (ISU), 3-1
197 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) pinned No. 6 Alan Gelogaev (OSU), 4:43
HWT - No. 1 Jared Rosholt (OSU) dec. No. 4 David Zabriskie (ISU), 8-5
No. 2 Iowa State Cyclones Set For League Foes In Trip To Oklahoma

Dual 10: Oklahoma
Fri., Jan. 22, 7 p.m. CST
Norman, Okla. * McCasland Field House
Live Stats: cyclones.com
Live Video: OU All-Access

Dual 11: Oklahoma State
Sun., Jan. 24, 2 p.m. CST
Stillwater, Okla. * Gallagher-Iba Arena
Live Stats: cyclones.com
Live Video: Tube

Cyclone Notebook

* No. 2 Iowa State will open its conference dual schedule with a pair of top-10 opponents in No. 10 Oklahoma and No. 3 Oklahoma State. ISU took down both OU and OSU last season in Ames, Iowa, by scores of 23-15 and 24-12, respectively.

* ISU downed 20th-ranked Illinois Jan. 16 with the help of bonus points, 33-9. The Cyclones notched a pair of falls in the dual.

* The Cyclones posted their best National Duals finish since 2000, earning second place Sunday in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Cyclones beat Bloomsburg, No. 8 Maryland and No. 3 Ohio State before falling to No. 1 Iowa, 19-12.

* Iowa State notched a team runner-up finish at the 47th Annual Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill., Dec. 29-30. ISU's Jake Varner took the 197-pound crown.

* The Cyclones are 7-2 in the 2009-10 season with earlier dual victories coming Nov. 12 in Hilton Coliseum over South Dakota State (43-3), Dec. 19 at UNI, 42-0 and Jan. 3 at No. 6 Minnesota by a score of 19-16.

* ISU is currently ranked 2/2 in the Intermat and W.I.N. Magazine polls, respectively.

* Iowa State is 996-263-20 all-time in duals, dating back to 1916.

* The Cyclones are coming off a third-place showing at last year's NCAA Championships.

Iowa State vs. Oklahoma Series Notes
* Iowa State leads in the all-time series against Oklahoma, 47-33-4.

* ISU has been victorious in its last seven meetings with the Sooners, dating back to 2003.

Scouting Oklahoma

* The Sooners are 12-1-1 in dual competition thus far in the 2009-10 season. OU owns dual victories over Arizona State (24-11) and Cal Poly (27-13).

* Oklahoma tied Big 12 foe Oklahoma State 16-16 in Norman, Okla. Dec. 1.

* OU is coming off a 4-0 performance at the Lonestar Duals in Arlington, Texas.

Iowa State vs. Oklahoma State Series Notes

* Oklahoma State leads in the all-time series against Iowa State, 48-19-3.

* Iowa State was victorious in its last meeting with the Cowboys, winning 24-12 in Hilton Coliseum last season.

Scouting Oklahoma State

* The OSU wrestling team sports a 8-1-1 record this season.

* The Cowboys were perfect at the Virginia Duals, going 4-0 and capping the event with a 30-6 rout of No. 8 Lehigh.

* Oklahoma State fell to No. 1 Iowa by a narrow dual-score margin of 19-16 in Iowa City, Iowa, Jan. 16.

Cyclones Storm Bonus-Points On Illinois To Win 33-9

* Second-rated Iowa State scored two pins and two technical falls en route to a 33-9 rout of 19th-ranked Illinois Jan. 16 in Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones were missing regular starters Nick Gallick (141), Mitch Mueller (149) and Duke Burk (174) from their lineup. That fact didn't stop the ISU squad from coming up with plenty of bonus points for the crowd of 2,812 Cyclone supporters on hand to witness the dual victory.

* Iowa State improved to 7-2 in duals this season. It was Iowa State's 996th dual win in 94 years of Cyclone wrestling history. Illinois fell to 5-3.

* ISU's Dalton Jensen was a pinning machine for the Cyclone team effort, once again. Jensen, hailing from Missouri Valley, Iowa, downed 10th-ranked 141-pounder Ryan Prater of Illinois at the 3:27 mark in the second period. Jensen secured a cradle hold on his opponent to turn the tide in the bout. Jensen's last four victories have come by way of a fall.
Iowa State Cyclones Storm Bonus-Points On Illinois To Win 33-9

AMES, Iowa - Second-rated Iowa State scored two pins and two technical falls en route to a 33-9 rout of 19th-ranked Illinois Saturday night in Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones were missing regular starters Nick Gallick (141), Mitch Mueller (149) and Duke Burk (174) from their lineup. That fact didn't stop the ISU squad from coming up with plenty of bonus points for the crowd of 2,812 Cyclone supporters on hand to witness the dual victory. Iowa State improves to 7-2 in duals this season. It was Iowa State's 996th dual win in 94 years of Cyclone wrestling history. Illinois falls to 5-3.

"I keep saying this, we are getting better," said Iowa State head wrestling coach Kevin Jackson. "You see guys using what we have been teaching them, trusting what they have been taught to do. Our guys were aggressive throughout the matches and that is what I like to see."

ISU's Dalton Jensen was a pinning machine for the Cyclone team effort, once again. Jensen, hailing from Missouri Valley, Iowa, downed 10th-ranked 141-pounder Ryan Prater of Illinois at the 3:27 mark in the second period. Jensen secured a cradle hold on his opponent to turn the tide in the bout. The Cyclone's last four victories have come by way of a fall.

"We don't know what (injured ISU 141-pound All-American) Nick Gallick's situation is going to be," Jackson said of his injured starter. "We very well could end up with Dalton in there for the Big 12 Championship and he is doing a good job. He wrestled aggressively and it paid off for him again."

"I need more experience and training if I am going to be an All-American," Jensen said.

Three-time NCAA finalist Jake Varner improved to 18-0 in his senior campaign with a first-period stick of Illinois' 10th-ranked Patrick Bond. Varner turned the Illini wrestler and scored the fall in 2:29. It is the second time this season that Varner pinned Bond in the first period, with the earlier fall occurring at the Midlands Championships. Varner has nine pins this season.

"Jake is the best wrestler in our nation at the collegiate level," Jackson said. "(Illinois 197-pounder Patrick Bond) is a good wrestler. But if you are going to stand in there and put your hands on Jake Varner you are forced to wrestle to his style because he is so strong."

ISU picked up two consecutive technical falls at 125-pound and 133-pound bouts. Cyclone redshirt freshman Andrew Long (125) continued his stellar first campaign with a 20-5 (6:57) technical fall of Illinois's John Deneen. Iowa State senior Nick Fanthorpe (133) scored big against Illlini wrestler Daryl Thomas with a technical fall in 6:08 (18-3).

Iowa Staters Jon Reader (165) and David Zabriskie (HWT) chipped in bonus points for the Cyclone team effort. Reader major decisioned Illinois's Joe Barczak by a score of 16-6. Zabriskie also won by major decision with a 12-4 effort against Marty Smith of Illinois.

ISU's Andrew Sorenson started the dual on a good note at 157 pounds with a 12-6 decision of Illinois's Conrad Polz.

Cyclone redshirt freshmen Max Mayfield and Chris Spangler fell in backup roles for Iowa State at 149 pounds and 174 pounds, respectively. Mayfield, making the first dual start of his career, was edged by 20th-ranked Eric Terrazas of Illinois. Spangler dropped a close decision to Illinois' 14th-ranked Jordan Blanton, 3-2.

The Cyclones will travel south for road duals against Oklahoma (Jan. 22) and Oklahoma State (Jan. 24). Action in Norman, Okla. begins at 7 p.m. ISU returns to Hilton Coliseum for Big 12 Conference opponents Missouri and Nebraska, Feb. 14 and Feb. 21, respectively.

IOWA STATE 33, ILLINOIS 9
157 pounds - Andrew Sorenson (ISU) dec. Conrad Polz (UI), 12-6
165 pounds - No. 4 Jon Reader (ISU) major dec. Joe Barczak (UI), 16-6
174 pounds - No. 14 Jordan Blanton (UI) dec. Chris Spangler (ISU), 3-2
184 pounds - No. 2 John Dergo (UI) dec. No. 8 Jerome Ward (ISU), 2-1
197 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) pinned No. 10 Patrick Bond (UI), 2:29
HWT - No. 4 David Zabriskie (ISU) major dec. Marty Smith (UI), 12-4
125 pounds - No. 5 Andrew Long (ISU) tech. fall John Deneen (UI), 20-5 (6:57)
133 pounds - No. 11 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) tech. fall Daryl Thomas (UI), 18-3 (6:08)
141 pounds - Dalton Jensen (ISU) pinned No. 10 Ryan Prater (UI), 3:27
149 pounds - No. 20 Eric Terrazas (UI) dec. Max Mayfield (ISU), 4-2
No. 2 Iowa State Returns Home For No. 19 Illinois

Cyclone Notebook
* Iowa State plays host to No. 20 Illinois Saturday in Hilton Coliseum. The meeting is the first dual meet between the teams since 1964.

* ISU posted its best National Duals finish since 2000, earning second place Sunday in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Cyclones beat Bloomsburg, No. 8 Maryland and No. 3 Ohio State before falling to No. 1 Iowa, 19-12.

* Iowa State notched a team runner-up finish at the 47th Annual Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill., Dec. 29-30. ISU's Jake Varner took the 197-pound crown.

* The Cyclones are 6-2 in the 2009-10 season with earlier dual victories coming Nov. 12 in Hilton Coliseum over South Dakota State (43-3), Dec. 19 at UNI, 42-0 and Jan. 3 at No. 6 Minnesota by a score of 19-16.

* ISU is currently ranked 2/2 in the Intermat and W.I.N. Magazine polls, respectively.

* Iowa State is 995-263-20 all-time in duals, dating back to 1916.

* The Cyclones are coming off a third-place showing at last year's NCAA Championships.

* Iowa State returns four grapplers who earned All-America honors in at the 2009 NCAA Championships: Nick Gallick (141), Jon Reader (165), Jake Varner (197) and David Zabriskie (HWT). ISU 133-pounder Nick Fanthorpe was an All-American in 2008.

* The Cyclones' five returning All-Americans sport a combined record of 58-9 thus far in their 2009-10 campaigns.

Iowa State vs. Illinois Series Notes
* The Cyclones trail the Fighting Illini 5-3 in the series, dating back to 1935. ISU and Illinois haven't met in dual competition since 1964.
* Iowa State was victorious in its last two meetings with Illinois (1963-64). ISU handled Illinois 23-3 and 28-4, respectively.

Scouting Illinois
* The Fighting Illini are 5-2 in dual competition thus far in the 2009-10 season. Illinois has dual victories over Davidson (47-0), West Virginia (23-15), Findlay (46-3), McKendree (29-16) and SIU-Edwardsville by a score of 48-0.

* UI dropped close duals to Missouri (16-18) and Pittsburgh (15-18) earlier this season.
* Illinois has three wrestlers ranked within the top-10, according to Intermat. Senior 184-pounder John Dergo is the second-ranked grappler in the country at his weight. The Illini's Ryan Prater is ranked 10th at 141 pounds and teammate Patrick Bond has garnered the same ranking at 197 pounds.

* Three ISU-UI matchups occured at the Midlands Championships Dec. 29-30 in Evanston, Ill. Cyclone grapplers were victorious in all three of the bouts. Cyclone Duke Burk edged Illinois's Jordan Blanton by decision, 9-8. ISU standout Jake Varner pinned the Illini's Patrick Bond in 2:37. Heavyweight David Zabriskie won for the Cyclones over Marty Smith by decision, 12-5.

No. 2 ISU Falls to Top-Ranked Iowa; Best National Duals Finish Since 2000
* No. 2 Iowa State fell to top-seeded Iowa 19-12 in the finals of the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals Jan. 12 in the UNI Dome. The team runner-up finish is the best performance by the Cyclones since winning the event in 2000. Iowa State finished third in last year's National Duals. ISU posted a 3-1 record in the tournament this weekend, and stands at 6-2 in duals this season.
* The Cyclones advanced to the finals with a 23-9 semifinal victory over No. 3 Ohio State. ISU's Jerome Ward took down 2008 NCAA champion Mike Pucillo by a score of 5-3 in the 184-pound matchup.
* Iowa State went 2-0 in the first day of the National Duals with wins over Bloomsburg (38-7) and Maryland (26-6).
* Four ISU grapplers were perfect over the two-day event. Cyclones Jake Varner and Ward recorded a 4-0 mark. Iowa State heavyweights David Zabriskie and Kyle Simonson each were 2-0 splitting time at the weight.

Three League Honors In A Row For Cyclones
* Iowa State's Jerome Ward has been named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week, it was announced by the conference Monday. This is the first Conference honor of Ward's career. Ward went a pristine 4-0 at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals Jan. 9-10 in Cedar Falls, Iowa in the UNI Dome.
* Ward's spotless record is even more impressive when you consider the opponents he downed en route to the mark. The sophomore Iowa Stater turned away 2008 NCAA Champion Mike Pucillo of Ohio State by a score of 5-3. Ward, an NCAA qualifier at 184 pounds last season, needed an extra period of time to defeat sixth-ranked Hawkeye Phillip Keddy in sudden victory, 7-5.
* This is the third Big 12 weekly honor received by a Cyclone this season. Ward's teammates Jake Varner (197) and Andrew Long (125) have been honored this season.
No. 2 Iowa State Falls to No. 1 Iowa; Best Finish Since 2000

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - No. 2 Iowa State fell to top-seeded Iowa 19-12 in the finals of the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals Sunday evening in the UNI Dome. The team runner-up finish is the best performance by the Cyclones since winning the event in 2000. Iowa State finished third in last year's National Duals. ISU posted a 3-1 record in the tournament this weekend, and stands at 6-2 in duals this season.

The Cyclones won four of the 10 contested weights against Iowa.
"We are going to keep working," ISU head coach Kevin Jackson said. "We are going to be fine. In March, we are going to be at our best. We've got to finalize a couple positions and situations, but we are continuing to get better."

Eleventh-ranked Cyclone Jerome Ward had Iowa 184-pounder Phillip Keddy's number once again. The Iowa State sophomore came through in overtime to drop the sixth-ranked Hawkeye by decision, 7-5. Ward outlasted the Hawkeye senior at the Dec. 6 dual by a score of 5-3.

ISU 133-pounder Nick Fanthorpe notched a decision over Nate Moore of Iowa by a score of 8-3. The Naperville, Ill., native recorded three takedowns in the bout.

The Cyclones ended the dual with consecutive decisions at 197 pounds and heavyweight. Top-ranked Jake Varner (197) controlled Iowa's Luke Lofthouse en route to a 7-1 victory. Varner stayed undefeated at 17-0 overall this season. ISU teammate David Zabriskie followed with a 4-1 win over Jordan Johnson of Iowa.

The gap between ISU's Andrew Long and Matt McDonough of Iowa remains a small one. The Cyclone fell by a 9-8 decision to the Hawkeye. Iowa Stater Jon Reader fell in similar fashion to archrival Ryan Morningstar of Iowa. The Hawkeye outlasted ISU's two-time All-American to win by decision, 5-4.

ISU sophomore Andrew Sorenson (157) fell in overtime to Iowa's Aaron Janssen, 3-1 (SV).

The second-ranked Cyclones are back home in Hilton Coliseum Jan. 16 for a dual with Illinois. Action begins at 7 p.m.

IOWA STATE 12, IOWA 19
125 pounds - Matt McDonough (UI) dec. Andrew Long (ISU), 9-8
133 pounds - Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) dec. Nate Moore (UI), 8-3
141 pounds - Dan Leclere (UI) dec. Dalton Jensen (ISU), 7-2
149 pounds - Brent Metcalf (UI) dec. Mitch Mueller (ISU), 7-3
157 pounds - Aaron Janssen (UI) dec. Andrew Sorenson (ISU), 3-1 (SV)
165 pounds - Ryan Morningstar (UI) dec. Jon Reader (ISU), 5-4
174 pounds - Jay Borschel (UI) major dec. Duke Burk (ISU), 10-2
184 pounds - Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Phillip Keddy (UI), 7-5 (SV)
197 pounds - Jake Varner (ISU) dec. Luke Lofthouse (UI), 7-1
HWT - David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. Jordan Johnson (UI), 4-1
Iowa State Beats Ohio State 23-9 For Rematch With Iowa

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - No. 2 Iowa State beat third-seeded Ohio State 23-9 in the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals semifinals Sunday afternoon in the UNI Dome. Cyclone wrestlers were winners in seven of the 10 bouts. ISU advances to the Championship match to face top-seed Iowa at 3 p.m. The dual is being broadcast live on IPTV. Iowa State split the Dec. 6 dual with the Hawkeyes at five matches a piece, but were edged 18-16.

Iowa State's Jerome Ward comes to play in big matches. Ward took down 2008 NCAA champion Mike Pucillo by a score of 5-3 in the 194-pound matchup. The Buckeye had no answer for the defensively-astute Cyclone grappler.

The star-studded dual featured seven returning All-Americans and two NCAA champions in ISU's Jake Varner (2009; 197 pounds) and Ohio State's Pucillo (2008; 184 pounds).

Iowa State's Varner recorded his 14th bonus-point victory of the season by pitching a shutout to Ohio State's Cody Magrum, 9-0, at 197 pounds. Varner built 3:44 of riding time in the major decision win.

Cyclone heavyweight David Zabriskie is used to pulling off heroics late in his matches. His match with the Buckeye's Corey Morrison was another thriller, with Zabriskie edging his opponent by decision, 4-3. The Cyclone trailed 3-2 in the third period before hitting the clinching takedown at the 0:19 mark.

In a match that featured three lead changes, ISU's Andrew Sorenson emerged the winner over OSU's Tony Jameson, 12-9. The back-and-forth bout brought Cyclone fans to their feet as Sorenson put his Buckeye opponent in a cradle pinning move in the second period. The nearfall points helped secure the Iowa Stater the victory by decision.

Cyclone 125-pounder Andrew Long started the dual with an 8-1 decision of OSU's Nikko Triggas. Iowa State's Nick Fanthorpe followed with a major decision of Ian Paddock of Ohio State by a score of 14-5. Cyclone Jon Reader blanked the Buckeye's Colt Sponseller 6-0 for the decision at 165 pounds.

ISU's Dalton Jensen, the standout performer from the Cyclones' dual victory over Maryland, gave the top-ranked 141-pounder in the country all he had, but came up just short. Jensen, filling in for two-time All-American Nick Gallick, fell to Ohio State's Reece Humphrey by decision, 6-5.

IOWA STATE 23, OHIO STATE 9
125 pounds - Andrew Long (ISU) dec. Nikko Triggas (OSU), 8-1
133 pounds - Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) major dec. Ian Paddock (OSU), 14-5
141 pounds - Reece Humphrey (OSU) dec. Dalton Jensen (ISU), 6-5
149 pounds - Lance Palmer (OSU) dec. Mitch Mueller (ISU), 4-3
157 pounds - Andrew Sorenson (ISU) dec. Tony Jameson (OSU), 12-9
165 pounds - Jon Reader (ISU) dec. Colt Sponseller (OSU), 6-0
174 pounds - David Rella (OSU) dec. Duke Burk (ISU), 3-1 (SV)
184 pounds - Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Mike Pucillo (OSU), 5-3
197 pounds - Jake Varner (ISU) major dec. Cody Magrum (OSU), 9-0
HWT - David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. Corey Morrison (OSU), 4-3
Varner Wins, Iowa State Wrestlers Take Second at Midlands

EVANSTON, Ill. – Iowa State finished second at the Midlands Championships for the third-straight year Wednesday evening in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The second-ranked Cyclone squad, which scored 144.5 points, capped the event by crowning Jake Varner as an individual champion at 197 pounds in the 2009 tournament’s finals. Iowa’s squad placed first with 168.5 and Central Michigan (118) followed with third place.

Iowa State’s Varner added a second Midlands Championship to his impressive wrestling resume with a 6-1 decision of Wynn Michalak of the Chippewa Wrestling Club. Varner controlled the post-collegiate competitor by allowing only one point from an escape. The Cyclone had previously been a champion of the event as a sophomore at 184 pounds in 2007.

The 47th edition of the Midlands, hosted by Northwestern, featured over 360 individual entries from around the country. Iowa State’s wrestlers amassed a 48-30 record over the two-day tournament.

Making his third-straight Midlands finals appearance at 165 pounds, ISU’s Jon Reader was unable to topple top-seed Andrew Howe of Wisconsin. Reader fell to the Badger in triple-overtime, 3-1 (SV2). The defeat was Reader’s first loss of the 2009-10 season, as his record drops to 11-1.

An amazing string of big wins ended for ISU redshirt freshman Andrew Long as he fell in the 125-pound final to Iowa’s Matt McDonough by decision, 9-7. The Creston, Iowa native lead 5-2 after the first period but could not overcome a late barrage of takedown attempts by his opponent. Long recorded a 4-1 mark in the tournament to improve his season record to 14-2.

In the last finals match of the evening, third-seeded Cyclone heavyweight David Zabriskie fell to the upset-minded No. 8-seed, Jarod Trice of Central Michigan, 3-2. Zabriskie was unable to find a shot in the last period to take the lead on the larger Chippewa heavyweight. Zabriskie was 4-1 in his senior try at the Midlands and has an 11-1 overall mark this season.

ISU 149-pounder Mitch Mueller made the most of his fourth trip to the Midlands by notching his best finish ever. Mueller, who hails from Iowa City, Iowa wrestled to fourth place after previously placing sixth as a sophomore and freshman. Mueller fell in the final Midlands session to Bucknell’s Kevin LeValley by a score of 2-0 in the third-place match. Mueller notched a record of 5-2 in the Midlands to advance to 16-4 in his senior campaign.

Cyclone senior Nick Fanthorpe capped his fourth Midlands outing with a fifth-place finish at 133 pounds. Fanthorpe edged Iowa’s Nate Moore in overtime, 2-1 (TB1). Fanthorpe recorded a 4-2 Midlands record and stands at 6-3 overall.

Senior 174-pounder Duke Burk fell in the fifth-place match to Missouri’s Dorian Henderson by a score of 3-1 (SV). Burk’s 3-3 mark in the tournament drops his overall record to 10-4.

Sophomore Jerome Ward clinched a seventh-place Cyclone finish at 184 pounds in the afternoon session of Midlands wrestling by receiving a medical forfeit. Ward went 4-2 in his second trip to the event.

The second-ranked Cyclones return to action with a road trip to dual No. 6 Minnesota Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. in the Sports Pavilion.
No. 2 Iowa State Tough on Offense to Blank Northern Iowa, 42-0

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The second-ranked Iowa State wrestling team scored its biggest-ever victory over Northern Iowa Saturday, beating the Panthers 42-0 in West Gym. ISU's first shutout of UNI in 43 years came via bonus-point victories in seven of the 10 bouts. A boisterous contingent of visiting Cyclone fans urged the ISU squad on to its second dual victory of the 2009-10 campaign, to improve to 2-1. UNI drops to 3-6.

The dual victory was ISU's first shutout of the Panthers since 1966 (35-0). ISU is 52-16 all-time against UNI.

"Having our guys winning in all 10 of the matches is important," said ISU head coach Kevin Jackson. "To be where we want to be in March, we want the team to be wrestling like how we are training them."

Sophomore Dalton Jensen, a native of Missouri Valley, Iowa, had to wait until the end of the dual to score the most points for the Cyclone squad. Jensen, filling in for two-time All-American Nick Gallick at 141 pounds, cradled UNI's Alec Hoffman in 1:17 to notch a pin and six team points for Iowa State.

"To have Dalton (Jensen) get out there and pin the guy is just awesome," Jackson said. "He's a pinner and if he gets on top of a guy, he's looking for it. He was filling in for a good wrestler in Gallick so that is saying something for him to go out there and get the fall."

To begin the event, ISU senior 149-pounder Mitch Mueller scored the first victory with a 22-8 major decision showing against UNI's Jamal Lawrence. Mueller recorded six takedowns in the third period to power his way to the bonus-point victory.

Another gutsy third-period performance was turned in by Cyclone 157-pounder Andrew Sorenson. The sophomore hailing from Woden, Iowa recorded three takedowns and a three-point nearfall in the final period to distance himself from Panther Tyson Reiner by major decision, 13-3.

Three Iowa Staters turned in technical falls for the team effort. Jon Reader (165) won over UNI's David Bonin, 19-4 (5:51). At 125 pounds, freshman Andrew Long was victorious over Terrance Young of Northern Iowa, 19-4 (6:46). Following Long's win, senior Nick Fanthorpe turned in his own five-team point performance with a 22-5 (6:47) victory over UNI's Ryan Jauch.

Cyclone three-time NCAA finalist Jake Varner major decisioned Northern Iowa's Dustin Bauman, 13-4. Varner, the returning NCAA champion at 197 pounds, notched over four minutes of riding time in the victory.

ISU heavyweight David Zabriskie notched an escape, a takedown and a two-point nearfall in the first tiebreaker overtime period to outpace Panther Christian Brantley, 6-1 (TB1).

Senior 174-pounder Duke Burk notched a decision for the Cyclones with a 7-5 win over Jarion Beets of Northern Iowa. Sophomore Jerome Ward followed Burk's victory with his own decision over UNI's Andy O'Loughlin, 8-2.

The Cyclones hit the road Dec. 29-30 for the prestigious Midlands Championships on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. The first session kicks off at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 29. ISU will then travel for a dual meet Jan. 3 at Minnesota. Mat action begins at 2 p.m.

IOWA STATE 42, UNI 0
149 - Mitch Mueller (ISU) major dec. Jamal Lawrence (UNI), 22-8
157 - Andrew Sorenson (ISU) major dec. Tyson Reiner (UNI), 13-3
165 - Jon Reader (ISU) tech. fall David Bonin (UNI), 19-4 (5:51)
174 - Duke Burk (ISU) dec. Jarion Beets (UNI), 7-5
184 - Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Andy O'Loughlin (UNI), 8-2
197 - Jake Varner (ISU) major dec. Dustin Bauman (UNI), 13-4
HWT - David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. Christian Brantley (UNI), 6-1 (TB1)
125 - Andrew Long (ISU) tech. fall Terrence Young (UNI), 19-4 (6:46)
133 - Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) tech. fall Ryan Jauch (UNI), 22-5 (6:47)
141 - Dalton Jensen (ISU) pinned Alec Hoffman (UNI), 1:17
No. 2 Iowa State Stay In-State for Dual at Northern Iowa

Dual Three: Northern Iowa
Sat., Dec. 19; 2 p.m. CST
Cedar Falls, Iowa * West Gym
Live Stats available atcyclones.com
Television: Iowa Public Television (Live)
Talent: Tim Johnson (pxp); Dan Gable (color)

Cyclone Notebook
* Iowa State will battle intrastate foe Northern Iowa for the 68th meeting between
the two wrestling programs.

* The second-ranked Cyclones were thwarted in an upset attempt of No. 1 Iowa
Dec. 6 in Hilton Coliseum. ISU was stopped 18-16 by the Hawkeyes.

* ISU is 1-1 in the 2009-10 dual season with the lone victory coming Nov. 12 in
Hilton Coliseum over South Dakota State by a score of 43-3.

* ISU is currently ranked 2/2 in the Intermat and W.I.N. Magazine polls, respectively.
* Iowa State is 990-262-20 all-time in duals, dating back to 1916.
* The Cyclones are coming off a third-place showing at last year's NCAA Championships.
* Iowa State returns four grapplers who earned All-America honors in at the 2009
NCAA Championships: Nick Gallick (141), Jon Reader (165), Jake Varner (197) and
David Zabriskie (HWT). ISU 133-pounder Nick Fanthorpe was an All-American in 2008.
* Iowa State's fi ve returning All-Americans sport a combined record of 21-0 thus far
in their 2009-10 campaigns.

* ISU won a third-straight Big 12 Conference Wrestling Championship last season. The
Cyclones had never won a consecutive trio of league titles. Iowa State tied for fi rst with
Nebraska with 70 points. Nick Fanthorpe (133) and David Zabriskie (HWT) notched their
second conference individual titles.

Iowa State vs. Northern Iowa Series Notes
* Iowa State leads in the all-time series against Northern Iowa, 51-16.
* The Cyclones have won seven-straight meetings between the two schools,
including a 31-3 victory over UNI at the 2008 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals.
* Last season, ISU dropped only one individual decision and forfeited a match to
the Panthers en route to a 26-9 victory. Two Cyclones notched major decisions.

Scouting Northern Iowa
* The Panthers are 3-5 in dual action in the 2009-10 season. UNI dropped
in dual action Dec. 10 to No. 1-ranked Iowa, 48-3. They also came up short
against 24th-ranked Wisconsin Dec. 12, by a score of 25-11.

* Sophomore Panther heavyweight Christian Brantley and redshirt
freshman David Bonin (165) are tied for the team lead in victories. Brantley
holds a 9-4 record and Bonin sports a mark of 9-6.

* UNI returns seven NCAA qualifi ers in Brantley, Trevor Kittleson (149),
Tyson Reiner (157), Andy O'Loughlin (184) and Trent Washington (141).
Caleb Flores (125) and Nick Pickerell (165) qualifi ed in 2008 but sat out last
season due to injuries.

* The Panthers defeated Michigan State (18-13) and Harvard (26-10) in dual
action at the Sprawl and Brawl in Binghamton, N.Y. Nov. 22 before falling to
Rutgers, 25-10.

* Northern Iowa head coach Brad Penrith holds a career record of 83-68-4.
Iowa State's Reader and Varner Victorious at All-Star Classic

FULLERTON, Calif. - Iowa State's representatives wrestled and won twice Sunday at the NWCA All-Star Classic, presented by the William and Mary Wrestling Alumni Group, held on the campus of Cal State-Fullerton. Three-time NCAA finalist Jake Varner and two-time All-America honoree Jon Reader won their respective matches at the 44th edition of the annual event.

"We're going to continue getting better," head coach Kevin Jackson said. "We'll continue to grow from this experience out here at this event. We need to make the necessary connections in practice and then we'll be able to dominate the way we're training to dominate. The team's goal is to be the best in March."

Reader hit the mat first for the Cyclones and scored a bonus-point victory over Bucknell's Andy Rendos, 11-2 at 165 pounds. Reader, a native of Davison, Mich., notched four takedowns in the match. The ISU junior decisioned Rendos at both the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Championships.

Top-ranked Varner wrestled to his third career victory at the All-Star event in a rematch of the 2009 NCAA Championships final round. The ISU senior 197-pounder controlled Nebraska's Craig Brester by decision, 5-3. The Cyclone senior, hailing from Bakersfield, Calif., recorded a takedown, reversal and had the riding time advantage in the match. Brester's three points came on escapes.

ISU matches the two victories it recorded at last season's NWCA All-Star Classic in Columbus, Ohio. Cyclones Nick Gallick and Varner notched wins at 141 and 197 pounds, respectively.

"(Jon) Reader and (Jake) Varner completely dominated the action," Jackson said. "They looked to be the more aggressive wrestlers in both of their matches. I think Jake (Varner) wrestled strong but we'd like him to be up higher in the third so that a late takedown can't tie the match."

Second-ranked ISU senior heavyweight David Zabriskie fell in his first All-Star invite to Cal State-Bakersfield's Mitch Montiero by decision, 6-3. The two-time All-American Iowa Stater gave up a crucial third period takedown to the sixth-ranked Bakersfield grappler.

"David (Zabriskie) didn't wrestle like how we've been training him to do," Jackson said. "He knows that and if he can start wrestling like we've been getting him to in practice, he'll be dominating. He knows what the coaching staff wants out of him."

Iowa State's Gallick, a two-time 141-pound All-American, traveled to the event but did not compete.

The All-Star Classic matches are considered exhibition bouts and are not figured into ISU career record totals or national rankings.

Iowa State has had 68 participants in the NWCA All-Star Classic since its inception in 1967. The total ranks third behind Oklahoma State (81) and Iowa (74).

The Cyclones next hit the mat Dec. 6 against intrastate rival Iowa at home in Hilton Coliseum at 6 p.m.
Long Wins, Iowa State Wrestles Strong in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. - Iowa State wrestlers hit the mats at the Kaufman-Brand Open on the campus of Nebraska-Omaha Saturday. The competition was split into two divisions, as participating wrestlers competed in elite and amateur brackets. ISU crowned one champion and six placewinners in the two respective divisions.

"We wrestled really well and we fought hard," ISU assistant coach Chris Bono said. "On overall effort alone, I'd say I am definitely proud of these guys."

Bono saw the action as part of the preparation process for the crucial matches that occur later in the collegiate wrestling season. The former Cyclone national champion sees the coaching staff playing a pivotal role early in the 2009-10 season.

"We are going to correct everything," Bono said. "We are only worried about what we can correct. The coaches will go to the film. We arent worried about anything else."

Cyclone 125-pound starter Andrew Long was perfect with 4-0 record. The Creston, Iowa native was victorious on three major decisions and a technical fall. Long handled Iowa's J.J. Krutsinger by major decision, 14-6, to take the title.

ISU's Andrew Sorenson placed second at 157 pounds in the elite division. Sorenson notched two falls before falling to Iowa's Matt Ballweg in the finals by a score of 7-2.

ISU senior 149-pounder Mitch Mueller took third in the elite division. Mueller dropped a close bout to Luther's Jason Pyle by a score of 9-8 in the semifinals. He fought back in the consolation rounds with a 5-3 decision of Nebraska-Omaha's Esai Dominguez to cap off the tournament.

Iowa State sophomore Dalton Jensen placed fifth at 141 pounds in the elite division. Jensen went 3-2 in the tournament with a technical fall. Fellow ISU sophomore Kyle Simonson took fifth at 197 pounds. Simonson was 4-2 in the bracket with two major decisions and a pin.

Senior ISU wrestler Justin Hale notched a record of 3-3 to place sixth at 149 pounds in elite division action.

Iowa State sophomore 174-pounder Mike Finch went 3-2 in elite division competition.

ISU had bright performances from its unattached wrestlers in the amateur division of the Kaufman-Brand Open.

Iowa Stater Trent Weatherman advanced to the semifinals of the amateur 149-pound bracket before suffering a setback to Old Dominion's John Nicholson by decision, 3-1. Weatherman bounced back to place third after notching a victory by decision over Virginia Tech's Brian Stephens, 6-5. The true freshman hailing from Maxwell, Iowa went 5-1.

"(Trent) Weatherman will have a bright future here," Bono said. "Cole Shafer and Trent (Weatherman) wrestled extremely well today. They are doing what we have been training them to do out on the mat."

ISUs Cole Shafer placed second in the amateur 184-pound division after a recording a pin and technical fall in earlier rounds. The Heber City, Utah native was stopped short by Chad Wright (LCC) by decision, 3-1. Shafer, a true freshman, had a record of 3-1 with a pin and technical fall on his way to the finals.

True freshman Dallas Collier went 1-2 in amateur division action at 125 pounds. Fellow freshman Tyler Christensen notched a 2-2 record at 184 pounds in the amateur bracket.

Cyclone 133-pound true freshmen Ben Cash and Tyler Grask went 3-2 and 1-2, respectively, in the amateur division.

Iowa State All-Americans Nick Gallick (141), Jon Reader (165), Jake Varner (197) and David Zabriskie (HWT) are set to participate in the NWCA All-Star Classic Sunday at 12 p.m. CST on the campus of Cal State-Fullerton. ISU resumes dual action Dec. 6 with a matchup with intrastate rival Iowa in Hilton Coliseum at 6 p.m.
Jackson Announces Iowa State Wrestling Signees

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State wrestling head coach Kevin Jackson has announced the signing of eight prep wrestlers for the 2010-11 season. An influx of talent is set to join the Cyclones for their next campaign. Several of the future Iowa Staters are in-state talents and a few of the signees sport familiar names to Iowa State wrestling faithful.

Joining the ISU squad next year will be Joey Cozart (Brandon, Fla.), Mikey England (Centerville, Iowa), Ryak Finch (Safford, Ariz.), Kyven Gadson (Waterloo, Iowa), Luke Goettl (Clarksdale, Ariz.), Brandon Jones (West Des Moines, Iowa), Michael Moreno (Urbandale, Iowa) and Trevor Voelker (Adel, Iowa).

"We are very happy with the class we have coming in next year," Jackson said. "They are going to make an immediate impact on our team and help our program accomplish its goals. They are highly-ranked guys that are full of potential and talent and they are excited to come to Iowa State. They know our tradition."

Four signees (Cozart, 152 pounds; Finch, 119 pounds; Gadson, 189 pounds; and Moreno, 171 pounds) reside within Intermat's Class of 2010 Top 100 ranking. Cozart, Finch and Moreno are all ranked within the top-30 wrestlers in the nation by the website. The foursome holds six state titles and 10 prep finals appearances between them.

Moreno's father, Mike, was an All-American at 134 pounds for ISU in 1992. The father of Kyven Gadson, Willie, was a two-time All-American (1975-76) at 177 pounds.

"We are excited about the legacy wrestlers," Jackson said. "Gadson, Moreno and Voelker are now Cyclones themselves. Their families' love and passion for ISU has never waivered. They thought Iowa State University was a class school with the type of academic and athletic standards they were looking for their college educations."

Top local Iowa talent is prepared to hit the Cyclone wrestling room. Jones won the 2009 3A 112-pound title at Valley High school in West Des Moines. England, a three-time Iowa state placewinner (140 pounds, 145 pounds and 171 pounds), hails from Centerville. Voelker, the nephew of former Cyclone two-time 190-pound NCAA champion Eric Voelker, has placed twice at state, most recently at 189 pounds.

Jackson knows the importance of finding home-grown talent that emerges from the state of Iowa's rapid wrestling scene.

"We are looking to communicate with all coaches in the state of Iowa," Jackson said. "Our coaching staff at Iowa State is here with our arms open to welcome in-state kids. We will fight very hard to bring in the best athletes in our state."

Arizona standout Luke Goettl rounds out the eight-man class. Goettl is a three-time state champion hailing from Clarksdale, Ariz. He has taken titles at 112 pounds, 125 pounds and 130 pounds.

"There are high expectations for everyone," Jackson said. "We'd like all of them to make an impact."

Jackson notes the fact that he and his coaching staff are looking for student-athletes, with an emphasis on the "student".

"First and foremost, we push academics," Jackson said. "ISU student-athletes graduate at a rate of 79 percent. We want student-athletes to come here first for academics, then for athletics. We have a great coaching staff which is going to challenge these student-athletes."

Class of 2010 Wrestling Signees
Joey Cozart, Brandon, Fla. (Brandon)
Three-time Florida state champion ... has taken titles at 125 pounds, 140 pounds and 145 pounds ... ranked 29th in his class by Intermat ... considered to be one of the top-five 152-pound preps nationally by Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat ... wrestled for storied Brandon High School program that has won 19 team championships and crowned 70 individual titlists ... coached by his father, Russ Cozart.

Mikey England, Centerville, Iowa (Centerville)
Three-time state 2A placewinner ... has compiled a 121-25 record ... took runner-up honors as a junior at the Iowa state tournament, competing at 171 pounds ... wrestled to third place as a sophomore at 145 pounds ... placed fourth at 140 pounds in his freshman year ... ranked 16th at 171 pounds by Intermat ... competed in the 2009 Junior Nationals.

Ryak Finch, Safford, Ariz. (Safford)
Considered the top 119-pounder in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat two-time Arizona state 3A champion ...stands at 154-2 on his career ... Junior Nationals double champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman at 112 pounds in 2009... two-time NHSCA national champion ... finished sophomore and junior seasons with perfect marks of 40-0 and 56-0, respectively ... rated by Intermat as the 23rd best wrestler in the class of 2010 ... was runner-up at both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the 2008 Junior Nationals ... state runner-up as a freshman at 103 pounds ... member of a five-time defending state champion team at Safford ... coached by Herman Andrews.

Kyven Gadson, Waterloo, Iowa (East)
Went undefeated, 38-0, as a junior en route to 3A 171-pound state title, winning by fall in four of five matches ...state runner-up as a sophomore at 145 pounds ... ranked in the top-10 at 189 pounds by both Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat ... 2009 FILA Cadet freestyle national champion at 85 kg (187.25 pounds) ... double state champion competing in Greco-Roman and freestyle as a sophomore ... took first place wrestling at 152 pounds at ASICS Folkstyle Nationals in 2008 ... coached by father, former ISU All-American Willie Gadson.

Luke Goettl, Clarksdale, Ariz. (Mingus Union)
Three-time Arizona state 4A-D2 champion ... titlist at 112 pounds, 125 pounds and 130 pounds ... Junior Nationals champion in Greco-Roman at 125 pounds in 2008 ... crowned champion at Southern Plains regional in 2009 ... ranked 12th and 10th at 135 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat, respectively ... coached by Tom Wokasch.

Brandon Jones, West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley)
Iowa state 3A 112-pound state titlist as a junior ... went 37-3 en route to the championship ... placed seventh as a sophomore at 103 pounds ... notched a 119-pound fourth-place finish at USA Wrestling's 2009 Preseason Nationals ... took top-honors at the Northern Plains regional, competing at 119 pounds ... runner-up in state freestyle tournament at 119 pounds ... finished fourth at ASICS Folkstyle Nationals in 2009 ... coached by Travis Young.

Michael Moreno, Urbandale, Iowa (Urbandale)
State runner-up in Iowa class 3A at 160 pounds as a junior and at 152 pounds as a sophomore ... has recorded a career mark of 111-13 ... took fourth in the 145-pound division as a freshman ... considered one of the top 10 preps at 171 pounds by both Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat ... ranked 22nd best wrestler in the class of 2010 by Intermat ... runner-up finish competing in freestyle at 171 pounds at the Northern Plains regional ... saw action at Junior Nationals at 171 pounds ... coached by father and former Cyclone, Mike Moreno.

Trevor Voelker, Adel, Iowa (Dallas Center-Grimes)
Two-time Iowa state 2A placewinner ... finished fifth in the state at 189 pounds as a junior after compiling a 47-3 mark ... recorded a sixth-place showing at 171 pounds as a sophomore ... competed at Junior Nationals as a junior ... neph
Iowa State Wrestlers Win Seven Nichols Titles

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State wrestlers took seven individual crowns and put on a stellar performance at the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open Saturday at the Lied Recreation Center on ISU's campus. ISU wrestlers went a combined 78-27 over the entire tournament.

The Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open featured 270 total wrestlers spanning NCAA Division I to NAIA schools. Fourteen Iowa Staters advanced to the semifinals of the event.

Head coach Kevin Jackson saw the successful action as being part of his plan early this season.

"I want to congratulate our champions and placewinners," Jackson said. "Those guys were doing the things we've been asking them to do. Our errors in concentration remain the same. We still need to work on those certain areas and improve. We are going to get better and will continue getting better."

Jackson is confident in the Cyclone squad's ability to progress as the season continues.

"We're happy with where we are at," Jackson said. "Come Monday, it is back to work though and we'll be hitting it hard."

Two Cyclones took Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open titles to finish with a clean sweep of the event during their Cyclone careers. ISU three-time NCAA finalist Jake Varner took his fourth Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open title with a finals pin in a rematch with his opponent from Thursday's dual with SDSU. Varner stuck the Jacks' Tyler Sorenson in the first period in 2:27.

Cyclone senior 149-pound Mitch Mueller added his fourth title at 149 pounds with a victory over Lindenwood's Sam Schmitz by decision, 8-2. Mueller recorded two technical falls to start the action Saturday morning.

Iowa State heavyweight David Zabriskie was victorious at the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open for the third time in his career. The Cyclone held off Wartburg's upset-minded John Helgerson by a score of 3-0 in the finals. Helgerson edged ISU's Eric Thompson 5-3 in the first round to start his run to the finals.

Two-time All-American and Pan-Am Games silver medalist Jon Reader got his third title. The Cyclone took the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open 165-pound title in convincing fashion, with two pins, a technical fall and a major decision in four matches. Reader handled Ryan Pankoke of Nebraska-Omaha 17-6 for a major decision in the finals.

Sophomore 157-pounder Andrew Sorenson took the crown with a finals victory over UNI's Brett Robbins, 8-2. Sorenson took down Iowa's Derek St. John in the semifinals with a 7-5 decision. The Cyclone recorded three pins over opponents in earlier rounds.

"(Jake) Varner was impressive and so was (Jon) Reader," Jackson said. "But Andrew Sorenson really stepped it up today. He beat a kid from Iowa that won their wrestle-off. Andrew performed well all day long. He's made big strides since the intrasquad."

Redshirt freshman Andrew Long took his first title with a major decision of Iowa's J.J. Krutsinger, 11-2 in the finals. Long was 5-0 in the tournament with three major decisions and a pin.

In a rematch from the Cardinal and Gold Intrasquad, Cyclone 174-pounders Duke Burk and Chris Spangler clashed in the finals. Burk was the winner again, edging Spangler 3-1 to take the title.

Iowa State continues the early stages of its 2009-10 campaign Nov. 21 at the Kaufman-Brand (Omaha) Open on Nebraska-Omaha's campus. Mat action begins at 9 a.m.
Iowa State Wrestlers Take Down South Dakota State 43-3 In Jackson's Debut

AMES, Iowa - The No. 2 Iowa State wrestling team was firing on all cylinders Thursday night in Hilton Coliseum. ISU handled South Dakota State 43-3 for the first dual win of Cyclone head coach Kevin Jackson's career.

ISU made an impact with its offense in front of a home crowd of 2,528. The Cyclones recorded 29 takedowns to South Dakota State's four. ISU also counted heavily on back points in the contest, scoring six three-point nearfalls and seven two-point nearfalls.

"We came in as the more heralded team and we needed to wrestle like it," Jackson said. "We have a lot of things to learn and only a couple of guys have really taken over at their weight class. The rest will be determined by how we wrestle at the Harold Nichols meet this weekend and then at Omaha."

Making the first dual start of his career at 184 pounds, senior Joe Curran kicked off the 2009-10 Cyclone wrestling campaign in impressive fashion. The Elk Point, S.D. native scored a technical fall over South Dakota State's David Michaud by a score of 17-2 (5:52). Curran notched five takedowns in the match.

"Joe has been making the most connections in training and that is why he was out there tonight," Jackson said. "He and Jerome Ward have a battle going and both have done a good job. Joe went out tonight and went after his man from the start. That is what we are looking for this season."

Two Iowa Staters had pins on their mind Thursday night. Heavyweight David Zabriskie struck first for the Cyclones with a 4:17 stick of SDSU's Jeremy Swier. The fifth-ranked senior had built a 14-3 lead before recording the fall.

Two-time All-American junior Jon Reader added six team points to the Cyclone effort with his pin of the Jack's Weston Blasius at 165 pounds. Reader notched the fall in the first period in 1:42.

"The matches are the fun part," Reader said. "We have a veteran team and all of us were here this summer training. It was great to get out and wrestle somebody outside of the wrestling room."

Senior Cyclone Duke Burk proved too much to handle for South Dakota State's Joe Rasmussen at 174 pounds. Burk ran the first period score to 14-1 before finishing off his Jackrabbit opponent with a takedown 21 seconds into the second period for the technical fall, 16-1 (3:21).

No. 1-ranked 197-pounder Jake Varner started off his senior campaign with bonus points over 11th-ranked Tyler Sorenson of SDSU. In the premier match of the night, ISU's Varner controlled the bout with a 13-4 major decision.

Second-ranked Cyclone 141-pounder Nick Gallick handled his SDSU opponent, Dustin Walraven, by major decision, 14-2. Fellow ISU senior Mitch Mueller followed with a strong 12-5 decision of the Jackrabbits' Nick Hagar.

The son of former Cyclone three-time NCAA champion Nate Carr scored bonus points for ISU. Nate Carr, Jr. notched a major decision over Nick Flynn of South Dakota State by a score of 9-1.

Making the first start of his Cyclone career, true freshman Dallas Collier of Aiea, Hawai'i was dropped by SDSU's Aaron Pickrel by decision, 9-3.

ISU hits the mat Saturday for the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open at the Lied Recreation Center. Action begins at 10 a.m.

MATCHES
184 pounds - Joe Curran (ISU) tech. fall David Michaud (SDSU), 17-2 (5:52_
197 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) major dec. No. 11 Tyler Sorenson (SDSU), 13-4
HWT - No. 5 David Zabriskie (ISU) pinned Jeremy Swier (SDSU), 4:17
125 pounds - Aaron Pickrel (SDSU) dec. Dallas Collier (ISU), 9-3
133 pounds - No. 5 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) won by forfeit
141 pounds - No. 2 Nick Gallick (ISU) major dec. Dustin Walraven (SDSU), 14-2
149 pounds - No. 9 Mitch Mueller (ISU) dec. Nick Hagar (SDSU), 12-5
157 pounds - Nate Carr, Jr. (ISU) major dec. Nick Flynn (SDSU), 9-1
165 pounds - No. 5 Jon Reader (ISU) pinned Weston Blasius (SDSU), 1:42
174 pounds - No. 12 Duke Burk (ISU) tech. fall Joe Rasmussen (SDSU), 16-1
Iowa State Wrestlers Open 2009-10 Campaign With SDSU

AMES, Iowa - No. 2 Iowa State begins the 2009-10 wrestling season under new head coach Kevin Jackson at home in Hilton Coliseum against South Dakota State Thursday at 7 p.m. The Cyclones will hit the mats Saturday for the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open at the Lied Recreation Center on ISU's campus.

Dual One: South Dakota State
Thurs., Nov. 12; 7 p.m.
Ames, Iowa * Hilton Coliseum
Live Video and Stats available at <http://cyclones.com>cyclones.com

Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open
Sat., Nov. 14; All day
Ames, Iowa * Lied Recreation Center

Cyclone Notebook
* Iowa State's matchup with South Dakota State Nov. 12 marks the beginning of Kevin Jackson's ISU coaching career.
* The Cyclones are 79-12-1 in season openers since 1916. ISU has won 12 straight season-opening duals since 1996.
* Last season, Iowa State notched seven individual titles at the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open.
* ISU is currently ranked 2/2 in the Intermat and W.I.N. Magazine polls, respectively.
* The Cyclones are coming off a third-place showing at last year's NCAA Championships.
* Iowa State returns four grapplers who earned All-America honors in at the 2009 NCAA Championships: Nick Gallick (141), Jon Reader (165), Jake Varner (197) and David Zabriskie (HWT) in 2009. ISU 133-pounder Nick Fanthorpe was an All-American in 2008.
* No. 3 ISU won a third-straight Big 12 Conference Wrestling Championship last season. The Cyclones had never won a consecutive trio of league titles. Iowa State tied for first with Nebraska with 70 points. Nick Fanthorpe (133) and David Zabriskie (HWT) notched their second conference individual titles.

Iowa State vs. South Dakota State Series Notes
* ISU leads in the all-time series against South Dakota State, 8-0.
* Iowa State last defeated SDSU Dec. 11, 1976 in Lincoln, Neb., 37-9.

Scouting South Dakota State
* The Jackrabbits are coming off a 9-11-1 season in 2008-09.
* South Dakota State returns one NCAA qualifi er in 197-pounder Tyler Sorenson.
* The Jack's Sorenson suffered two close defeats at the NCAA Championships. The senior hailing from Garretson, S.D. dropped matches by identical scores of 6-4 to both Michigan's Tyrel Todd and Pat Bradshaw of Edinboro, respectively.

* Sorenson is only the second wrestler in SDSU history to qualify in Division I.
* SDSU is set to dual with ISU Nov. 12 and then compete in the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open Nov. 14.
Iowa State Wrestlers Fanthorpe, Sanderson are Academic All-Americans

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State wrestlers, Nick Fanthorpe and Cyler Sanderson, were named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-America wrestling team for the 2007 - 08 season.

Individually, wrestlers must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule and must have competed in at least 60 percent of said schedule. The other way to qualify for the All-Academic team is have a 3.0 cumulative and been an NCAA All-American.

Fanthorpe is a sophomore majoring in community and regional planning and carries a 3.15 GPA. He was also a member of the Big 12 Conference's first-team All-Academic unit. The Naperville, Ill., native earned All-America honors with a seventh-place finish at 133 pounds.

Sanderson is a sophomore fine arts major with a 3.01 GPA. He was also dubbed a first-team member of the league's first-team All-Academic squad. A native of Heber City, Utah, Sanderson placed seventh nationally at 157 pounds to garner his first All-American status.

A total of 88 Division I grapplers were named to the NWCA All-Academic wrestling team. The 2007-08 All-Academic team was highlighted by 27 Division I All-Americans and three national champions.
Iowa State Head Wrestling Coach Sanderson Lands Fourth-Ranked 171-Pounder

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson announced Tuesday that four-time Illinois high school state qualifier and state champ Chris Spangler (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley HS) will join the Cyclone squad for the 2008-09 season. Spangler is currently ranked fourth among preps nationally at 171 pounds by W.I.N. Magazine and is projected to wrestle at 174 or 184 pounds collegiately.

Spangler closed out his prep career with a third-place finish at 171 pounds in the Illinois high school state tournament in February. He pinned two opponents and registered a major decision en route to the third-place finish while wrestling. He finished his senior season with a 44-1 record and was selected to wrestle for Team USA at the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic against a squad of Pennsylvania grapplers.

As a freshman in 2005, Spangler was a qualifier at 103 pounds and followed with a state title in the same weight class as a sophomore in 2006. Spangler jumped up two weight class for his junior season to 119 pounds where he was a state qualifier and posted a mark of 2-2.

Spangler joins Sanderson's list for 2008-09 with Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa), Nate Carr Jr. (Gray, Ga.), Eric Thompson (Waverly, Iowa), Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) and Ridge Kiley (Eagle Grove, Iowa).
Iowa State's Bertolino Places Second at University Nationals

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State's David Bertolino finished as the freestyle runner-up at 84 kg (185 pounds) at the ASICS University Nationals Sunday in Akron, Ohio. David Zabriskie placed fifth at 120 kg (264.5 pounds). Ben Hanisch (60 kg), Joey DeMarie (63 kg) and Laramie Shaffer (63 kg) also wrestled in the event. All five Cyclone grapplers wrestled freestyle for the Cyclone Wrestling Club in the two-day tournament.

Bertolino, who recently capped off his collegiate career with an All-American performance at the NCAA Championships, won four matches en route to the title bout. He first knocked off Rick Loera (Iowa) 4-0, 7-2 and went on to shutout his next two opponents. In the semifinals he defeated Kurt Brenner 2-2, 2-2, 6-0. Former Northwestern NCAA champ Jake Herbert (Wildcat Wrestling Club) denied Bertolino in the championship match 2-0, 1-0. Bertolino then had to turn around and wrestle a true second-place match against Raymond Jordan (Sunkist WC), winning 1-1, 3-2.

"I thought he wrestled really well in a huge bracket," associate head coach Cody Sanderson said. "Especially in his true second-place match against Raymond Jordan only 10 minutes after wrestling [Jake] Herbert. I think he found out that if he wants to continue to compete at the open level he has the potential."

Bertolino's win earns him a qualifier spot at the University World Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 23-24, 2008. The event in Colorado will determine the athletes in these styles who will compete in Greece at the World University Championships.

Zabriskie advanced to the semifinals at 120 kg by winning four matches before being sent into the consolation bracket on a 4-0, 6-0 blanking at the hands of Tervel Dlagnev (Sunkist Kids). Zabriskie was pinned in the consolation semifinals by Justin Dobies (CWC) in 1:39. The ISU sophomore received a forfeit for fifth place.

Hanisch won his opening match against Nikko Triggas (Ohio State) 8-7, 2-4, 3-1 despite suffering three dislocated ribs. He then faced Franklin Gomez (Michigan Wrestling Club) and suffered a 6-0, 6-0 setback to drop into the wrestlebacks. Hanisch exited the tournament on a 0-1, 2-0, 0-7 loss to Aaron Ely (Edinboro).

Both DeMarie and Shaffer each won their opening bouts at 63 kg, but lost back-to-back matches to be eliminated from the tournament. DeMarie picked up his lone win with a 4-0, 4-0 shutout of Ty Costa (River City Wrestling Club). Shaffer defeated Rob LaBrake (Clarion Wrestling Club) 5-0, 4-1.
Iowa State Wrestling Awards Banquet

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State wrestling team will host its annual awards banquet on Tuesday, April 1 at Hickory Hall in Ames.

Fans are welcome to attend the ceremony to honor the two-time Big 12 team champions. Check-in and social hour will begin at 6 p.m. followed by dinner and awards at 7 p.m.

Tickets are limited and can be purchased for $20. To reserve a spot, contact Molly Donnelly at 515-294-4872 or mdonnely@iastate.edu. Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.
Iowa State Six Seconds From Second

ST. LOUIS - Six seconds. That is all that separated Iowa State from a second-place team finish at the NCAA Championships Saturday in the Scottrade Center. Ohio State's second-seeded Mike Pucillo won in after the second tie-breaker with six seconds of riding time against two-time Cyclone NCAA finalist Jake Varner to carry the Buckeye to a 4-3 win in the 184-pound title match. The loss put Ohio State into second place in the team race, while ISU tied with Oklahoma State for fifth place with 72 points. Iowa won the team title with 117.5 points. In a tight race, Ohio State finished second with 79 points, followed by Penn State with 75. Nebraska placed fourth with 74 points.

"We're close," head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson said. "We lost some close matches throughout the tournament and we also won some close matches. We just need to get better in areas and I need to get better as a coach because that's my responsibility. I need to make sure these guys are ready to go and they know exactly what they need to do out there.

"We had an incredible year," Sanderson continued. "(Iowa State's wrestlers) really had a great tournament and did an outstanding job. We can be proud of what we accomplished. We have some big teams coming in the future and we're going to keep getting better. We knew that a couple years ago, but it's my job to make sure that happens."

Varner, the tournament's top-seed at 184 pounds, pursued Pucillo the entire first period, but could not get in for a takedown and the opening three minutes finished scoreless. The Cyclone deferred to begin the second period, with the sophomore Buckeye taking the down position and eluded the powerful grip of Varner in a quick seven seconds to go up 1-0. Varner evened the score with an escape in the third period and the match was pushed into a 60-second sudden victory.

Both wrestlers were locked at the shoulders, unable to score, forcing the match into a pair of 30-second tiebreakers. Again, both wrestlers exchanged escapes to deadlock the score at 2-2 and move into a second edition of sudden victory.

With neither wrestler able to change the score, riding time became critical and would ultimately determine the 184-pound champ. Pucillo started the first tiebreaker from the down position and Varner was able to accumulate 11 seconds of riding time before Pucillo escaped.

Varner did escape in his turn from the down position, but it was too late. Pucuillo was able to maintain a strong hold and erase ISU's 11 seconds of riding time and get six seconds of his own. Those six seconds landed the Buckeye a top of the podium as the 184-pound national champion and pushed Ohio State up to second place.

"It's a tough way to lose a match that way, but he's doing a great job," Sanderson said. "(Varner) will be back. I think he wrestled well. He was the aggressor the whole match and it came down to six seconds of riding time and that makes it hard. It's one thing to get taken down but this is difficult. He'll bounce back and be fine. He still has two great years of wrestling left."

The sophomore from Bakersfield, Calif., closes out a decorated season with a 29-1 mark. He tallied 11 wins resulting in bonus points with four major decisions and seven falls. In his two-year Iowa State career, he is 59-8 and has been a two-time NCAA finalist and has twice been an All-American.

Iowa State finished the tournament with seven grapplers earning All-American status: Nick Fanthorpe (7th-133), Nick Gallick (5th-141), Cyler Sanderson (7th-157), Jon Reader (7th-165), Jake Varner (2nd-184), David Bertolino (8th-197) and David Zabriskie (6th-HWT). The seven All-Americans are the most ISU finishers in the top eight since1993. It marked the ninth time the feat has been completed by the ISU wrestling program. Six of Iowa State's All-Americans will return in the 2008-09 season.

"We have a lot of positives to build on with seven All-Americans, six of which are back," Sanderson said. "It's obvious that we have some things we need to improve on over the year, but I'm excited about the future."
Iowa State Third Heading Into Finals

ST. LOUIS - Iowa State's seven All-Americans were busy Saturday morning, rolling up points in the consolations as the Cyclones moved into third place at the NCAA Championships in the Scottrade Center. ISU's Nick Gallick placed fifth at 141 pounds and heavyweight David Zabriskie finished sixth. The Iowa State trio of Nick Fanthorpe (125), Cyler Sanderson (157) and Jon Reader (165) each finished seventh in their respective weight classes. David Bertolino placed eighth for the Cyclones at 197 pounds. ISU is in third place with 72 points. Iowa leads the team race with 109.5 points, followed by Nebraska with 74. Ohio State and Penn State are tied for fourth with 71 points to round out the top-five.

Jake Varner is Iowa State's lone finalist at 184 pounds. Iowa and Ohio State will send three grapplers to championship matches, while Penn State has two in the finals. Saturday night's championship bouts will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be aired live on ESPN. Live stats will be available on cyclones.com.

Gallick surpassed his No. 9 seed by garnering All-American status with a fifth-place finish at 141-pounds, defeating Army's Matthew Kyler 3-2. It only took the ISU sophomore seven seconds to register a takedown, but Kyler responded with an escape to make the score 2-1 heading into the second period. Both wrestlers exchanged escapes in the second and third periods, but it was the first period takedown that earned Gallick the victory. Prior to the fifth-place match, Gallick suffered a 3-2 loss to Hofstra's Charles Griffin.

Gallick won his match as older brother and former Iowa State NCAA champion Nate watched from behind the mat. The Gallick name has combined for All-American status four times and four Big 12 titles. Nick finishes his second season as a Cyclone with a 28-13 record and was the Big 12 champ at 141 pounds. He holds a career record of 57-23.

Fanthorpe was the first of three ISU wrestlers to finish seventh place with a 7-6 decision over No. 11 Joe Baker of Navy at 133 pounds. Fanthorpe and Baker's heads collided mid-way through the first period, delivering gashes to both wrestlers.

"We both tried to take a shot," Fanthorpe explained. "My head was low and he caught me right in my forehead above my eyes. I was on my back and felt some blood so I knew that they were going to have to clean me up. I don't know if the trainer put some strips on it or not, but he wrapped my head up and stitched it after."

Despite the delay, Fanthorpe was not phased and attacked with a takedown for an early lead. He went up 6-3 on two second-period escapes and a takedown. Baker evened the bout with an escape to start the final period and took the Cyclone down, but Fanthorpe was able to break Baker's hold with 18 seconds left for the winning point. The sophomore All-American concludes the season with a 32-6 record, along with an individual Big 12 Conference title, and is 61-7 in his ISU career.

"It obviously feels good to go out with a win," Fanthorpe said. "Ultimately I would have liked to be in the national finals, but the team has seven All-Americans. We're fighting back. I think overall the tournament was a good one and we'll be back next year to contend for the team title."

Sanderson wrestled true to his seed by downing Bloomsburg's Matt Moley 7-5 for seventh place at 157 pounds. Sanderson held a 2-1 edge heading into the second period. He added two takedowns in the second stanza to go up 6-3, but Moley notched a takedown of his own to come within one point. A Sanderson escape denied Moley's upset attempt.

"It feels great to get that last win, especially coming off a loss last night," the sophomore All-American said. "This is a tough tournament and it went pretty well, but I wanted to win it. I've got some stuff to work on this summer and try to get ready for next year."

Sanderson closes out the season with a 33-6 mark and finished as the 157-pound Big 12 champion. He sports a 63-17 career record at Iowa State. To date, the Sanderson name has earned All-American honors seven times.

Reader placed seventh at 165 pounds by avenging a dual loss to Nebraska's fifth-seeded Stephen Dwyer via a 10-7 decision. Back points in the first period by the Cyclone were pivotal in the win as Reader raced out to a 5-0 lead in just over a minute in the opening period. He added a takedown to go up 7-1, but Dwyer got on the board with a reversal as the first period expired. In true Reader fashion from the down position, he reversed Dwyer to go ahead 9-4. The Huskers' final attempts, a takedown with 18 seconds to go, were not enough and Reader clinched the win.

"Those back points early were important," Reader said. "I don't even know how we got in that scramble. It was a goofy scramble and I had his arm. I had never been in that situation before, maybe in practice goofing around. I am happy with everything and our team is happy as well. We'll be in the hunt next year."

A redshirt freshman All-American from Davison, Mich., Reader ends his rookie season with a 30-9 record and leads the team in bonus point wins with 16.

"It was fun and that's is what we wanted to do," Reader said. "We wanted to have fun, give your best effort and leave it all on the mat. I think I did that in all my matches. I could have changed a little bit of my strategy in some of my matches, but overall I gave my best effort for Iowa State. That's what I wanted to do and let the cookies crumble the way that they do."

For the second time this season, heavyweights David Zabriskie and Iowa's Matt Fields pushed their match into overtime, but it was a takedown by No. 4 Fields in the second sudden victory period that earned the Hawkeye a win for fifth place. Zabriskie finished the tournament by hitting his seed right one by as the sixth-place big man to earn All-American status. Prior to the fifth-place match, the ISU sophomore suffered a 6-1 decision to Oklahoma State's fifth-seeded Jared Rosholt. Zabriskie, a Branchville, N.J., native, ends the season with a 29-8 record and carries a career record of 56-16.

Bertolino had upset on his mind by pushing fifth-seeded Max Askren of Missouri into sudden victory, but a counter by the Tiger resulted in a takedown and an 11-9 seventh-place match win for Mizzou grappler. Askren scored an early takedown, but Bertolino answered with a reversal to tie the bout at 2-2. He took a 4-3 lead on a takedown with 40 seconds left in the first period, only to have Askren escape and even the score. In the second period the Missouri sophomore moved ahead 7-4. Bertolino battled back for a takedown as time expired, forcing the match into sudden victory.

Bertolino, a senior on the ISU squad, entered his first NCAA Championships unseeded and excelled throughout the tournament. Wrestling up two weight classes from the three previous seasons, Bertolino provided one of the tournament's biggest upsets in quarterfinal action by knocking off All-American and third-seeded Mike Tamillow of Northwestern 6-4 in sudden victory. Hailing from Mount Pleasant, Ohio, Bertolino wrapped up his ISU career by going 25-14 this season and finished with a 69-40 overall record.

Most All-America Performers the Last Two Years
1. Iowa State 11
2. Iowa 10
3. Michigan 9
Minnesota 9
5. Oklahoma State 8
Cornell 8
Ohio State 8
Iowa State’s Varner to Semis; Seven Clones Alive

ST. LOUIS – Iowa State’s top-seeded Jake Varner advanced to the 184-pound semifinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships with a 2-0 win over eighth-seeded rival Roger Kish of Minnesota. ISU sent six grapplers to the quarterfinals, but Varner was the only Cyclone to advance in the championship bracket. Cyler Sanderson rallied Friday morning to win two consolation matches at 157 pounds. The six Cyclones still alive in the consolation bracket must win their match Friday night in order to earn All-America honors. In the team race, Iowa State is tied for 10th with Michigan with 33 points. Iowa has opened a 20-point lead with 67 points to Nebraska and Oklahoma State’s 47.5 points. Ohio State (44.5) and Central Michigan (43) round out the top-five teams.

Friday night’s semifinal session is set to get underway at 6 p.m. and can be seen on ESPNU. Live stats will be available on cyclones.com.

“There’s no question that we knew the quarterfinals would be a tough round coming in,” Iowa State head coach Cael Sanderson said. “We needed to get some upsets and we didn’t. Now we need to battle back. This round coming up is obviously real important to us. The winner is an All-American and we just need to score as many points as we can at this point. I feel real good about the kids we have coming back through the wrestlebacks.”

Now a two-time All-American, Varner defeated his Gopher rival on a second-period escape and was able to ride Kish for the entire third period en route to the victory. The Varner-Kish meeting is the third of the season and in all three meetings, Varner has held Kish scoreless. Varner returns to the semifinals for the second year in a row after a runner-up finish as a freshman. A sophomore from Bakersfield, Calif., Varner holds a 28-0 record.

In Friday night’s semifinals, Varner will square off against fourth-seeded Christian Sinnott of Central Michigan. These two men have met twice on the mat earlier this season with the Varner taking a 2-1 decision in the Midlands semifinals and 4-2 tie-breaker victory at national duals in mid-January.

Fifth-seeded Nick Fanthorpe and fourth-seeded Joey Slaton of Iowa pushed their quarterfinal match into a tie-breaker, but it was the intentional release by the Cyclone of Slaton decided the match. Both wrestlers were unable to get a shot in during the initial three minutes of action and they traded escapes in the second and third periods to tie the bout at 1-1. With neither man able to score in sudden victory, the match was pushed to a tie-breaker, where Slaton was able to maintain a hold on Fanthorpe throughout his entire session of the tie-breaker. Fanthorpe cut Slaton immediately in an attempt to get a shot on the Hawkeye, but was unable to get the match-winning takedown. A sophomore from Naperville, Ill., Fanthorpe’s record is now 30-5 and will take on sixth-seeded Lou Ruggirello of Hofstra.

Nick Gallick, the ninth-seed at 141 pounds, suffered a 5-0 set-back to the top-seeded Chad Mendes of Cal Poly in quarterfinal action. The match was scoreless heading into the second period, until Mendes got on the board with an escape in the second period and added to his lead on three-point neafall in the final stanza. Gallick slips to 25-12 and is set to face unseeded Drew Headlee of Pittsburgh.

Redshirt freshman Jon Reader dropped a 5-2 decision to third-seeded Nick Marable of Missouri at 165 pounds. The Tiger scored a takedown in the first and third periods and added a second-period escape. Reader is 28-8 heading into consolation action and will meet unseeded Chad Porter of Liberty.

At 197 pounds, David Bertolino responded to a quick takedown by Wisconsin’s sixth-Dallas Herbst with an escape and a takedown with six seconds left in the first period. The senior Cyclone added to his lead with an escape in the second period, but Herbst evened the score with a third-period reversal. Over two minutes of riding time proved to be the difference that won the match for the Badger. Bertolino, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a second-round major upset of third-seeded Mike Tamillow of Northwestern, has a 24-12 record in his final ISU campaign. He faces unseeded Daren Burns of UNC Greensboro Friday night.

Seventh-seeded David Zabriskie suffered an 11-1 major decision to the second-seeded heavyweight, J.D. Bergman of Ohio State. Zabriskie is 27-6 and will meet ninth-seeded Jermail Porter of Kent State.

Cyler Sanderson rebounded from a second-round loss with a pair of consolation wins Friday morning. Sanderson, the seventh-seed at 157 pounds, notched a 7-3 decision over Drexel’s Ryan Hluschak. He then took on Newly McSpadden of Oklahoma State and scored a 3-2 decision over the Cowboy on a first-period takedown and an escape in the final period. He will wrestle Hofstra’s Jonny Bonilla-Bowman in the consolation bracket.

Sophomore 149-pounder Mitch Mueller bowed out of the tournament with a 2-1 consolation loss to Missouri’s Josh Wagner. For the second time in three meetings, the match was determined based on riding time. Wagner was able to get the minute needed to earn the point and the match. Hailing from Iowa City, Iowa, Mueller concludes his second ISU campaign with a 23-13 record and finished as the Big 12 149-pound runner-up.

Aron Scott closed out his ISU wrestling career in consolation action, falling 8-2 to UT-Chattanooga’s Lloyd Rogers. Scott, who was wrestling in his first NCAA Championships after a third-place finish at the Big 12 Championship, completed the season with a 13-13 mark in his senior campaign and a career record of 35-35.

Quarterfinal Matches
133 pounds - No. 4 Joey Slaton (Iowa) dec. No. 5 Nick Fanthorpe (Iowa State), 2-1 (TB)
141 pounds - No. 1 Chad Mendes (Cal Poly) dec. No. 9 Nick Gallick (Iowa State), 5-0
165 pounds - No. 3 Nick Marable (Missouri) dec. No. 7 Jon Reader (Iowa State), 5-2
184 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner (Iowa State) dec. No. 8 Roger Kish (Minnesota), 2-0
197 pounds - No. 6 Dallas Herbst (Wisconsin) dec. David Bertolino (Iowa State), 5-4
HWT - No. 7 David Zabriskie (Iowa State) vs. No. 2 J.D. Bergman

Consolation Matches
149 pounds - Josh Wagner (Missouri) dec. Mitch Mueller (Iowa State), 2-1
157 pounds - No. 7 Cyler Sanderson (Iowa State) dec. Ryan Hluschak (Drexel), 7-3
174 pounds - Lloyd Rogers (UT-Chattanooga) dec. Aron Scott (Iowa State), 8-2

157 pounds - Cyler Sanderson (Iowa State) vs. Newly McSpadden (Oklahoma State)

TEAM SCORES AFTER QUARTERFINALS
1. Iowa 67
2. Nebraska 47.5
Oklahoma State
4. Ohio State 45.5
5. Central Michigan 43
6. Penn State 42
7. Missouri 38.5
8. Cornell 34.5
Minnesota 34.5
10. IOWA STATE 33
Michigan 33
Iowa State Third After First Day of NCAA Championships

ST. LOUIS – Another upset for Iowa State’s David Bertolino. The unseeded 197-pounder registered one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by knocking off third-seeded Mike Tamillow of Northwestern in 6-4 in sudden victory Thursday night in the second round of the NCAA Championships at the Scottrade Center. Six Iowa State wrestlers advanced into Friday morning’s quarterfinals after picking up second-round wins. After the first day of competition, the Cyclones are in third place with 25 points. Iowa leads the tournament with 29.5 points and Nebraska is second with 26.5 points. Central Michigan and Minnesota are tied for fourth with 24 points.

Friday’s quarterfinals are set to get underway at 10 a.m. ESPNU and ESPN360.com will both be broadcasting the quarterfinals session. Live stats will be available on cyclones.com.

“The guys are getting loose and have really started wrestling now,” Iowa State head coach Cael Sanderson said. “We’re wrestling real well and I know our guys feel real good. I think as the tournament goes on we’re going to get stronger because of our conditioning and the way we train. Each day just makes these guys feel better. We need some guys to step it up a little bit and they will. Today was a good day, but we’ve still got a lot of wrestling to do. I like what I’m seeing right now and we need to have a better day tomorrow.”

Bertolino (24-11), who as a senior in his first NCAA Championships and entered the tournament unseeded, scored a takedown with one second left in sudden victory to push forward into the quarterfinals. Bertolino scored first with a takedown in the opening period, but Tamillow evened the match with an escape in the first and second periods. Starting the final period from the down position, Bertolino moved ahead 3-2, but Tamillow responded with a takedown for a 4-3 edge. Relentless, the senior from Mount Pleasant, Ohio, escaped again to tie the bout at 4-4 and push it into sudden victory where he got the winning takedown. Tamilow was an All-American last season.

“I saw his [Tamillow] elbow and just ran through it,” Bertolino said. “I tried to take advantage of his shots. He’s tough and he kept shooting. I’m in good shape and its always a factor, especially in those overtime matches. My conditioning channeled in and kept me focused to win the match.”

Sanderson was not at all surprised with Bertolino’s win.

“Bertolino did a great job,” Sanderson said of his 197-pounder. “He’s good and I’m not surprised because I’ve been wrestling with him for five years now and I know he’s good.”

Fanthorpe was the first Iowa State wrestler to clinch his spot in the 133-pound quarterfinals with a 3-1 decision over Boise State’s Cory Fish. The always-aggressive Cyclone sophomore struck in the first period with a takedown for a 2-0 lead and added an escape in the second period for a three-point advantage on Fish. With the win, Fanthorpe’s record stands at 30-4 and he is riding an eight-match win streak. Fanthorpe will rematch against Iowa’s fourth-seeded Joe Slaton in Friday’s morning session. When the two met in early-December, Slaton scored a 6-5 decision over Fanthorpe.

Ninth-seeded Iowa State 141-pounder Nick Gallick notched a 10-7 win over Oklahoma freshman Zack Bailey in the second-round. Gallick went ahead early on a pair of takedowns in the first period for a 4-2 lead and pushed his edge to 8-5 at the end of the second period on a takedown and two escapes. The ISU sophomore is also riding an eight-match win streak and holds a 25-11 mark after Thursday’s action. In the quarterfinals, Gallick is slated to meet top-seeded Chad Mendes of Cal Poly.

Reader, the sixth-seed at 165 pounds, recorded his seventh major decision of the season with a 15-2 second-round win over No. 11 Kurt Gross of Kent State. A redshirt freshman hailing from Davison, Mich., Reader jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first period on a takedown and a pair of three-point nearfalls. He continued to build his advantage throughout the bout on a pair of takedowns and over three minutes of riding time. Reader, now with a 28-7 record, will collide with Big 12 opponent and third-seeded Nick Marable from Missouri in Friday’s quarterfinals.

“We’re all just sticking to the plan right now and we’re ready to go,” Reader said. “Everybody is wrestling hard and giving their best effort, that’s all you can ask.”

Varner affirmed his No. 1 seed with a 2:06 stick of Stanford’s Zack Giesen. Prior to the fall, Varner put two takedowns on the board for a 4-1 lead early in the first period. The fall is the seventh of the season for the undefeated (27-0) sophomore. Varner will meet a familiar rival in the quarterfinals, eighth-seeded Roger Kish of Minnesota. In two meetings this season, the Cyclone blanked Kish 2-0 at the NWCA All-Star Classic and 3-0 at the Iowa State-Minnesota dual.

“It’s going good so far,” Varner said. “I feel good and now I get ready for my next match tomorrow. You have to take it one match at a time, but I’m always trying to look for the fall. If it’s not there, I have to beat the guy with points.”

Seventh-seeded heavywight David Zabriskie became the sixth ISU grappler to advance into the quarterfinals with a 3-2 decision over No. 10 Zach Sheaffer of Pittsburgh. A scoreless first period gave way to both big men exchanging escapes in the second and third periods to deadlock the bout at 1-1. With the final seconds ticking away on the clock, Zabriskie was able to get in on Sheaffer for a takedown on the edge of the mat and the win. He is slated to meet second-seeded J.D. Bergman of Ohio State on Friday.

“It was a tight match,” Zabriskie said. “With only three seconds left, I was trying to fumble on him [Sheaffer] hard and wrestle him on the edge of the mat and it paid off. I’m taking it one step at a time right now. Coming in last year there was a lot of excitement with me and with the team. This year there is still a ton of excitement, but I put everything else behind me.”

A trio of Iowa State wrestlers were sent into the consolation bracket after suffering second-round losses. At 149 pounds, Mitch Mueller was dealt a 6-2 decision by second-seeded Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota. Aron Scott scored first, but a third period takedown by Nebraska’s third-seeded Brandon Browne shut the door on the senior Cyclone, falling 8-5. Seventh-seeded Cyler Sanderson and No. 10 Michael Chandler of Missouri were tied at 2-2 heading into the final period, but the Tiger was able to get back points on Sanderson that gave Chandler a 5-3 win.

True freshman Tyler Clark exited the tournament on a 5-2 loss to UC Davis’ Marcos Orozco. Clark, who did not enter the starting lineup until mid-January, ends his rookie season with a 19-11 record.

Session II

Second Round Matches
133 pounds - No. 5 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) dec. Cory Fish (Boise State), 3-1
141 pounds - No. 9 Nick Gallick (ISU) dec. Zach Bailey (Oklahoma), 10-7
149 pounds - Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota) dec. Mitch Mueller (ISU), 6-2
157 pounds - Michael Chandler (Missouri) dec. No. 7 Cyler Sanderson (ISU), 5-3
165 pounds - No. 6 Jon Reader (ISU) maj. dec. No. 11 Kurt Gross (Kent State), 15-2
174 pounds - No. 3 Brandon Browne (Nebraska) dec. Aron Scott (ISU), 8-5
184 pounds - No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) pinned Zack Giesen (Stanford), 2:06
197 pounds - David Bertolino (ISU) dec. No. 3 Mike Tamillow (Northwestern) , 6-4 (SV)
HWT - No. 7 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 10 Zach Sheaffer (Pittsburgh), 3-2

Consolation Matches
125 pounds - Marcos Orozco (UC Davis) dec. Tyler Clark (ISU), 5-2