ISU Travels to Midlands Championships

12.28.2006 | Men's Wrestling

By: Iowa State University

Iowa State's wrestlers return to Evanston, Ill., for the Midlands Championships hosted by Northwestern in Welsh-Ryan Arena. Three past-Midlands place winners will pace ISU, seniors Trent and Travis Paulson and Kurt Backes. In a tight team race at last year's tournament, Iowa State was half a point shy of finishing fourth, but tallied 82.5 team points to claim fifth-place.

After taking top-honors and being named outstanding wrestler at 149-pounds in 2003, Trent Paulson will be looking to improve upon his third-place finish at 157-pounds during his sophomore campaign. The two-time All-American did not compete at last year's tournament.

At 165-pounds, Travis Paulson will be looking for his first Midlands Championship crown. Paulson, a two-time All-American, finished runner-up in 2004 and third in 2005.

Kurt Backes seeks his first Midlands title, only this time at 197-pounds. Previously wrestling at 184-pounds, the All-American has placed in all three of his Midlands appearances, sixth (2003), second (2004) and fifth (2005).

Seven redshirt freshman will be competing in their first Midlands Championship. Of the seven, Jake Varner has already claimed two titles in as many tournaments.

Iowa State Probable Lineup 2006 - 07 Record/Dual Record

125 Nick Fanthorpe (RS Fr., Naperville, Ill.) 11-4/3-2

133 Nick Gallick (RS Fr., Tucson, Ariz.) 11-3/4-1

Laramie Shaffer (RS Fr., Winterset, Iowa) 3-1/0-0

141 No. 11/14/18 Mitch Mueller (RS Fr., Iowa City, Iowa) 10-4/2-3

149 No. 12/NR/16 Cyler Sanderson (RS Fr., Heber City, Utah) 12-3/4-1

Jason Knipp (Sr., Waterloo, Iowa) 5-4/0-0

Aron Scott (Jr., Oskaloosa, Iowa) 4-1/0-0

157 No. 1/1/1 Trent Paulson (Sr., Council Bluffs, Iowa) 10-1/4-1

165 No. 4/4/3 Travis Paulson (Sr., Council Bluffs, Iowa) 11-1/3-1

Mike Somsky (Sr., Iowa City, Iowa) 2-3/0-0

174 David Bertolino (Jr., Mt. Pleasant, Ohio) 7-4/1-1