Completed Event: Wrestling versus Harold Nichols Cyclone Open on January 18, 2026 , , One Champ
Final
Wrestling
Harold Nichols Cyclone Open
One Champ
Iowa State University Athletics
Gallick, Paulsons and Backes Advance in First Session at NCAA Wrestling Championships
03.16.2006 | Wrestling
Oklahoma City, Okla. - Iowa State All-Americans Nate Gallick, Trent Paulson, Travis Paulson and Kurt Backes won their first-round bouts to advance at the 76th NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City Thursday morning. Three-time defending champion Oklahoma State leads the team race with 17 points as the sixth-ranked Cyclones stand in 21st place with 8 points.
Gallick remained unbeaten (31-0) with an 8-1 victory over Virginia Tech's David Hoffman, a four-time NCAA qualifier and 2006 ACC champion, at 141 pounds. The two-time All-American and three-time conference champion had beaten Hoffman in January, 19-6. Gallick faces David Roberts from Cal-Poly in the next round. Gallick scored takedowns in all three periods and threw Hoffman repeatedly to earn four minutes of riding time.
No. 1 seed Trent Paulson scored a 12-3 major decision over Wyoming's Dan Clum in his preliminary match. Paulson, an All-American in 2005, will meet Penn State's Nathan Galloway in the second round. Paulson downed the Nittany Lion in a February showdown with a 7-0 shutout. Paulson stormed out of the gates for a 7-1 advantage at the end of the first period over Clum, the West Regional champion.
2004 All-American and No. 8 seed Travis Paulson also moved on in the championship bracket, downing Army's Jonathan Anderson, 13-9. Paulson utilized an offensive arsenal of five takedowns and will square off against Illinois' ninth-seeded freshman Mike Poeta. Poeta bested Paulson in the semifinals at the Midlands Championships in December with a 5-4 decision in the pair's previous meeting.
The seventh-seeded Backes scored bonus points in his first match against Edinboro's three-time NCAA qualifier Alex Clemsen at 184 pounds. Backes held a 9-6 advantage in the third-period but capitalized as time expired with a takedown and three-point near fall as Clemsen attempted a final shot. Backes faces Arizona State's No. 10 seed C.B. Dollaway in the second round. Dollaway and Backes have split matches against each other in their careers.
Two-time NCAA qualifier Jesse Sundell fell in his first-round bout against 2005 NCAA runner-up and top-seeded Shawn Bunch from Edinboro at 133 pounds. Sundell faces Cornell's Mike Mormile in the wrestlebacks who fell to Oklahoma State's No. 2 seed Nathan Morgan.
The second session starts at 6:30 p.m. this evening.
First-Round Results
133 pounds - No. 1 Shawn Bunch (Edinboro) maj. dec. Jesse Sundell (ISU), 17-5
141 pounds - No. 1 Nate Gallick (ISU) dec. David Hoffman (Virginia Tech), 8-1
157 pounds - No. 1 Trent Paulson (ISU) maj. dec. Danny Clum (Wyoming), 12-3
165 pounds - No. 8 Travis Paulson (ISU) dec. Jonathan Anderson (Army), 13-9
184 pounds - No. 7 Kurt Backes (ISU) maj. dec. Alex Clemsen (Edinboro), 16-6
Second-Round Matchups
141 - No. 1 Nate Gallick (Iowa State) vs. David Roberts (Cal Poly)
157 - No. 1 Trent Paulson (Iowa State) vs. Nathan Galloway (Penn State)
165 - No. 8 Travis Paulson (Iowa State) dec. No. 9 Mike Poeta (Illinois)
184 - No. 7 Kurt Backes (Iowa State) vs. No. 10 C.B. Dollaway (Arizona State)
Consolation Matchup
133 pounds - Jesse Sundell (Iowa State) vs. Mike Mormile (Cornell)
Team Standings
1. Oklahoma State - 17
2. Hofstra - 16
3. Oklahoma - 13.5
T4. Arizona State, Iowa, Minnesota - 13
8. Penn State - 12
T9. Central Michigan, Edinboro, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, West Virginia - 11
Players Mentioned
Kevin Dresser Interview (NCAA Championships Session 6)
Saturday, March 21
Kevin Dresser Interview (NCAA Championships Session 4)
Friday, March 20
Yonger Bastida Press Conference (Semifinals)
Friday, March 20
Yonger Bastida Interview (NCAA Championships, Session 3)
Friday, March 20
