Travis Paulson

Position:
Player
Height:
5-9
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Council Bluffs, Iowa

2005-06: Successfully defended 74 kg. (163 pounds) freestyle title at Northern Plains Regional, winning in freestyle and Greco-Roman ... named outstanding wrestler in Greco-Roman and qualified for U.S. World Team Trials ... placed fourth in freestyle at University Nationals at 74 kg. (163 pounds) and finished eighth in Greco-Roman ... competed at U.S. Nationals in freestyle at 74 kg. (163 pounds) and qualified for championship bracket ... finished junior season with a record of 31-7 ... became a two-time All-American with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships ... avenged regular-season losses to Missouri’s Matt Pell and Illinois’ Mike Poeta with 3-1 and 4-2 decisions, respectively, at NCAA Championships ... finished third at Big 12 Conference Championship to qualify for his third NCAA appearance ... academic all-Big 12 second-team member ... picked up fifth pin of the season with a 4:34 stick of Penn State’s David Erwin ... won opening Big 12 match by decisioning Oklahoma’s Jarrod King, 8-1 ... defeated nationally ranked Will Durkee from Northwestern at National Duals ... placed third at Midlands Championships, downing Jared Frayer ... topped UNI’s Nick Baima, 5-2 and 3-1, to capture Kaufman-Brand and Harold NicholsOpen titles ... recorded his first pin of the season with a 4:30 fall over Mark South of Utah Valley State ... team co-captain.

Awards: 165-pound All-American (6th), academic all-Big 12 second team, Kaufman-Brand Open 165-pound champion, Harold Nichols Open 165-pound champion, ISU Outstanding Junior, team captain, 74 kg. (163 pounds) Northern Plains freestyle and Greco-Roman champion, Northern Plains Greco-Roman Outstanding Wrestler.

2004 - 05: Northern Plains freestyle regional champion ... competed at the U.S. Senior Freestyle Nationals at 74 kg. (163 pounds) ... wrapped up sophomore season with a record of 21-9 ... qualified for second NCAA meet by finishing fourth at the Big 12 Championships ... came back from injury to major decision Oklahoma State’s Sam Lewnes ... garnered Big 12 Wrestler of the Week honors (Jan. 11) ... dealt 10th-ranked Jon Sioredas from Tennessee-Chattanooga his first loss of the season, a 3-1 overtime victory ... finished runner-up at Midlands and beat No. 1-seed David Bolyard from Central Michigan ... registered two major decisions at Wolverine Duals ... placed third at Harold Nichols Open with a 4-1 record ... selected first-team academic all-Big 12 team member for second straight year.

Awards: NCAA 165-pound qualifier, ISU Perseverance Award, 74 kg. (163 pounds) Northern Plains Regional champion, Big 12 Wrestler of the Week (Jan. 11), academic all-Big 12 first team, Midlands Championships runner-up.

2003 - 04: Recorded a 25-9 overall record and went 13-2 in dual competition at 157 pounds ... finished sixth at NCAA Championships to earn All-America status ... amassed 12 wins against NCAA qualifiers ... started NCAA Championships with a first-round decision over Lock Haven’s Charlie Brenneman and rattled off four wins in a row in the consolation bracket over Penn State’s James Woodall, Clarion’s Chris Horning, Nebraska’s B.J. Wright and Missouri’s Kenny Burleson ... ranked ninth nationally at 157 pounds in InterMat’s final individual rankings ... placed fourth at the Big 12 Championship ... qualified for his first NCAA meet as a wildcard ... captured the 157-pound title at the Kaufman-Brand Open, earning outstanding wrestler honors ... named to academic all-Big 12 first team ... selected as Big 12 Wrestler of the Month for November.

Awards: 165-pound All-American (6th), academic all-Big 12 first team, Big 12 Wrestler of the Month (Nov.), ISU Outstanding Freshman, 157-pound Kaufman-Brand champion and outstanding wrestler.

2002 - 03: Redshirted ... notched a 14-4 record wrestling unattached at 157 pounds ... runner-up at the Mike McCready Open, the UNI Open and the Harold Nichols Open ... took first-place honors at the Kaufman-Brand 20 and Under Open, collecting six wins.

Awards: 157-pound champion Kaufman-Brand 20 and under, 157-pound Mike McCready Open runner-up, 157-pound UNI Open runner-up, 157-pound Harold Nichols Open runner-up.

High School: Amateur Wrestling News high school All-American ... AWN’s sixth-ranked prep wrestler at 152 pounds ... three-time Iowa state champion ... owned a career prep record of 174-3, including an 87-0 mark his final two seasons ... 2002 Asics Tiger High School honorable mention All-American ... 2002 Junior National Greco-Roman co-champion with brother Trent ... coached in high school by Keith Massey.

Personal: Born May 11, 1983 ... son of Nick and Mary Ann Paulson ... twin brother of ISU teammate Trent Paulson ... has another brother David and sisters Amy and Alison ... business management major.