WR: No. 2 Grapplers Travel to Big 12 Championships
Media Relations
AMES, Iowa -- The second-rated Iowa State wrestling team travels to Columbia, Mo., to participate in the Big 12 Championships Saturday at the Hearnes Center. Action begins at 11 a.m. Semifinals are at noon. Finals are at 7 p.m. The Cyclones enter the tournament after completing a perfect conference dual record of 5-0.
ISU last won a conference tournament title when it shared a Big Eight crown with Oklahoma State in 1987. Iowa State’s last won an outright conference championship came in 1982.
Three
ISU grapplers emerged as champions at the 2006 Big 12 Championships in Ames, Iowa. Nate Gallick (141), Trent Paulson (157) and Kurt Backes (184) won conference titles last season as the Cyclones sent five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Iowa State placed fourth at the 2006 Big 12 meet as Oklahoma State earned its fourth-straight league championship.
Kurt Backes, a two-time Big 12 champ at 184-pounds, is vying for his first title at 197 pounds. Backes enters the tournament with a 2-2 mark against league wrestlers in a weight class where four grapplers are listed in the top-20. The senior was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week after his Feb. 11 performance, having pinned previously unbeaten Max Askren of Missouri in 3:11 using a defensive pin. In his final season, Backes has posted a 23-4 record and holds a career mark of 103-28.
Trent Paulson will be pushing for his second conference crown at 157 pounds. Paulson has dominated Big 12 competition in his senior campaign, outscoring opponents 52-16. This season is the first time the All-American has posted a 4-0 mark in conference duals. Entering the tournament, Paulson has a 22-4 season record and has tallied a career mark of 108-20.
Travis Paulson will be seeking his first conference title at 165 pounds and improving upon his third-place finish of last year. The two-time All-American is 3-1 against conference foes this season, with his lone loss at the hands of two-time NCAA champion, Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State. Hendricks has been listed as the top wrestler for the entire season, while Paulson peaked at No. 2 in late December. Going into his final Big 12 tournament, Paulson is 23-4 this season and 101-29 in his career.
Redshirt freshmen David Zabriskie (HWT) holds a 5-0 record in league action. Zabriskie currently holds the longest winning streak among
ISU grapplers, winning 10 straight dating back to National Duals. He dealt Nebraska’s Tom Rice a 17-1 technical fall in 5:41 to begin the conference schedule. The Brachville, N.J., native is 22-6 in his first year as a Cyclone.
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