WEEKEND UPDATE: Cyclone redshirts excel at Northern Plains Regional

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Craig Sesker (USA Wrestling)
05/08/2006


Wrestling fans in Iowa received a brief glimpse of what might be in store next season for the Iowa State Cyclones.

Talented ISU true freshmen Nick Gallick and Mitch Mueller both captured championships in freestyle at the Northern Plains Regional on May 5-6 in Waterloo, Iowa.

Champions in each weight class in freestyle and Greco-Roman from the Northern Plains Regional qualified for the U.S. World Team Trials on May 26-28 in Sioux City, Iowa.

Gallick won the title at 132 pounds and will be in the same weight class with his brother, 2006 NCAA champion Nate Gallick, at the Trials. Nick Gallick beat Brett Robbins of the Panther Wrestling Club 6-3, 1-0 in the finals.

Mueller was named Outstanding Wrestler in freestyle after winning the 145.5-pound class. He downed W.R. Groves 1-1, 4-4, 1-0 in the finals. Mueller beat 2005 NCAA runner-up Joe Johnston 1-0, 4-3 in the semifinals. Johnston wrestled for Iowa.

Nick Gallick and Mueller redshirted and are part of the loaded class of Cyclone redshirts that also includes Cyler Sanderson and Jake Varner.

Another Cyclone, junior Travis Paulson, captured titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman at 163 pounds in Waterloo. The two-time All-American was named Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman.

Travis Paulson will join his twin brother, Trent, at the World Team Trials. Trent won the University Nationals in freestyle last weekend to qualify for the Trials at 163.

Former Nebraska-Omaha star Les Sigman also punched his ticket to Sioux City. The four-time NCAA Division II champion at heavyweight captured the 264.5-pound title in freestyle at the Northern Plains Regional.

Sigman, competing for the Sunkist Kids, beat Division II runner-up Tervel Dlagnev of Nebraska-Kearney 0-6, 2-0, 2-1 in the semifinals before downing Division III runner-up Blake Gillis of Wartburg 0-3, 3-0, 1-0 in the finals.

Also winning titles in freestyle were Michael Martinez (121), Bryce Hasseman (185) of the New York Athletic Club and Josh Pearce (211.5).

The balance of the Greco-Roman champions included Eric Albarracin (121) of the U.S. Army, Chad Vandiver (132), Donny Depatto (145.5) of the U.S. Marines, David Spangler (185) and Justin Millard (211.5) of the U.S. Air Force and Timothy Taylor (264.5 of the U.S. Army.

Kendall Vogel of Wisconsin was named Outstanding Wrestler in the Junior freestyle competition in Waterloo while Matt Ballweg of Iowa was OW in Junior Greco-Roman. Vogel beat Iowa's Brett Rosedale 5-5, 2-1 in the 152-pound finals. Ballweg beat Rosedale 4-2, 1-0 in the 152 freestyle finals.

Jacobson, Hedin, Whitbeck named OWs at Body Bar event

Sharon Jacobson (U.S. Olympic Education Center/Gator Wrestling Club), Dany Hedin (USOEC/NYAC) and Amy Whitbeck of New York were named Outstanding Wrestlers during the Body Bar Women's Nationals on May 6-7 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Jacobson, the reigning U.S. Nationals champion, rolled to the University Nationals freestyle title at 121 pounds. She pinned Amy Borgnini in 35 seconds in the finals.

Hedin downed Samantha Schuman of Missouri Valley by a 6-0, 6-0 technical fall in the FILA Junior finals at 121.

Whitbeck repeated as champion in FILA Cadets. She won at 101.25.

Coming Up: World Team Trials

The countdown has started for the World Team Trials on May 26-28 at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

The top Americans in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman will be vying for spots on the U.S. team for the World Championships on Sept. 26-Oct. 2 in Guangzhou, China.

The World Team Trials for women are set for June 30 in Colorado Springs.