ST. LOUIS - Nobody could have envisioned the type of wrestling season the Minnesota Golden Gophers have experienced.

The consensus No. 1 pick in the preseason with a senior-laden team of proven standouts, Minnesota looked like a strong bet to make a run at repeating as NCAA team champions.

But then came injuries to a number of starters, including NCAA champion Dustin Schlatter, NCAA runner-up Roger Kish and All-American C.P. Schlatter.

Minnesota lost an unthinkable seven dual meets and did not crown an individual champion at the Big Ten Championships on its home mats in Minneapolis. But Minnesota did still finish a close second to Iowa at Big Tens.

Even with all the setbacks and adversity, none of what happened during the season means anything right now as the NCAA Championships are set to kick off Thursday at the Scottrade Center.

It would have been very difficult to fathom before the season, but the Gophers enter this weekend as an underdog with top-ranked Iowa the favorite to win the team title.

"It's a little different role for us," said Minnesota sophomore Jayson Ness, who is ranked second nationally at 125 pounds. "We're just doing the same things we did last year to get ready and prepare for this tournament. Everyone has to compete their best for us to have a chance to win. We know we're going to have to come in here and fight. If we do that, we think we can do really well this weekend."

Ness, fifth in the country last year, was 35-0 before falling to now-No. 1 Angel Escobedo of Indiana 4-2 in the Big Ten finals. Escobedo beat Ness in the 2007 NCAA meet en route to placing fourth.

"(Escobedo) is a tough wrestler," Ness said. "I just have to wrestle harder and set a better pace."

Ness showed amazing resolve in fighting off his back in rallying for a semifinal win over Gabriel Flores of Illinois.

"You have to be ready for everybody you wrestle because you can get caught in one move and it can be over with," Ness said during a pre-meet press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the Scottrade Center. "You have to wrestle hard the whole time, no matter what. I just keep fighting hard and never quit."

Seeing wrestlers like Kish gut it out and try to wrestle despite clearly not being 100 percent has inspired younger members of the Minnesota team like Ness.

"It's great to see how competitive the guys on our team are," Ness said. "To see them fight through injuries and see how bad they want to win is impressive. I know they will compete to the best of their ability."

Ness was part of the Minnesota team that in 2007 won the school's third NCAA team title since 2001.

"Our senior class, those guys have been great leaders," Ness said. "They work so hard and you can see how badly they want to win. We have six seniors who have put in a lot of work. I have a ton of respect for what they've done and how much they've helped me."

Ness was asked about the rivalry with an Iowa team that is looking for its first NCAA team title since 2000.

"We want to beat them," Ness said. "Obviously, they are a big rival of ours and beating them is one of the most important things. We don't like them very much because they're our rival. We knew they would be tough this year because of all the transfers they had coming in. It brings a lot more to it when we're ranked 1-2 like we are now. It gets our fans going and it gets their fans going, that's for sure."

Ness said the experience from wrestling in this event last year should prove beneficial.

"The biggest thing I learned is that it's a really long tournament and that anything can happen," he said. "What you're seeded, it doesn't mean anything. Your wins and losses during the season, that doesn't mean anything right now. It's a whole new season when you walk in the doors here tomorrow and step on the mat."

Metcalf ready for first NCAA tournament

Iowa's Brent Metcalf is the most talked about wrestler in the collegiate ranks right now even though he has never competed in an NCAA tournament.

It's been a long wait for the Hawkeye sophomore, who was unable to compete last year after transferring to Iowa from Virginia Tech. He lost a year of eligibility when Virginia Tech refused to release him from his scholarship. Metcalf redshirted during his only season at Virginia Tech during the 2005-06 school year.

Metcalf is ranked No. 1 at 149 pounds and has won 27 straight matches after starting the year 3-1. Metcalf beat 2006 NCAA champion Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota 5-3 in the Big Ten finals.

Metcalf and Schlatter are the same age, but Schlatter is competing in his third NCAA tournament. Schlatter won the title as a true freshman before placing third last year.

"Obviously, I am extremely excited," Metcalf said. "Sitting out two years and watching it all go on and not being able to perform in this tournament, it wasn't any fun. But my opportunity is finally here now for me to prove myself. I'm excited and ready to go."

Metcalf was asked if his lack of experience in college wrestling's biggest event was a concern for him.

"Absolutely not," he said. "Is it going to be a different experience? Yes. But at the same time, it's you versus another man and it just happens to be the national tournament. I'll be ready to wrestle."

Pitt's Gavin gets right to the point

Pitt senior Keith Gavin is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the country at 174 pounds.

The NCAA runner-up last year to Missouri's Ben Askren, Gavin kept it simple when responding to a question about his season.

"It's a lot more fun to win than lose," he said, "so I'm having a lot of fun this year."