NCAA Wrestling

Iowa State Cyclones

What: NCAA Division I national championships

When: Thursday-Saturday

Where: St Louis, Mo. (Scottrade Center)

Cyclone notes: The third-ranked Cyclones are coming off their third consecutive Big 12 title. … ISU will look to improve on its fifth-place finish from a year ago. The Cyclones return six all-Americans - Nick Fanthorpe at 133, Nick Gallick at 141, Cyler Sanderson at 157, Jon Reader at 165, Jake Varner at 197 and David Zabriskie at heavyweight. … For the 14th time since 1964, ISU is sending its entire 10-man lineup to the national championships. The Cyclones are the only team at this year's tournament to have qualified their entire team.

Cyclone NCAA facts: In ISU history, the program has earned 273 all-America awards by 142 individual. The Cyclones have won eight NCAA team titles, the last under former Waterloo Columbus standout Jim Gibbons in 1987.

Cyclone qualifiers

125 - Tyler Clark (24-6), so.

133 - Nick Fanthorpe (20-4), jr.

141 - Nick Gallick (28-4), jr.

149 - Mitch Mueller (21-7), jr.

157 - Cyler Sanderson (18-7), jr.

165 - Jon Reader (26-6), so.

174 - Duke Burk (17-7), jr.

184 - Jerome Ward (21-10), fr.

197 - Jake Varner (26-2), jr.

Hwt. - David Zabriskie (30-2), jr.

Quoting ISU head coach Cael Sanderson:

"We've been reminding them of what a great opportunity we have this week. It is something where if we get after it, we can do something special."

AMES - Defending champion and top-ranked Iowa is getting a lot of press as the overwhelming favorite.

Emerging power and second-ranked Cornell College, coached by Rob Koll, the son of Northern Iowa legend Bill Koll, has been tossed out as a contender.

Little, however, has been said of third-ranked Iowa State, despite the fact the Cyclones are the only team to have qualified their entire 10-man lineup for this weekend's NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

"I know there are some good teams, and we've seen most of them this year," Cyclone head coach Cael Sanderson said. "There are also a lot of good individuals, but this is the national tournament. Anybody who goes out there with fire and passion is going to do well. This isn't the time to be conservative, hang out and hope for things to happen.

"This is a time to really force your will, and we know if we can do that as a team we will be competitive. I know we're not expected to win, but we believe we're going to be right in the hunt."

Eight of ISU's qualifiers are returning to the NCAA tournament with Duke Burk at 174 and Jerome Ward at 184 being the newcomers.

Six Cyclones are returning all-Americans - Nick Fanthorpe at 133, Nick Gallick at 141, Cyler Sanderson at 157, Jon Reader at 165, Jake Varner at 197 and David Zabriskie at heavyweight.

Varner is a two-time runner-up at 184 who went 26-2 at his new weight classification this season.

"Our chances are as good as anybody," said Varner, a junior. "Nobody has won it yet. We have the same chance as everybody else, and if every one of us goes out, gives our best effort, we feel like we'll be in the hunt."

Zabriskie (30-2) earned the No. 1 seed at heavyweight, and Varner is seeded second at 197 following his Big 12 championship loss to Nebraska's Craig Brester, the top seed.

Tyler Clark is seeded ninth at 125, Fanthorpe is seventh at 133, Gallick is sixth at 141, Sanderson is ninth at 157 and Reader eighth at 165.

The key for any Iowa State success this week will depend on the ability of all 10 qualifiers to individually accomplish their own goals, according to Cyler Sanderson.

"The way you fight for the team is to worry about yourself," he said. "The most important thing for all of us is winning that team championship. But the way to take care of that is worrying about what you need to do to be successful.

"A lot of crazy stuff happens at nationals. The important thing is you have to stay focused, stay composed, stay relaxed and worry about yourself. That is how a team title is won."

Iowa State was fifth last year, one season after earning national runner-up honors in Detroit in 2007.

That fifth-place finish was the 45th time the program has finished in the top five at nationals.

"This is the best week of the year," Cael Sanderson said. "This is what we've prepared for all year. We feel like we are ready, and now is the time for us to get out there, get after it and take what we want."

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com