Nate Gallick and Zach Roberson have reservations about wrestling each other this weekend at the U.S. Senior Nationals in Las Vegas.

Seeded on opposite sides of the bracket, the two former ISU NCAA Champions would meet in the finals or somewhere along 60 kg. (132 lbs.) bracket. The two haven’t wrestled each other in competition since 2003, just after Gallick’s freshman and Roberson’s junior years on the Cyclone wrestling team.

Training partners and friends, the former teammates each said they know everything the other does on the mat. Roberson won the U.S. Senior Nationals in 2006 and said if the two met this weekend it’d likely be a boring match.

“We wrestle so much in the practice room – he is going to be by far [my toughest opponent],” said Gallick, who won the consolation match in 2003 against Roberson, 5-1.

“If I was going to wrestle anyone in the bracket, I’d pick anyone but him . It’s hard to wrestle someone who knows everything you’re doing.”

Gallick and Roberson are seeded second and fourth, respectively.

Nine members of the 2006-07 Cyclone lineup will also be competing in the tournament, which begins Friday morning. Those not seeded in the top eight will have to wrestle in a qualifying bracket.

Former Cyclone wrestlers Travis Paulson (74 kg./163 lbs.) and Trent Paulson are seeded sixth and ninth, respectively, in the same weight class.

Since he plans to drop down to the 145.5 lb. weight class, Trent said he would forfeit any tournament matchup with Travis to help his ranking – unless they meet in the finals.

“Then I’m going all out,” he said.

Gallick and Roberson each train with current Cyclone teams as members of the Cyclone Wrestling Club, which enables the two to continue their freestyle career.

Each is hoping to make the 2008 Olympic team. Despite being top competitors in the same weight class, circumstances have kept the two from meeting in the past.

“When we wrestle each other, we both know it’s nothing personal,” Gallick said. “We both have the same dream, and only one of us can achieve it, God willing.”

Roberson said the tournament is second in importance only to the World Team Trials.

“We’ve been wrestling in the same bracket for a number of years now, and we haven’t been able to meet up in the finals,” Roberson said. “We are both capable of doing that, we just have to wrestle our tournament.”

All of the starters from last year’s ISU wrestling team, minus Mitch Mueller (141) – who is recovering from an elbow injury – will be competing this weekend, as well as several redshirting freshmen.

ISU assistant coach Dylan Long is seeded eighth at 66 kg (145.5 lbs.), while former ISU assistant and current Tennessee-Chattanooga coach Chris Bono is seeded fourth and is the returning champion at the weight.

Three-time NCAA qualifier Grant Nakamura will compete at 55 kg. (121 lbs.) Former ISU national champion and current Ohio State assistant Joe Heskett is ranked second at the 74 kg.

Results will be available on www.themat.com.