With three former Cyclone wrestlers seeded second in their respective weight classes for the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials and two other Cyclones in the tournament, the ISU wrestling team will be well represented at this weekend’s trials.

Undefeated in four collegiate seasons, Cael Sanderson leads the Cyclone charge to Indianapolis to earn a place on the 2004 Olympic Freestyle Team. Sanderson, along with ISU assistant Chris Bono and former collegiate All-American Joe Heskett, will be trying to avenge losses from championship matches at the freestyle national tournament in Las Vegas on April 8.

In the biggest upset of the Las Vegas tournament, top-ranked Sanderson was upset by second-ranked Lee Fullhart.

Sanderson, who was undefeated through his entire collegiate career, will have to battle through the tournament this weekend to meet Fullhart in the finals. With the win at freestyle nationals, Fullhart and the other winners automatically wrestle in the finals in Indianapolis.

In what could be his last attempt to make an Olympic team, Bono will have to defeat rival and top-ranked Jamill Kelly. Kelly edged Bono 4-3 in overtime to deny Bono his second consecutive national title.

Heskett will also have to endure the tournament to have a chance to upset one of his biggest rivals. Former Iowa grappler Joe Williams decisioned Heskett 4-0 to claim the title in Las Vegas. Williams is the top seed at 163 pounds and is the heavy favorite to make the Olympic team.

After finishing seventh in Las Vegas at 132 pounds, Zach Roberson, this year’s 133-pound collegiate national champion, will have an outside shot of qualifying for the team.

He and teammate Nate Gallick, who qualified by winning the Midwest Regional, will be wrestling in the same weight class.

The two training partners, Roberson and Gallick, know each other very well and both said they believe in themselves and think they could qualify.

If either 132-pound Cyclone makes it to the finals, he will have to face veteran Eric Guerrero. Guerrero, a dominant wrestler for the past three years at 132 pounds, is a favorite to earn the Olympic bid.

Iowa State will be represented at the Olympics regardless of whether any of its athletes advance. ISU head coach Bobby Douglas will travel to Athens, Greece, with the Olympic freestyle team as an assistant.