The ISU wrestling team does not have just one of the top recruiting classes in the country. According to Intermat, a wrestling publication based out of Johnston, the Cyclones will go into next season having this year’s top class of recruits.

“It’s been a while since Iowa State has had the number one recruiting class,” ISU wrestling coach Bobby Douglas said. “This is an indication of the wrestling tradition at Iowa State.”

This year’s class consists of three wrestlers who won at least three state championship titles during their high school careers. Jesse Sundell leads the way as a four-time state champion in Iowa at 119 pounds. The incoming freshman from Ogden had a record of 134-1 over his career.

Also coming in with multiple state titles are Harry Lester of Ohio and Arizona’s Nate Gallick. Lester won four championships for his school in Cuyahoga Falls, but also did something more amazing when he became only the third American ever to win the Cadet World Freestyle Championships. The 130-pound grappler lost only twice in 167 matches in high school.

Gallick, who hails from Tucson, won the Arizona state championship three times. Wrestling at 125 pounds, he is also a two-time junior freestyle national champ as well as a two-time national cadet champ.

“I think the credentials speak for itself,” Douglas said. “These are outstanding wrestlers and athletes. They’re coming to Iowa State with one thing in mind and that’s to win a national title.”

Rounding out the 2001 class are Joe Brewer of Dallas Center, Ken Cook of Fremont, Cali., and Grant Nakamura out of Wailuku, Hawaii. All three were state champions as seniors.

Douglas focused on the lower classes for this class, with four of the six wrestlers competing at 130 pounds and under. The Cyclones struggled last season with wrestlers at 125 pounds.

“That’s always been a difficult class to fill,” he said. “Our goal is to recruit a freshman that can stay at that weight class for four years.”

He indicated that more weight training at the high school level is making it harder for smaller wrestlers to stay in the lower weight classes.

“Our judgment and the statistics we’ve used in the past aren’t working for us,” Douglas said. “We’re trying to take some precautions so that that doesn’t happen again.”

While this class offers an abundance of talent, Douglas has his own tactics regarding putting freshmen out on the mat.

“Our goal is not to use a freshman,” he said. “My philosophy has always been to give them one year experience without competing. We want to try to get them off to a good start academically before they go into the field of battle.”

Overall, the Iowa State coach is optimistic about this group of students that will be on campus in the fall.

“We came away with what I consider to be a very good class,” Douglas said. “I think these wrestlers are a good fit for our community. They all understand that they’re students before they’re athletes.”