Iowa State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson has received a verbal commitment from a state champion from Ohio.

Jamie Clark, a junior at Saint Edward High School in Cleveland, has given Sanderson a verbal commitment to attend ISU. Saint Edward is the same high school that produced Zach Thompson, who competed for the Cyclones from 1996 to 2000 and was a two-time All-American at ISU.

Clark has a career record of 77-6 and won a state championship as a sophomore. He was 38-4 as a freshman and finished as the state runner-up at 103 pounds. His 38 victories included two major decisions, nine technical falls and 21 falls. He finished the season with 124 takedowns.

As a sophomore, Clark finished at 39-2 and won a state title at 112 pounds. He finished the year with 106 takedowns, won four matches by major decision, six by technical fall and 20 by fall.

Saint Edward wrestling coach Greg Urbas said Clark will bring a great work ethic to ISU.

"That and a love of the sport," Urbas said. "His work ethic is as fine as any we have had here."

Scott Clark, Jamie Clark's father, said his son considered several schools before deciding on ISU.

"Just meeting the coaches, the team and the environment he felt really comfortable," Scott Clark said. "We visited quite a few schools, and he said (ISU) just feels right."

Jamie Clark said he gave consideration to wrestling programs at Michigan and Ohio State before deciding ISU was the place for him.

"I liked everything about the (ISU) campus, the coaches were very nice and I also liked how the team was really close," Jamie Clark said.

Clark projects himself as a 125-pounder in college. He won't join the ISU wrestling program until the 2010-11 season, and will come in at a time when the Cyclones will be looking to replace six wrestlers who made up one of the highest-ranked recruiting classes in the country three years ago. Now juniors, those six have two season of eligibility remaining.

Sophomore Tyler Clark is currently ISU's top 125-pounder and he will be entering his senior season when Jamie Clark joins the program. Whether Tyler Clark will still be competing at 125 pounds or if that slot will be available to Jamie Clark is something that will be determined when both are members of the program.

Sanderson has had a tendency to redshirt freshmen their first year on campus, although Tyler Clark was pulled out of his redshirt status midway through the 2007-08 season. Jamie Clark said he has not problem with being redshirted.

"Cael told me about that so I expect to redshirt my freshman year," Jamie Clark said.

Dick Kelly can be reached at (515) 232-2161, Ext. 355, or dkelly@amestrib.com.