Huskers set to Start 2002-03 Season against Sun Devils - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site

The 13th-ranked Nebraska wrestling team will open the 2002-03 season this Friday, Nov. 22 against 12th-ranked Arizona State at the NU Coliseum starting at 7 p.m.

"We're pumped up and ready to go", Jason Powell said. "We haven't wrestled since last March."The Sun Devils return 13 letterwinners, four NCAA qualifiers and one All-American from last season's squad that finished 12th at the NCAA Championships.

"We're excited, it's good to wrestle against teams like Arizona State," Powell said. "It gives us a chance to see where we are at early in the season."

Headlining the returnees for Arizona State is two-time All-American and Pac-10 champion junior Erik Larkin at 149 pounds. Last season Larkin finished with a 28-2 record, along with a third-place finish NCAA championships.The dual against the Sun Devils will feature two matches featuring ranked opponents. At 149 pounds sophomore, 17th-ranked Travis Shufelt will face off against third-ranked Larkin. "I'm excited to start of the season against him," Shufelt said. "I'm looking to get after him and to try to make a name for myself."The other match featuring ranked opponents is slated at 174 pounds between fourth-ranked Travis Pascoe and 12th-ranked Chris Owens.

Huskers Team Preview

The Huskers return six starters from last seasons 8-9 team. All-Americans Jason Powell and sophomore Justin Ruiz will look to lead a group of young Huskers. Last season, Powell earned a fifth-place finish at the NCAA championships finishing the year with a 29-8 record. He enters this weekend's match ranked No. 4 in the nation by InterMat.Ruiz garnered All-America honors by finish fifth and recorded a 27-11 record. The Murray, Utah native is ranked second in the country in the preseason behind NCAA runner-up Jon Trenge of Lehigh.Also returning from last season's starting lineup are juniors Joey Malia and Dusty Spaulding and sophomore NCAA qualifiers Travis Pascoe and Travis Shufelt.Malia was NU's starter at 133 pounds last season compiling a 14-11 record. At 141 pounds, Spaulding finished 15-14 in his first year as a starter.

Shufelt is expected to be 100 percent recovered from an elbow injury that forced him to miss much of last season. Despite finishing with a 9-9 record, Shufelt qualified for the NCAA Championships and went 1-2.Pascoe dropped down a weight class after wrestling at 184 pounds. The sophomore came up just short of earning All-America honors and enters the 2002-03 campaign ranked fifth at 174 pounds.The remainder of the Huskers' lineup will be filled by redshirt freshmen with the exception at heavyweights. The battle for the starting position will come down to sophomore Mitch Manstedt and junior Nathan McClain.Last season Manstedt backed up Pat Miron and compiled an 18-8 record, while McClain redshirted and had a 16-6 record wrestling in open tournaments.

The biggest challenge facing the Cornhuskers wrestling program is replacing four-time NCAA qualifier and Big 12 Champion Bryan Snyder at 157 pounds.McMillin went 15-5 wrestling in open tournaments last season. At 165 pounds Jacob Klein is coming off a solid redshirt year. Named one of Nebraska co-redshirts of the year, Klein went 24-4 wrestling in open tournaments.Sharing co-redshirt of the year honors with Klein was 184-pound starter B.J. Padden. Last season Padden went 19-3 taking titles at four open tournaments.

Huskers Drop Decision to Sun Devils

Last year the Huskers dropped a 20-16 decision to the Sun Devils in Tempe, Ariz. Tony Denke opened the dual for the Huskers with a 14-6 major decision over Chris Petrie at 174 pounds, before 15th-ranked Travis Pascoe gave NU an early 8-0 lead with a 22-7 win over Will Carr. ASU