Wrestling

Huskers Improve to 9-0 With Wins In Texas

Grand Prairie, Texas---The ninth-ranked Nebraska wrestling team upped its dual record to 9-0 Saturday night with wins over Northern Illinois and Harvard at the Lone Star Duals in Grand Prairie, Texas. NU defeated the Huskies, 28-9, before topping the Crimson of Harvard, 21-13. Earlier in the day, the Huskers defeated No. 18 Wisconsin, 24-17.

All-Americans Todd Beckerman, Bryan Sndyer and Brad Vering all went undefeated on the day, as well as senior Ati Conner and redshirt freshman Jason Powell.

In the 28-9 win over Northern Illinois, NU Coach Mark Manning jumbled the lineup by wrestling Beckerman up a weight to 141 pounds, allowing redshirt freshman Ty Malia to compete at 133. Malia, a natural 125-pounder, struggled in his first dual match for the Huskers, falling to Alex Rivera, 4-2. Beckerman also struggled against a bigger opponent, but prevailed over 20th-ranked Ryan Egan, 3-2.

Against Harvard, NU was aided by Vering's third technical fall of the day in the 21-13 win. Also providing bonus points were Conner and Powell, who both tallied major decisions.

The undefeated Husker grapplers return to the mat on Thursday against top-ranked Minnesota starting at 8 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The dual will be televised live by NETV2 (Lincoln Cable Channel 17).

#9 Nebraska 28, Northern Illinois 9

174 pounds

#10 Ati Conner (NU) dec. Bill Lowney (NIU), 10-4

NU 3, NIU 3

184 pounds

David Potter (NIU) dec. Matt Fletcher (NU), 7-6

NU 3, NIU 3

197 pounds

#1 Brad Vering (NU) by tech. fall over Jason Nape (NIU), 17-1

NU 8, NIU 3

Heavyweight

John Lovrich (NIU) dec. Pat Miron (NU), 2-1

NU 8, NIU 6

125 pounds

#6 Jason Powell (NU) by fall over Marlon Felton (NIU), 2:56

NU 14, NIU 6

133 pounds

Alexis Rivera (NIU) dec. Ty Malia (NU), 4-2

NU 14, NIU 9

141 pounds

#1 Todd Beckerman (NU) dec. #20 Ryan Egan (NIU), 3-2

NU 17, NIU 9

149 pounds

Travis Baker (NU) dec. Jamie Hey (NIU), 10-6

NU 20, NIU 9

157 pounds

#2 Bryan Snyder (NU) maj. dec. #14 Scott Owen (NIU), 12-3

NU 24, NIU 9

165 pounds

Tony Denke (NU) maj. dec. Bryce Hasseman (NIU), 17-7

NU 28, NIU 9

#9 Nebraska 21, Harvard 13

174 pounds

#10 Ati Conner (NU) maj. dec. P.J. Jones (Harvard), 18-8

NU 4, Harvard 0

184 pounds

#12 Francis Volpe (Harvard) maj. dec. Matt Fletcher (NU), 13-0

NU 4, Harvard 4

197 pounds

#1 Brad Vering (NU) by tech. fall over Reginald Lee (Harvard), 17-2

NU 9, Harvard 4

Heavyweight

David Rechul (Harvard) dec. Pat Miron (NU), 4-0

NU 9, Harvard 7

125 pounds

#6 Jason Powell (NU) maj. dec. Kevin El-Hayek (Harvard), 11-1

NU 13, Harvard 7

133 pounds

#1 Todd Beckerman (NU) dec. Matt Picarsic (Harvard), 8-5

NU 16, Harvard 7

141 pounds

Nick Picarsic (Harvard) dec. Dusty Spaulding (NU), 5-1

NU 16, Harvard 7

149 pounds

Brandon Kauffman (Harvard) dec. Travis Baker (NU), 12-6

NU 15, Harvard 9*

157 pounds

#2 Bryan Snyder (NU) dec. Max Odom (Harvard), 12-7

NU 18, Harvard 9

165 pounds

Tony Denke (NU) dec. Patrick O'Donnell (Harvard), 5-2

NU 21, Harvard 9

*-1 Team Point (Nebraska Bench)

Husker Grapplers Defeat No. 18 Wisconsin, 24-17
Grand Prairie, Texas---The ninth-ranked Nebraska wrestling team opened the Hilton Arlington Lone Star Duals Saturday with a 24-17 victory over No. 18 Wisconsin at Warrior Coliseum in Grand Prairie, Texas. The Huskers improve to 7-0, while the Badgers drop to 5-1.

Tenth-ranked Ati Conner opened the dual at 174 pounds for NU with a dominating 25-10 technical fall over Ryan Lewis to give the Huskers an early 5-0 advantage. Wisconsin took back the lead after Ralph DeNisco pinned Matt Fletcher just 1:29 into the match. Fletcher, a natural 174-pounder, will be NU's 184-pounder for the remainder of the season after senior NCAA qualifier Charles McTorry tore a knee ligament in practice on Dec. 30, ending his season.

NCAA champion Brad Vering controlled Joe Terrill at 197 pounds using three three-point near falls in a 18-3 victory to regain a Husker lead it would not relinquish. Vering upped his overall record to 13-0 with the win.

After an overtime loss at heavyweight by Pat Miron, redshirt freshman Jason Powell struggled with 14th-ranked Tony Black, prevailing 7-6. Powell, who is currently ranked sixth, improves to 11-3.

In a matchup of top-10 wrestlers at 133 pounds, top-ranked Todd Beckerman dominated ninth-ranked Kevin Black with a 12-3 major decision victory to extend the Husker advantage to 17-9. Beckerman is now 12-0 on the year.

Wisconsin cut the NU lead to four with a major decision by No. 8 Grant Hoerr over Husker true freshman Dusty Spaulding, 13-5.

At 149 pounds, redshirt freshman Travis Baker picked up his 10th victory of the season with a 13-2 major decision victory. Baker, who competed as a high jumper on the NU track and field squad last spring, scored two two-point and one three-point near falls in the win.

Two-time All-American Bryan Snyder sealed the win with a 7-5 win over Nate Erdman, putting the Huskers up 24-13.

At 165 pounds, Wisconsin closed out the dual with a major decision victory by NCAA champion Donny Prtizlaff over NU's Tony Denke.

174 pounds

#10 Ati Conner (NU) by tech. fall over Ryan Lewis (UW), 25-10 (5:36)

NU 5, UW 0

184 pounds

Ralph DeNisco (UW) by fall over Matt Fletcher (NU), 1:29

UW 6, NU 5

197 pounds

#1 Brad Vering (NU) by tech. fall over Joe Terrill (UW), 18-3 (5:19)

NU 10, UW 6

Heavyweight

#12 Justin Staebler (UW) dec. Pat Miron (NU), 5-3 (OT)

NU 10, UW 9

125 pounds

#6 Jason Powell (NU) dec. #14 Tony Black (UW), 7-6

NU 13, UW 9

133 pounds

#1 Todd Beckerman (NU) maj. dec. #9 Kevin Black (UW), 12-3

NU 17, UW 9

141 pounds

#8 Grant Hoerr (UW) maj. dec. Dusty Spaulding (NU), 13-5

NU 17, UW 13

149 pounds

Travis Baker (NU) maj. dec. Cory McNellis (UW), 13-2

NU 21, UW 13

157 pounds

#2 Bryan Snyder (NU) dec. Nate Erdman (UW), 7-5

NU 24, UW 13

165 pounds

#2 Donny Pritzlaff (UW) maj. dec. Tony Denke (NU), 23-9

NU 24, UW 17