Nebraska Announces 2003 Recruiting Class

Lincoln -- Nebraska Head Wrestling Coach Mark Manning announced that nine wrestlers have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Husker wrestling program for the 2003-04 season. The 2003 recruiting class has been ranked as the 16th-best recruiting class in the nation by Intermat.

Chad Espinoza was a three-time state champion for Wooster High School in Reno, Nev. Espinoza, earned a second-place finish in the 215-pound weight class at the National High School Championships. He is slated to wrestle at 197 pounds for the Huskers, and picked Nebraska over Oklahoma State, Missouri and Arizona State.

Jon May was a two-time state champion from Hutchinson, Minn, placing second at heavyweight in Greco-Roman and third in freestyle at Junior Nationals last summer. May picked the Huskers over Minnesota, Wisconsin and Virginia Tech.

The lone junior college transfer is junior Chris Nedens from North Idaho Community College. At North Idaho, Nedens was a 141-pound National Champion and named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the NJCAA Championships.

The Huskers signed three wrestlers from the state of Nebraska in Jeremi Wurtz of Valley, Efrain Ayala of Grand Island and Josh Paisley of Aurora. Wurtz finished second in the state at 189-pounds and is expected to compete for NU in the 197-pound weight class. Ayala was a Class A 2003 state champion at 135 pounds for Grand Island Senior High. Paisley earned a runner up finish in 2002 before winning a Class B state championship at 145 pounds in 2003.

Nebraska also signed two recruits from the state of Florida in Jegan Gabbidon and Stan Liberatore, both of Brandon High School in Tampa, Fla. Gabbidon was a state champion 135 pound weight class and is expected to compete for NU at either 141 or 149 pounds. Liberatore was a 2003 state champion at the 130 pound weight class.

"We feel we signed a really good recruiting class," Manning said, "We meet our needs especially with Nedens and May. Each one of these recruits understands what is expected of them, and they are all great student-athletes as well with the desire to compete at a high level.

In the early signing period, NU received a letter of intent from three-time state champion Derek Piner of Elkpoint, S.D.

Wreslter

Weight

Hometown

Efrain Ayala

125/133

Grand Island, Neb.

Chad Espinoza

197

Reno, Nev.

Jegan Gabbidon

141/149

Tampa, Fla.

Jon May

HWT

Hutchinson, Minn.

Chris Nedens

141

Hardin, Mont.

Stan Liberatore

141

Odessa, Fla.

Josh Paisley

149

Aurora, Neb.

Derek Piner

125/133

Elkpoint, S.D.

Jeremi Wurtz

197

Valley, Neb.