Huskers Take Second, Eight Grapplers Qualify for NCAAs

Ames, Iowa -- Despite not recording a individual Big 12 Champion for the second straight year, the University of Nebraska wrestling team earned its highest conference finish since the 1996 Big Eight Championship with a second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships in Ames, Iowa.

In all, eight grapplers punched their ticket to the NCAA Championships on March 18-20 in St. Louis, Mo., as the Huskers finished behind Oklahoma State, which captured its second straight team title and recorded 86.5 team points. Nebraska followed with 55.5, with host school Iowa State in third with 46.5, Missouri (43) in fourth, and Oklahoma rounding out with 37.5

The eight wrestlers that will be representing the Huskers at the NCAA Championships are Jason Powell (125), Matt Keller (133), Matt Murray (141), Travis Shufelt (149), B.J. Wright (157), Jacob Klein (165), Travis Pascoe (184) and B.J. Padden (197). Senior heavyweight Nathan McClain was chosen as the first alternate in case another wrestler is unable to compete.

"Overall, I was pleased with (Matt) Keller's performance," Head Coach Mark Manning said. "(Matt) Murray defeated a national champion in Teyon Ware of Oklahoma, and was an eyelash away from becoming a Big 12 Champion, while Shufelt, Klein and Pascoe all had tough matches."

At 125 pounds, top-ranked Jason Powell fell behind Sam Hazewinkel of Oklahoma, 4-0 after two periods and wasn't able to recover as Hazewinkel upset the two-time All-American, 5-2. Despite the loss, Powell clinched a spot at the NCAA Championships and will attempt to become the 11th wrestler in school history and the first since Bryan Snyder capture three All-American honors.

After a scoreless first period at 141 pounds, Nate Gallick of Iowa State recorded an escape to take a 1-0 lead. Murray tied the match up at one with an escape of his own at the 1:53 mark in the third period. Tied at one at the end of regulation, neither wrestler was able to score in the overtime period which sent the match into the first tiebreaker. After thirty seconds in which neither wrestler was able to score, the match was sent into a second tiebreaker. Gallick then recorded an escape three seconds into the second tiebreaker and was able to withstand Murray's efforts at a takedown as to record a 2-1 win. Despite the loss, Murray will advance to his first NCAA Championships.

At 149 pounds, Zack Esposito of Oklahoma State jumped onto the board first with a takedown before Shufelt countered with a reversal. Tied at two, Shufelt to a 3-2 with an escape before Esposito regained the lead with a takedown. With less than fifty seconds left, Shufelt came with in one with an escape. In the third stanza, Esposito jumped out to a 7-4 lead with a takedown and escape. Down by three, Shufelt was only able to record an escape as he fell, 7-5. By finishing second, Shufelt qualified for his third straight trip to nationals.
 
The third championship match of the night featuring an NU wrestler saw Klein drop a 12-4 decision to top-ranked Tyrone Lewis of Oklahoma State. Despite the loss, Klein qualified for his second trip to Nationals.
 
Redshirt freshman Matt Keller became the first Husker to advance to nationals as he scored a 6-3 decision over Mimi Miller of Oklahoma. Keller will enter the NCAA Championships with a 24-10 record. Junior B.J. Wright qualified for his first trip to nationals as he scored a takedown with four seconds remaining to score a 3-2 decision over Travis Paulson of Iowa State.

At 197 pounds, B.J. Padden punches his ticket to nationals as he took home third place with a 12-4 major decision over Trent Smith of Iowa State. At 184 pounds, Travis Pascoe was upset by Kurt Backes of Iowa State, 6-3, while James Pummel saw his season come to an end with a 9-4 loss to E.K.Waldhaus. Pascoe then defeated Justin Dyer, 7-6.

"It's disappointing losing early like I did, but that's something you have to deal with," Padden said. "I am happy I qualified for my first trip to NCAAs."
 
In the semifinal matches at 141 pounds, Murray pulled off one of the meet’s biggest upsets of the tournament as he defeated defending national and Big 12 Champion Teyon Ware of Oklahoma, 4-3 in four overtimes. Tied at one after regulation each wrestler then went scoreless in the first overtime before each recording an escape in the second overtime followed by a scoreless overtime. Tied at three, Murray was able to ride Ware out to earn the riding time point. Murray earned the riding time point because after four overtimes, the rider that has the most acquired riding time minutes earns the point. 
 
At 149 pounds, Shufelt pinned Jeremy Spates of Missouri at the 4:34 mark in the second period. The fall by Shufelt was his third straight over Spates at the Big 12 Championships.  At 125 pounds, Powell recorded an 8-2 decision over Grant Nakmaura of Iowa State. At the end of the first period, Nakamura rolled Powell unto his back and the official signaled a fall but the clock had already expired. At 165 pounds, Klein scored a 3-1 victory over Nick Passolano of Iowa State.
 
At 133 pounds, Keller jumped out to a 5-3 lead but wasn't able to hold on as Zach Roberson of Iowa State scored the last four points to take a 7-5 win. B.J. Wright fell to top-seed Johny Hendrick of Oklahoma State, 4-1, while James Pummel was pinned by top-ranked and undefeated Chris Pendleton at the 1:46 mark in the first period. Travis Pascoe followed the Pummel loss with a 10-5 setback to defending National Champion Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State. In the conference's second upset of the day, second-ranked B.J. Padden fell 7-4, to fourth-seed Rusty Blackmon of Oklahoma State. McClain followed with a 6-2 loss to top-seed Leonce Crump.

In the lone consolation match for the Huskers, Keller scored a 12-3 major decision over Brett Watkins of Missouri.
 
In the pigtail matches Wright fell behind 4-0 to Rafael Maturino of Oklahoma before scoring a fall as time expire in the third period. Pummel followed with a 7-6 decision over Grant Turner of Iowa State. Pummel scored the takedown with ten seconds remaining in the third period. At 184 pounds, Pascoe used 4:50 of riding time to dominate Kurt Backes of Iowa State, 10-4. McClain became the fourth Husker to record a pigtail victory as he defeated Mike Whitehead, 7-2 in overtime.

"We had some good stuff happening tonight," Manning said. "If you would have told me at the beginning of the day that we had a chance to get nine to the nationals and that (James) Pummel was going to the finish fourth, I would have been happy. It was a great team performance. Our guys were prepared and beat good competitors. Hopefully, this will get our guys to believe in themselves and their chances at nationals."

The Huskers return to action on March 18-20, when they travel to St. Louis and will look to improve on last season's 13th place finish for the 2004 NCAA Championships.
 
Finals
125-Sam Hazewinkel (OU) dec. Jason Powell (NU), 5-2
141-Nate Gallick (ISU) dec. Matt Murray (NU), 2-1 2TB
149-Zack Esposito (OSU) dec. Travis Shufelt (NU), 7-5
165-Tyrone Lewis (OSU) by maj. dec. Jacob Klein (NU), 12-4

Third-Place
133-Matt Keller (NU) dec. Mimi Miller (OU), 6-3
157-B.J. Wright (NU) dec. Travis Paulson (ISU), 3-2
174-E.K. Waldhaus (OU) dec. James Pummel (NU), 9-4
184-Kurt Backes (ISU) dec. Travis Pascoe (NU), 6-3
HWT-Scott Coleman (ISU) dec. Nathan McClain (NU), 7-2

Fourth-Place
184-Travis Pascoe (NU) dec. Justin Dryer (OU), 7-6

Semi-Finals
125-Jason Powell (NU) dec. Grant Nakamura (ISU), 8-2
133-Zach Roberson (ISU) dec. Matt Keller (NU), 7-5
141-Matt Murray (NU) dec. Teyon Ware (OU), 4-3 4 OT
149-Travis Shufelt (MU) by fall over Jeremy Spates (MU), 3:14
157-Johny Hendricks (OSU) dec. B.J. Wright (NU), 4-1
165-Jacob Klein (NU) dec. Nick Passolano (ISU), 3-1
174-Chris Pendleton (OSU) by fall over James Pummel (NU), 1:14
184-Jake Rosholt (OSU) dec. Travis Pascoe (NU), 10-0
197-Rusty Blackmon (OSU) dec. B.J. Padden (NU), 7-4
HWT-Leonce Crump (OU) dec. Nathan McClain (NU), 5-2

Consolation Match
133-Matt Keller (NU) maj. dec. Brett Watkins (MU), 12-3

Pigtail Matches
157- B.J. Wright (NU) by fall over Rafael Maturino (OU), 5:59
174-James Pummel (NU) dec. Grant Turner (ISU), 7-6
184-Travis Pascoe (NU) dec. Kurt Backes (ISU), 10-3
HWT-Nathan McClain (NU) dec. Mike Whitehead (MU), 7-2