Huskers to Open Dual Season

Dual No. 1:<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

No. 14/18 <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska at Virginia Tech (4-1)

Cassell Coliseum?Blacksburg, Va.?Friday, Nov. 24?3 p.m.

Series History: Nebraska leads, 1-0
Last Meeting:Jan. 7, 2006-Nebraska 41, Virginia Tech 3 in Lincoln, Neb.

Live Stats: http://www.hokiesports.com/wrestling/live

Live Audio: http://www.hokietv.com/wrestling/

 

Dual No. 2:

No. 14/18 Nebraska at Maryland (4-2)

Comcast Pavillion?College Park, Md.?Saturday, Nov. 25?3 p.m.
Series: Nebraska leads, 3-0
Last Meeting:Dec. 5, 1983-Nebraska 22, Maryland 21 in College Park, Md.

 

Nebraska Back on the Road for First Duals of the Year
After two open tournaments, the 18th-ranked Nebraska wrestling team begins dual competition this weekend with matchups against Virginia Tech and Maryland of the ACC.  It will be the first of two trips to the east coast for the Huskers, as NU will wrap up the regular season with a three-dual weekend in mid-February against Lehigh, Drexel and Penn.

 

Last Time Out: Kaufman-Brand Open, Two Individual Champions, 15 Wrestlers Place

Mike Rowe won the 133-pound elite bracket championship and Matt Vacanti won the 125-pound amateur bracket title to lead the way for the 15 Nebraska wrestlers who placed at the 2006 Kaufman-Brand Open on Saturday at Sapp Fieldhouse in Omaha, Neb.

No team scoring was kept, but half of the 30 wrestlers Nebraska sent to the event placed.  The tournament, which featured Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Minnesota and hosted by Division II national champion Nebraska-Omaha, is the largest one-day tournament in the nation.

On his way to the championship, Rowe won four matches, including one by fall over Brad Neitenbach of OklahomaState in the second round.  Rowe clinched the championship with a win by medical forfeit over the OSU’s Coleman Scott.

 

Vacanti was dominant on his way to the championship in the 125-pound amateur bracket.  He won his first three matches in the tournament by fall by in a total of 7:12.  Vacanti defeated Terrance Young of Iowa Central, 3-1, before knocking off OklahomaState’s Ben Ashmore, 3-2, in the finals. 

At 141 pounds, Dominick Moyer took second in the elite bracket.  His run to the finals included a 9-3 semifinal win over fourth-ranked Alex Tsirtsis of Iowa.  Moyer was defeated in the final by 10th-ranked Manuel Rivera of Minnesota, 6-4, in his third match against ranked opposition on the day.  After a first-round win over Dan Ruter of Dubuque, Moyer defeated eighth-ranked C.J. Ettelson of Northern Iowa, 6-3.

Also taking runner-up honors was Brandon Browne at 174 pounds in the elite bracket.  Browne ran off four straight wins by decision before losing in the sudden victory period in the final to 11th-ranked Gabe Dretsch of Minnesota, 3-1.

Three Huskers competing in the elite brackets earned third-place finishes in their respective weight classes.  Paul Donahoe at 125 pounds won five of six matches including the first three by fall and the third-place match by major decision on his way to finishing third.  At 157 pounds, Chris Oliver capped a 5-1 day with a 5-4 win over Ryan Morningstar of Iowa to take third, while heavyweight Jon May also placed third, rebounding from an overtime loss to sixth-ranked Matt Fields of Iowa to win a pair of matches in the consolation bracket. 

Rounding out the eight Huskers placing in the elite brackets were Patrick Aleksanyan (sixth, 133) and Vince Jones (fifth, 184).

In the amateur brackets, a pair of Nebraska wrestlers earned third-place finishes, including Curtis Salazar at 149 pounds and Stephen Dwyer at 165 pounds.  Jordan Burroughs took fourth at 149 pounds, while Casey Gubbels and Cameron Browne finished in fifth place at 141 and 197, respectively.  Alex Ward finished sixth at 165 pounds.

 

Scouting Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech returns two starters and two NCAA qualifiers from last year’s squad, which finished 29th at the NCAA Championships and fifth in the ACC.  Under first-year head coach Kevin Dresser, the Hokies are 4-1, but are looking to rebound from a 29-9 loss to Tennessee-Chattanooga on Nov. 11.  Virginia Tech opened the season with four straight wins at the Hokie Classic.  The lone ranked Hokie wrestler is 184-pounder Steve Borja, who is 9-1 on the year.  He competed in the Kaufman-Brand Open last weekend and finished third in the elite division.  The rest of the Virginia Tech squad competed at the East Stroudsburg Open, with freshman Eric Decker winning the 165-pound bracket.

 

Scouting Maryland

Maryland enters this weekend’s dual with Nebraska with a 4-2 record.  The Terrapins are coming off a sixth-place finish in the Body Bar Invitational in Ithaca, N.Y.  Junior 141-pound wrestler Charlie Pinto won the lone individual title for the Terps, defeating teammate Alex Krom in the finals.  Last year, Maryland finished fourth in the ACC and tied for 61st in the NCAA Championships.  They return six starters, their lone national qualifier (Andrew Schlaffer, 149) and 11 letterwinners from last year’s team.  Maryland head coach, Pat Santoro, is in his fourth year with a record of 19-34-1 at UM.  Maryland assistant coach Todd Beckerman was a two-time All-American at Nebraska.

 

When Last We Met (Part I): Nebraska 41, Virginia Tech 3, Jan. 7, 2006

In a dominant performance that saw nine of ten NU wrestlers earn wins, the 14th-ranked Nebraska wrestling team defeated Virginia Tech, 41-3, in front of 547 fans at the Devaney Center Track on Jan. 7.      

The Huskers won the last eight matches of the dual, including four in bonus-point fashion.  Fifth-ranked 197-pound wrestler B.J. Padden returned to the lineup and gave the Huskers an early 6-0 lead after earning a win by fall over Matt Woods early in the second period of their match.  Padden had missed Nebraska’s last three duals with an injury.  After a 5-4 overtime win by tenth-ranked Mike Faust of Virginia Tech at heavyweight, the Huskers took control of the dual.  Paul Donahoe took an 8-1 lead in the first period and never looked back en route to a win by major decision over Justin Staylor, 14-3.

 

At 133 pounds, Patrick Aleksanyan took a 5-1 lead with 33 seconds to go in the second period and held on to beat Sheridan Moran, 5-4.  The upset of the night came at 141 pounds, as NU’s Dominick Moyer defeated 10th-ranked David Hoffman, 12-11.  Moyer clinched the win with an escape with 24 second to go.  Nebraska’s lead would balloon to 22-3 after a win by fall at 149 and Chris Oliver’s 10-3 victory at 157.

17th-ranked 165-pound wrestler Marc Harwood owned the last two periods of his 13-4 major decision victory over Mark Czarny.  Harwood scored two takedowns, a reversal and an escape in the last five minutes of the match to earn the bonus-point victory.  At 174 pounds, fifth-ranked Jacob Klein earned his second straight win by fall as he pinned Steve Ratley with three seconds to go in the first period.  To close the dual, Brandon Browne was awarded a win by forfeit at 184 pounds. 

 

When Last We Met (Part II): Nebraska 22, Maryland 21, Dec. 5, 1983

Led by eventual Big Eight and national champions Jim Scherr (177) and Bill Scherr (190), Nebraska defeated Maryland in College Park, Md., 22-21.  Also leading the way for NU was Big Eight champion Gary Albright.  The Huskers would lose their next dual at Navy, 26-19, but then won 11 of their next 13 duals to finish the season at 15-5. 

 

Three Accomplished Student-Athletes Join NU Wrestling

Nebraska head wrestling coach Mark Manning announced the signing of three student-athletes during the early signing period that will join the Huskers for the 2007-08 academic year. 

The three signees, Andy Pokorny of Bennington, Neb., Tucker Lane of Nucla, Colo., and Chris Hacker of El Reno, Okla., represent Nebraska’s continued success in wrestling both on and off the mat.

“We are extremely pleased with all three joining our team,” Manning said.  “These young men are the type of people we need in this program.  All three have excelled in wrestling not only at the state level, but also at the national level.  These are outstanding young men that will represent Nebraska in a first-class manner.”

Pokorny is a two-time state champion, winning last year’s class C crown at 112 pounds after winning in 2005 at 103.  A 2006 Junior Freestyle All-American, Pokorny is the fourth-ranked 112-pound wrestler in the nation by Wrestling USA and is the 52nd ranked high school wrestler overall by Intermat.  His accomplishments are not limited to the mat, however, as he is currently second in his class with at 3.935 GPA and a 30 on his ACT.

“Andy is arguably the best high school wrestler in the state,” Manning said.  “He’s one of the top lightweights in the country and one of the top students in the state.  His work ethic, dedication and character are all tremendous.  He’s the type of young man we want on this team.”

Lane also comes to Nebraska with glittering athletic and academic credentials.  A two-time state champion, Lane is the nation’s second-ranked 215-pound wrestler by Wrestling USA and is the 40th ranked high school wrestler overall, according to Intermat, which has recognized him as a four-star recruit.  Lane also was a Junior Freestyle All-American in 2006.  Like Pokorny, Lane is also accomplished in the classroom.  He earned a 31 on his ACT and entered his senior year at NuclaHigh School with a 4.25 GPA, tops in his graduating class.

“Tucker is an outstanding student-athlete that will help our program on the mat and off it,” Manning said.  “He’s one of the top student-athletes that Nebraska will recruit this year.  He’s a young man with tremendous maturity, work ethic and desire to be the best.”

A four-time Cadet All-American and two-time Junior All-American, Hacker also joins the Huskers with an impressive resume at both the state and national levels.  Hacker captured the Class 4A championships at 152 pounds last year, and is the No. 6 152-pounder according to Wrestling USA and is the 53rd-best high school wrestler in the nation, according to Intermat.  Hacker also received recruiting attention from Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Missouri, among others.

“Chris is a very accomplished wrestler, both in Oklahoma and on the national stage.  He’s one of the top middleweights in the country, and he wrestles year-round.  He epitomizes the tough, hard-nosed competitors that we like on our team.  We are very fortunate that Chris has chosen us over the other schools that were recruiting him.”

 

Huskers Dominate the ACC Under Manning

A former assistant coach at North Carolina, Mark Manning is no stranger to Atlantic Coast Conference wrestling.  So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Huskers are 7-0 under Manning against ACC teams.  NU has not only won, but it has dominated, winning those seven duals by an average of 35.42-7.57.  This is the fifth straight season Nebraska has wrestled an ACC opponent.  For the second time in three years, the Huskers will make a two-dual trip to ACC country.  On Jan. 22, 2005, Nebraska defeated North Carolina 34-7 and North CarolinaState, 35-12. 

Manning has continued the Huskers’ pattern of success against the ACC in wrestling, as NU has won 18 straight duals against ACC teams.  The last loss against an ACC school was Jan. 6, 1989, when North Carolina defeated Nebraska in Virginia Duals, 22-16.  Nebraska is 23-3 in school history against ACC schools, including a 7-1 record against North Carolina and a 7-2 mark against Clemson. 

 

Tough Road To Detroit Awaits Nebraska
The Nebraska wrestling program has always dealt with a difficult schedule in the Big 12 Conference.  But few years have seen one conference so thoroughly dominate the top six rankings.  In both major polls, four of the top six teams in the nation are from the Big 12.  Nebraska will take the challenge of the Big 12 Conference head on when it faces five of the top six teams in a 22-day stretch from Jan. 20 to Feb. 11.  The Huskers, one of only three teams in the nation to see five of the top six in the nation on their schedule, will start the difficult stretch with a home dual against IowaState and close it with a home dual against top-ranked Minnesota in Lincoln. 

Experienced but Young Huskers Set to Tackle the 2006-07 Season
Nebraska is in a unique position entering the 2006-07 season.  The Huskers return eight starters and seven NCAA qualifiers from last year’s team, which ranks among the highest total in those two categories in Mark Manning’s seven years as the Huskers’ head coach.  However, the two seniors on Nebraska’s roster match the fewest that Manning has had at NU.   

Both experience and youth have proven valuable for Manning as Nebraska’s coach.  When the Huskers had only two seniors in 2001-02, they rebounded from an 8-9 regular season to take eighth at the NCAA Championships, the program’s 14th top-10 finish.  The two times that Nebraska returned eight starters (2004 and 2005), the Huskers won 19 duals and, in 2004, took fifth at nationals.

Three Pairs of Brothers Lead Huskers       
Most wrestling teams see themselves as families, but the 2006-07 Nebraska squad takes it to an entirely different level with three sets of brothers.  Among the 17 true freshmen on Nebraska’s roster, three are the younger brothers of returning Huskers.  Dominick Moyer, Robert Sanders and Brandon Browne were joined by their younger brothers Derek, Paul and Cameron, respectively.

Dominick Moyer, a returning starter and NCAA qualifier at 141 pounds, is joined on the NU wrestling squad by his brother, Derek, who was a three-time state champion at OskaloosaHigh School in Iowa.  Robert Sanders, who also started last season and qualified for nationals at 149 pounds, reunites with his brother Paul at NU.  With their father, Bob, as their head coach, both Robert and Paul won at least two individual state championships at San JuanHigh School in Blanding, Utah.  Brandon Browne, a frontrunner for starting time at 174 pounds, will be joined this season by his brother, Cameron.  Brandon was a two-time state champion at PlattsmouthHigh School, while Cameron earned one state title during his time at PHS.

Since 1990, six pairs of brothers have lettered for NU, including the Buxtons (Jason, 1991-92; John 1990-93), the Coltvets (Jeff, 1985-86, 1988-89; Rick, 1992-93), the DeAndas (Tony, 1995-96; Jose, 1996-99), the Hensons (Joe, 1999-2000; Josh, 1999-2000), the Malias (Joe, 2000-04; Ty, 2001) and the Verings (Brad, 1998-2001; Russ, 1994).  Among those wrestlers are three that attained All-America status, including three-time All-American and 2000 national champion Brad Vering.  Jose DeAnda and John Buxton also earned All-America honors during their Husker careers. 

In NU wrestling history, the most decorated pair of brothers are the Scherrs.  Bill and Jim Scherr each won a national championship in 1984, Jim at 177 pounds, and Bill at 190.  Jim earned a pair of All-America honors during his career, while Bill was a three-time All-American.  Both Bill and Jim are members of Nebraska’s 100-win club.

Non-Varsity Notes
Nebraska’s non-varsity wrestlers will get this weekend off from open competition after wrestling the first two weekends of the season.  Last Saturday at the Kaufman-Brand Open, the Huskers were led by freshman Matt Vacanti, who dominated the field on his way to the championship in the 125-pound amateur bracket.  He won his first three matches in the tournament by fall by in a total of 7:12.  Vacanti defeated Terrance Young of Iowa Central by decision, 3-1, before knocking off OklahomaState’s Ben Ashmore, 3-2, in the finals.  In addition to Vacanti’s title, a pair of Nebraska wrestlers earned third-place finishes in their respective amateur brackets, including Curtis Salazar at 149 pounds and Stephen Dwyer at 165 pounds.  Jordan Burroughs took fourth at 149 pounds, while Casey Gubbels and Cameron Browne finished in fifth place at 141 and 197, respectively.  Alex Ward finished sixth at 165 pounds. 

In the first weekend of the season, Vacanti was the lone Husker to place at the Harold Nichols Open.  Vacanti took third with a 5-3 win over Robert Struthers of Wartburg at 125 pounds.  Austin Baier advanced to the semifinals at 141 pounds before he was defeated by Joey Slaton of Iowa.  Meanwhile, a pair of true freshmen earned gold medals at the Cowboy Open in Laramie, Wyo.  Salazar was 4-0 in a championship run in the amateur division at 149 pounds, while Dwyer was 4-0 en route to the 165-pound amateur championship. 

The redshirts are next in action at the UNI Open in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Dec. 3 before wrapping up first semester competition with the UNK Loper Open in Kearney, Neb., on Dec. 9.  After the holiday break, the Huskers’ non-varsity wrestlers will compete in a pair of in-state opens, starting with the Dana College Open on Jan. 6 in Blair, followed by the Glen Brand Open in Omaha on Jan. 20.

 

Next up: Nebraska at the Las Vegas Invitational
Nebraska returns to tournament wrestling next weekend with the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, to be held on Dec. 1-2 at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nev. Wrestling starts at 10 a.m. both days, with the field including 13 of the top 25 in the preseason USA Today/Intermat/NWCA Coaches Poll.  Last season was the first that the Huskers did not compete in the Las Vegas Intvitational since Mark Manning took over as head coach for the 2000-01 season.  In 2004, Nebraska took second after winning the championship in 2003.  NU also took second in Manning’s first year, 2000.