Nebraska Returns to the Las Vegas Invitational

Tournament No. 3:
No. 14/18 <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska (2-0) at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
Star of the Desert Arena?Primm, Nev.?Friday Dec. 1-Saturday Dec. 2
Website:cklvwrestle.com
Last Appearance: 2004, 2nd place<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Nebraska Returns to the Las Vegas Invitational
The 18th-ranked Nebraska wrestling team returns to the Las Vegas Invitational after a one-year absence after competing in the tournament in each of head coach Mark Manning’s first five years at Nebraska.  The Huskers finished second in 2005 after winning the 2004 championship.  Nebraska is coming off a pair of dual wins on the East Coast last weekend.

 

Last Time Out: Nebraska 34, Virginia Tech 9/Nebraska 27, Maryland 12
Nebraska opened its dual season with a pair of wins against ACC opponents last weekend.  Nebraska has won 20 straight duals against ACC teams, dating back to 1989.

On Friday, sophomore 184-pound wrestler Levi Wofford notched two last-minute takedowns, including one at the final horn, to upset ninth-ranked Steve Borja and spark a six-match winning streak for 18th-ranked Nebraska as it defeated Virginia Tech, 34-9, at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va.

 

“It’s a good win for Wofford,” Manning said.  “It will be a real confidence booster for him.  Levi just kept the pressure on Borja, and he outworked the kid.”

The win marked the 11th-straight year the Huskers won their season-opening dual, and it was keyed by a pair of freshmen in their first career dual matches earning victories for NU.  After Wofford’s win over Borja, Nick Schaefer notched a pair of takedowns to defeat Tim Miller, 5-3. 

 

Nebraska then built its lead with a pair of wins by fall by returning starters.  The first was by heavyweight Jon May, who pinned Jim Powers 1:25 into the second period.  That was followed by 125-pounder Paul Donahoe’s win by fall over Sheridan Moran in 1:33, his seventh pin of the year, to give the Huskers an 18-point lead four matches into the dual.  

In his varsity debut at 133 pounds, Mike Rowe defeated Matt Rosen, 8-3, while Dominick Moyer clinched the dual for Nebraska with a 14-2 major decision victory at 141 pounds.  After an overtime setback at 149 pounds, Chris Oliver earned his fifth win by fall of the year with his pin of Derek Gallagher with eight seconds remaining in the first period at 157 pounds.  At 165, Marc Harwood won his first match of the year with a 3-1 sudden-victory triumph over Eric Decker to give NU a 34-3 lead with one match to go.  With the dual decided, Steve Ratley won by fall for Virginia Tech at 174 pounds. 

 

“We wrestled really aggressively,” Manning said.  “Our conditioning really showed up as an asset.”

On Saturday, the 18th-ranked Huskers rode a hot start to a dual victory For the second straight day. The Huskers won the first four matches in their dual at Maryland to build a 13-point lead and never looked back in a 27-12 win Saturday in College Park, Md.

 

The Huskers’ four-match winning streak started with an 11-5 win by 133-pounder Mike Rowe, who was wrestling in his home state of Maryland. Rowe won both his matches in his first weekend as a varsity starter.

Dominick Moyer followed with a 7-3 win over Charlie Pinto. Then, Robert Sanders got back on the winning track with a 6-5 win over Andrew Schlaffer. Chris Oliver capped the winning streak with a 16-3 major decision triumph over Mike McGill. Oliver closed the weekend 2-0 with two bonus-point victories.

 

After back-to-back losses cut Nebraska’s lead to seven, Levi Wofford put the Huskers back in the driver’s seat in the dual with a win by fall over Rich DiPietro at 184 pounds. Wofford closed his first weekend as a starter in NU’s dual lineup at 2-0, including a win against ninth-ranked Steve Borja of Virginia Tech on Friday.

Maryland cut Nebraska’s lead to seven with two matches remaining in the dual, but heavyweight Jon May clinched the dual victory for NU with a 4-0 win over Jerry Afari. With the dual in hand, Paul Donahoe won by technical fall at 125 pounds over James Knox, 19-4.

 

Scouting the Las Vegas Invitational Field
Twelve of the top 25 teams in the NWCA/Intermat coaches’ poll highlight the field for the 2006 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, held at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nev.  Nearly half of the ranked wrestlers in the nation will wrestle at the tournament, with 96 wrestlers ranked in the coaches’ poll potentially competing in the tournament.

 

At 133 pounds alone, 12 ranked wrestlers could compete, including four of the top six and seven of the top 10.  The list is led by defending national champion and second-ranked Matt Valenti of Penn, along with fourth-ranked Tyler McCormick of Missouri.

Also shaping up to be a tough draw is the 157-pound weight class, where 11 ranked wrestlers may compete.  Three of the top five, seven of the top 10 and nine of the top 13 in the weight class could compete, including 2006 national runner-up and second-ranked Brian Stith of ArizonaState.  

 

No weight class has fewer than nine ranked wrestlers, with no fewer than four of the top 10 in any of the weight classes. 

While 174-pounder Ben Askren of Missouri is the lone top-ranked wrestler according to the coaches’ poll, six other wrestlers come in ranked second in their respective weight classes.  Along with Valenti and Stith are 125-pounder Troy Nickerson of Cornell, 141-pound wrestler Derek Moore of UC-Davis, Cornell’s Jerry Rinaldi at 197 pounds and Bode Ogunwole of Harvard at heavyweight.

 

Last Appearance: Nebraska, 2nd-139.5 points, 2004 Las Vegas Invitational
Behind the 184-pound championship of Travis Pascoe, the No. 3 Nebraska wrestling team finished second at the 23rd annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.  The Huskers were defeated by Michigan, 148-139.5.  Nebraska had eight of ten wrestlers place among the top eight of their respective weight classes.

Pascoe won his second straight individual championship at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational with a 6-4 decision of ArizonaState’s Clarence Dollaway, capping a weekend in which Pascoe was 5-0.

 

One of five Huskers to reach in the semifinals, Pascoe was the only one to advance to the finals.  Three other NU wrestlers took third place.  One of those was Jacob Klein, who defeated Missouri’s Tyron Woodley in the third-place match in double overtime, 4-3.  Klein was 6-1 on the weekend, with four of those victories going for bonus points.

At 141 pounds, Matt Murray was awarded third after an injury default disqualified Brandon Lauer of West Virginia.  Murray finished the tournament 6-1, losing only in the semifinals to Robert Tarquino of Pittsburgh, 3-2.

 

Marc Harwood also earned third-place status at 174 pounds, beating Eric Hood of Edinboro in overtime, 3-1.  Harwood, who lost in the quarterfinals, won three wrestleback matches to get into the third-place match.

Along with a fifth-place finisher at 125 pounds, Nebraska saw 157-pounder B.J. Wright finished sixth after a 3-3 weekend.  B.J. Padden took seventh for NU at 197 pounds, and Mitch Manstedt finished eighth for the Huskers at heavyweight.

 

Nebraska All-Time at the Las Vegas Invitational
Nebraska has competed in 14 of the previous 24 Las Vegas Invitationals, notching a top-10 finish all 14 years and a top-five finish seven of those years.  The highlight of Huskers’ history at the Las Vegas Invitational was their championship in 2003, when three Nebraska wrestlers (Jason Powell-125, Travis Shufelt-149, Travis Pascoe-184) won individual championships and four more placed for NU.  The following year, the Huskers took second at the Las Vegas Invitational for the fourth time in school history.  Nebraska also finished as the runners-up in 2000, 1995 and 1992.

 

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.”

 

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 rankings.  In both major polls, four of the top nine teams in the nation are from the Big 12.  In fact, according to the WIN Magazine rankings, four of the top five teams in the nation are in the Big 12, and top-ranked Minnesota also appears on Nebraska’s schedule.  Nebraska will take the challenge of the Big 12 Conference head on when it faces five of the top nine 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 preseason 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
After a weekend off, the Nebraska non-varsity wrestlers return to the mat for competition in the UNI Open in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Saturday, Dec. 3.  Last year, Nebraska’s non-varsity wrestlers competed with the Huskers’ dual starting lineup, with five Huskers earning individual championships overall and two others finishing second, both in brackets won by NU wrestlers.

At the Kaufman-Brand Open on Nov. 18, 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 wrap 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 vs. South DakotaState and Northern Colorado
Nebraska wrestles its first home duals of the 2006-07 season on Saturday, Dec. 9, as it takes on South Dakota State at 5 p.m. and Northern Colorado at 7 p.m at the NU Coliseum in Lincoln.  The Jackrabbits are in their third year of Division I competition after winning more than 400 duals and six North Central Conference championships as a Division II school.  SDSU has yet to compete in a dual, and will compete in the UNI Open this weekend.  Northern Colorado is its first year of eligibility for competing in the NCAA Championships at the Division I level after a two-year transition process from Division II.  The Bears face a tough test at home this weekend, as they take on top-ranked Minnesota on Friday, Dec. 1.