No. 3 Huskers Hit the Airwaves Against No. 2 OK State

Dual No. 12: Nebraska (9-2) vs. Oklahoma State (10-1)
Date: Sunday, Jan. 20
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Live Audio: Okstate.com
Television: ESPNU - Time Warner Ch. 235, DirecTV Ch. 609, Dish Network Ch. 148

Lincoln-After claiming second place at the National Duals last weekend and a No. 3 national ranking in the latest poll, the Nebraska wrestling team will hit the airwaves against No. 2 Oklahoma State on ESPNU this Sunday at 6 p.m. The double dual will also feature No. 13 Wisconsin wrestling No. 17 Oklahoma at the same time as part of the ESPNU Wrestling Invitational presented by Phillips 66. The Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., will host the event.

The Huskers asserted themselves as a national-title threat last weekend as NU scored three wins over top-10 teams on its way to the finals of the National Duals. Nebraska’s run included a 19-13 upset of No. 1 Penn State as the Huskers jumped seven spots to No. 3 in the latest polls. NU will look to build on that momentum heading into its Big 12 opener against the Cowboys. With their highest ranking since the 2004-05 season, Nebraska hopes to break a 14-dual losing streak against a formitable OSU squad. The dual marks a significant point in NU’s schedule as the Huskers begin to face Big 12 opponents and are now just two months away from the NCAA Championships.

Husker fans may have to switch between two channels Sunday as College Sports Television will air coverage from last weekend’s National Duals at 7 p.m.

Last Time Out: Nebraska Finishes Second at National Duals
The No. 10 Nebraska wrestling team battled to a runner-up finish at the prestigious NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa last Saturday and Sunday. The Huskers knocked off a trio of top-10 teams on their way to the finals, including a 19-13 win over No. 1 Penn State in Saturday’s second round.

The Huskers opened the tournament with a 25-9 pounding of No. 9 Northwestern, before pouncing on the Nittany Lions. In Saturday’s semifinals, NU avenged an earlier loss this season with an impressive 24-13 victory over No. 6 Minnesota to advance to the finals against Iowa. The Huskers fell to the Hawkeyes, but still matched their best-ever National Duals finish. NU finished in the top five for a 10th time as the Huskers’ run was just the second time in the 19-year history of the National Duals that an unseeded team made the finals.

Sophomore Stephen Dwyer posted a perfect 4-0 record on the weekend to lead the Huskers. Dwyer, ranked eighth nationally at 165 pounds, fueled NU’s opening-round win over Northwestern with a pin in 2:55. Vince Jones also produced a strong weekend with a 3-1 mark that included a pin of Minnesota’s Roger Kish with four seconds left in their match. Kish was ranked second nationally at 184 pounds, and Jones’ pin sealed the Huskers’ victory over the Gophers. Husker Brandon Browne (174) also notched a 3-1 mark going head-to-head with four ranked foes on the weekend, with wins over the No. 10, No. 14 and No. 17 wrestlers in the nation.

Scouting Oklahoma State (10-1, 1-0 Big 12)
Oklahoma State has long been a powerhouse in the wrestling world and this year is no different. After finishing fifth as a team at last year’s NCAA Championships, the Cowboys return eight national qualifiers and three All-Americans. OSU started the season with five straight dual wins to earn the No. 3 ranking from Intermat, but Penn State delt the Cowboys their first loss of the season, 21-18 in Stillwater. Oklahoma State rebounded with a 19-14 win over No. 1 Iowa in Iowa City to stand at 10-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12. The Cowboys’ latest action came at the Virginia duals last weekend where OSU went 4-0 to claim the team title. OSU is currently ranked No. 2 as a team with seven wrestlers ranked in the top 20.

The Cowboys return a wealth of experience this year, led by three-time All-American Coleman Scott. The senior will look for his fourth top-eight finish after starting the season 19-2, including 10-1 in duals. Scott ranks first on the Cowboys’ squad in dual points and is currently ranked No. 1 in the country.

Fellow senior Nathan Morgan looks to build on his own prestige after earning two All-American honors. Morgan will look to sweep the the 141 weight class with a fourth consecutive Big 12 title this spring. Morgan is 21-1 on the season and 10-1 in duals. He also has 40 dual points and leads the team with six technical falls. Morgan is ranked No. 2.

The most recent Cowboy to make a name for himself is senior Jake Dieffenbach. A two-time NAIA National Champion at Lindenwood University, Dieffenbach is now a graduate student at OSU. He notched several upset wins over ranked opponents earlier in the season, including a major decision win over Penn State’s Dave Rella, to earn a No. 5 ranking at 165 pounds. Dieffenbach is 13-1 on the year and 9-0 in duals.

Husker History versus Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State has historically had the Huskers’ number. NU owns just a 2-48-1 all-time record against the Cowboys, while OSU has a 14-dual win streak over Nebraska. The Huskers’ last win against OSU came 39-12 in Stillwater in 1993. The numbers are ugly, but Nebraska is beginning to close the gap. In three of the last four duals between the two programs, NU had an opportunity to win the dual heading into the final match, including last year’s match up.

A comeback bid by the No. 20 Nebraska wrestling team fell just short as fourth-ranked Oklahoma State defeated the Huskers, 21-13, on Feb. 1, 2007, in front of a season-high crowd of 1,384 fans at the NU Coliseum.

After losing the first three matches in the dual, Nebraska won four out of six matches and earned an opportunity to win the dual in the final match, but a 5-3 overtime win at 157 pounds by Newly McSpadden over Chris Oliver clinched the win for OSU.

Craig Brester got the Huskers on the board in the team race with an 18-6 major decision win over Jared Shelton at 197 pounds. Brester took control of the match in the second period, in which he scored four takedowns in the last 1:25 of the stanza. A setback at heavyweight would give the Cowboys a 14-4 lead halfway through the dual.

Paul Donahoe got the Huskers back on the winning track at 125 pounds with an 8-5 win over Tyler Shinn. Donahoe sprinted out to a 4-0 lead with a takedown and a nearfall midway through the first period, and held on for the victory from there.

After a setback at 133 pounds, Dominick Moyer kept hopes alive for a Husker upset with a 5-3 overtime victory over Nathan Morgan at 141 pounds in a matchup of a pair of top-10 ranked wrestlers. Moyer took down Morgan with five seconds remaining in the first sudden victory period to earn the win.

At 149 pounds, Jordan Burroughs followed Moyer with a win of his own, a 10-5 decision over B.J. Jackson. Burroughs took the lead for good in the match with a takedown with 1:13 remaining in the first period. The win cut Oklahoma State’s lead to 18-13 with one match remaining.

Tumbling the Top Ranked
Nebraska knocked off No. 1 Penn State with a 19-13 win in the second round of the National Duals last weekend as the Huskers beat the top-ranked team in the nation for just the second time since 1991. NU’s other defeat of No. 1 also came in the National Duals. The Huskers topped No. 1 Iowa 24-20 on Jan. 23, 1993, as Lincoln hosted the National Duals. NU went on to finish third at the NCAA Championships that year.

Super Steve
Sophomore Stephen Dwyer’s performance at 165 pounds last weekend was a large part of the Huskers’ success at the National Duals. Dwyer was the only NU grappler to go 4-0 on the weekend as he led Nebraska to a second-place finish.

Dwyer started the tournament hot as he pinned Northwestern’s Dominic Marella in 2:55 after tweaking his ankle midway through the first period. He showed no sign of intimidation against top-ranked Penn State as he earned a 5-3 decision over the Nittany Lions’ Dave Rella. Dwyer started a Nebraska comeback with a 4-1 decision over Tyler Safratowich as the Huskers rallied to beat No. 6 Minnesota. He was one of only two Huskers to win against No. 2 Iowa in the finals with an 8-6 decision against Aaron Janssen.

Dwyer currently leads the Huskers with 24 wins, thanks in part to two separate eight-match winning streaks. He sports an 8-1 dual record and has earned 29 dual points for NU. He has eight bonus-point victories on the season.

Rowe’s Revealing
The rotating door that is the 141-pound weight class for the Huskers may have finally stopped. Head Coach Mark Manning revealed sophomore Mike Rowe against top-ranked Penn State at the National Duals. Rowe has not seen starting time since last year’s National Duals after struggling with his weight and sitting out the fall semester.

Rowe returned to the starting lineup this season to make his debut against Penn State’s Jake Strayer, who was ranked second in the country. Rowe jumped on Strayer early by earning the first takedown, but a collision between Strayer’s teeth and Rowe’s forehead in the second period slowed Rowe down. Rowe battled blood throughout the rest of the match, but scored a reversal with a minute left in the final period to retake the lead and win.

Rowe faced No. 4 Manuel Rivera of Minnesota in the semifinals. Rowe was neck-and-neck with Rivera through two periods, before Rivera scored a takedown and two-point nearfall in the final stanza to win 10-6. Rowe headed into the third period tied at three with Iowa’s Dan LeClere, but the Hawkeye scored a reversal to win 5-4.

Rowe notched a 1-2 mark at National Duals, but his performance against three wrestlers ranked in the top 11 in the nation may have earned him the starting nod.

Streaking Donahoe
Junior Paul Donahoe lost to No. 3 Jayson Ness of Minnesota 6-4 in overtime of the semifinals at the National Duals, but the loss stung a little more for Donahoe. The defeat ended a winning streak for Donahoe that stetched all the way back to March 3, 2007. Donahoe went a whopping 316 days between losses. Before the National Duals, Donahoe’s last defeat came against Oklahoma’s Sam Hazewinkel at the Big 12 Championships. Donahoe went on to avenge that loss in the finals of the NCAA Championships by defeating Hazewinkel and earning a national title. Donahoe’s 16-0 winning streak included a 5-0 mark at nationals and a win over Ness at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 19.

Donahoe’s Defense
In his latest action, defending NCAA champion Paul Donahoe went 2-2 at the National Duals to help guide the Huskers to a second-place team finish. Donahoe defeated No. 4 Brandon Precin of Northwestern 4-3 in the opening round and notched a 13-4 major decision over No. 7 Mark McKnight and the top-ranked Nittany Lions. No. 3 Jayson Ness of Minnesota avenged an earlier defeat by Donahoe with a 6-4 win over Donahoe in overtime. Donahoe was then nipped 3-2 by No. 5 Charlie Falck of Iowa in the finals.

Donahoe earned two important road wins to continue his winning streak into 2008. Donahoe notched a 17-6 major decision over Northern Colorado’s Tony Mustari on Jan. 2. Facing a solid Pac-10 opponent, Donahoe won an 8-2 decision over Oregon State’s Jake Gonzales to improve to 5-0 in duals this season. He is now 8-0 overall with three pins and one major decision.

After an extended rest because of a tweaked knee, Donahoe returned to the mat against Dana College on Dec. 15. He pinned the Vikings’ Kevin Gray to improve to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in duals. Donahoe’s three dual victories have all come by fall, with the fastest in 1:29.

Donahoe finished in sixth place at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite on Dec. 1 in Las Vegas. Donahoe, who won the tournament last year, won his first three matches by decisions. He injury defaulted his final three matches as a preventative measure and did not wrestle against Minnesota and SDSU on Dec. 6 and 7.

Although the match does not count on his season record, Donahoe defeated Minnesota’s Jayson Ness, 5-2, at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 19 in Eugene, Ore. Donahoe scored a takedown and nearfall in the final period to earn the victory over the fourth-ranked Ness.

Donahoe’s title defense has gotten off to a strong start, similar to last season. Donahoe recorded pins in six of his first seven matches last season, while he started this season with two consecutive pins. His second victim was Lehigh’s Mitch Berger, who he pinned in 1:29 at the Huskers’ dual on Nov. 16.

Donahoe capped his sophomore year by going 5-0 at the NCAA Championships, including a 3-1 overtime win over No. 1 Sam Hazewinkel of Oklahoma in the finals. Donahoe started the season by winning 23 of his first 24 matches and never looked back. His 35-5 season record tied three Huskers for fourth-most wins by a sophomore in school history. He became the first NU wrestler since Jason Powell in 2002-03 to win at least 30 matches. Donahoe became the ninth national champion in school history and the 77th All-American.

Donahoe is attempting to become the first wrestler to repeat as a national champion in Husker history.

You Can Count on Craig
Sophomore Craig Brester has established himself as a mainstay in the Husker lineup this season. Brester has competed in just 14 matches so far this season, but he has won 12. More importantly he leads NU in one of the most important categories: dual points. With tough duals coming up against Missouri and Oklahoma State, Brester’s ability to score bonus-point victories may come in handy.

Brester leads the team with 37 dual points as he has established an 8-2 dual mark this season. Brester has two forfeits, but has dominated his opponents in his other six wins. Brester lost his first two matches of the season at the National Duals as he went 2-2.

However, Brester, ranked No. 10 at 197 pounds, lost both matches to wrestlers ranked higher than him. No. 3 Mike Tamillow of Northwestern beat Brester 7-3 in the opening round and No. 2 Philip Davis of Penn State earned the first bonus-point victory against Brester this year with an 8-0 major decision. Brester rebounded with a 14-3 major decision over Minnesota’s Justin Bronson and shut out Iowa’s Chad Beatty 4-0 in the finals.

Jordan’s Major Decision
Jordan Burroughs, another sophomore standout on the NU wrestling squad, has also begun to prove his worth this season, but in a different way. Burroughs leads the team in major decisions with eight and leads the team in technical falls at five, thanks in part to his signature quickness. Burroughs is one of the fastest grapplers on the team and has taken advantage of it. Burroughs’ strategy in most matches is to use that speed to earn takedown after takedown. In fact, his 61 takedowns on the year is more than double any other squad member. Burroughs’ strategy seems to be paying off as he is 21-5 on the year, including 8-3 in duals.

Single Senior
The Nebraska wrestling team sports plenty of youth this season as its roster includes just one senior. Heavyweight Jon May returns for his senior year as a Husker looking to return to the NCAA Championships.

In his latest action, May encountered some stiff competition at the National Duals. May lost a 4-1 decision to No. 1 Dustin Fox of Northwestern, before losing in overtime 3-1 to Penn State’s John Laboranti. May picked up a 5-1 decision over Minnesota’s Yura Malamura before losing another close decision 1-0 to No. 6 Matt Fields of Iowa.

May collected two momentum-building wins to start 2008. He defeated his first ranked opponent of the season as he collected a 7-6 decision over No. 20 Reece Hopkin of Northern Colorado. May was down entering the final stanza but scored a takedown to earn the come-from-behind win. He continued his winning ways at Oregon State with a 4-2 decision over returning NCAA qualifier Travis Gardner. May is now 13-4 on the season, including an impressive 7-0 in duals.

Returning to Lincoln, May got a forfeit win against Dana College on Dec. 15. He currently leads the team in dual wins with a perfect 5-0 mark.

Wrestling just 80 miles from his hometown of Hutchinson, Minn., May defeated Minnesota’s 6-5 on Dec. 6 in Minneapolis. May kept his weekend perfect with a pin of South Dakota State’s Brady Punt in 5:17, his second pin of Punt on the year.

The Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 saw May go 3-2 to exit in the fifth round of the consolation bracket.

May made his return to dual action on Nov. 16 against Lehigh with a 7-3 win over Justin Allen. May finished fifth in the elite division of the Kaufman-Brand Open the following day.

May notched a 1-2 record at nationals in 2006, and looked to be well on his way last season before an ACL injury sidelined him. May recorded a 14-4 record before the injury. May’s experience will come in handy as 16 of NU’s 34 wrestlers are in their first or second year in the program.

What Can Browne Do For You
Brandon Browne is off to arguably the best start of any Husker this season. After being ineligible last season, Browne looks to be back on the right track as he has raced out to a 23-2 start. Browne is second on the team in wins, trailing only sophomore Stephen Dwyer’s 24. Browne’s wins have not been close for the most part. He is second on the team in major decisions with seven and second with four technical falls.

More importantly, Browne has proven a reliable wrestler when it counts most with his 8-1 mark in duals. Browne faced four ranked opponents at the National Duals last weekend and came away with a 3-1 record. He defeated No. 14 Nick Hayes of Northwestern in the opening round with a 7-5 decision and followed with a 5-4 decision over #17 Dave Erwin of Penn State. Browne earned a 3-2 decision over No. 10 Gabe Dretsch of Minnesota before falling 8-4 to No. 11 Jay Borschel of Iowa.

Points for Plambeck
Rob Plambeck scored three points for Nebraska in the Huskers’ dual with South Dakota State on Dec. 7. Those points mean a lot more to Plambeck, though. The victory was the sophomore’s first career dual victory. Wrestling the Jackrabbits’ Martin Konechne, Plambeck trailed after the first period 3-2, but two takedowns and a riding-time advantage gave Plambeck the 8-3 decision. His win put Nebraska up 15-6.

Jordan Named Big 12 Wrestler of the Month
The Big 12 Conference announced Dec. 3 that Husker sophomore Kenny Jordan was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Month for November. Jordan, a Frankfort, Ill., native, went a perfect 6-0 at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in Las Vegas on Nov. 30-Dec. 1.

Jordan, competing at 133 pounds, racked up three bonus-point victories to start the tournament. He recorded a 15-0 technical fall over Jerome Greco of Columbia in the opening round, followed that with a pin of Old Dominion’s Kyle Hutter in 3:51 and notched a 13-2 major decision over Rick Rappo of Penn.

Jordan’s last three wins in the tournament included a 7-6 decision over Reece Humphrey of Ohio State and a 7-0 decision over Cal State-Fullerton’s T.J. Dillashaw in the finals. His performance helped propel the Huskers to a fourth-place team finish.

Huskers Sign Five to 2008-09 Wrestling Squad
Nebraska head coach Mark Manning has announced the signing of five recruits that will join the Husker wrestling squad in the 2008-09 academic year.

The five signees, Riley Essay of Alliance, Neb., Jon Burns of Railegh, N.C., Romero Cotton of Hutchinson, Kan., Tyler Koehn of Pittsburg, Kan., and Josh Ihnen of Sheldon, Iowa, will add look to add depth to a talent-filled Nebraska squad.

Burns will join the Huskers after a standout career at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, N.C. In his freshman year at Cary High School, Burns finished third at the state tournament, and took home the 140-pound title in the Jim King/Orange Invitational. Burns sat out his sophomore year after transferring, but rebounded with a phenomenal junior campaign. Burns completed a 65-0 season and won the state championship. He capped his year by winning the 140-pound title at the National High School Coaches Association Junior National Wrestling Championships in Virginia Beach, Va. Ranked as the ninth-best junior in the nation last year, Burns will compete at 141 pounds for the Huskers.

The Huskers again signed one of the top recruits in the state with Essay, who will look to cap his high school career with a fourth consecutive top-five finish at the state tournament this season. Essay earned a fourth-place finish his freshman year at 103 pounds and finished fifth at 112 his sophomore year. Last season saw Essay claim third at 125. Essay is projected to wrestle at 133 for NU.

NU adds two more talented athletes with Kansas natives Cotton and Koehn. Wrestling at 152 pounds, Koehn captured a state championship last season for Pittsburg High School. He earned All-American honors last summer in the freestyle division at the USA Wrestling Nationals. Koehn works hard off the mat also, earning a 3.8 GPA at his high school. Koehn will wrestle at 174 for NU.

Cotton also has his share of state championships. He will attempt to become a four-time state champion this winter, after winning titles in 2004 at 145, in 2006 at 160 and in 2007 at 171. One of the top recruits in the nation at 189 pounds, Cotton’s athleticism has transferred to other sports as well. A running back for the three-time defending state champion Hutchinson High School, Cotton rushed for 1,398 yards and 22 touchdowns his junior season. Cotton is expected to wrestle 184 pounds in college.

Rounding out the early signings is Ihnen. After a runner-up finish at 171 pounds at the state tournament last season, Ihnen competed this summer at the USA Wrestling nationals, where he earned All-America honors in the freestyle division. Ihnen has shown abilities in the classroom also, touting a 3.99 GPA and a 30 ACT score. Ihnen will wrestle at 197 pounds for the Huskers.

Manning’s Meanderings
Nebraska wrestling head coach Mark Manning took his talents halfway across the world, as he traveled with the U.S. delegation as an assistant coach to the 2007 World Championships in Bauke, Azerbaijan, on Sept. 17-23. Manning has his share of international experience. He was selected as the head coach of the U.S. team for the 2001 World Championships. He also coached in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics as an assistant.

Manning focused his efforts on the freestyle team, while two of his former wrestlers, Brad Vering and Justing Ruiz, competed for the U.S. in the Greco-Roman division. Vering, an NCAA Champion at 197 pounds at Nebraska in 2000, captured the silver medal in the 84 kilograms (185 pounds) division. He rolled off five straight wins before losing in the finals.

The country of Azerbaijan, where the World Championships were held, was a full 10 time zones ahead of Lincoln. The country is located north of Iran and east of Armenia. Manning is entering his eighth year as Nebraska’s head coach in 2007-08, having compiled a 118-63-4 dual record.

St. Louis Slated for Schedule
Eager Nebraska fans can mark March 20-22 on their calender right now. The NCAA Championships will be held on those dates at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. and hopefully more than a few Huskers will be there. As the 2007-08 season begins, eight NU grapplers are ranked in their respective weight classes, but a tough road to St. Louis faces them. Nebraska’s schedule features seven schools ranked by InterMat, including Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Iowa State. Nebraska will face all three of those opponents on the road.

It’s All In the Family
The Nebraska wrestling team will be a family affair this season as three sets of brothers are on the squad. For the second consecutive year, two members of the Moyer, Sanders and Browne family will share time on the mat. Dominick Moyer, Robert Sanders and Brandon Browne will be joined by their younger brothers Derek, Paul and Cameron, respectively.

Dominick Moyer, a volunteer assistant coach this year after finishing his career with the Huskers, is joined on the NU wrestling squad by his brother, Derek, who was a three-time state champion at Oskaloosa High School in Iowa. Robert Sanders, an NCAA qualifier at 149 pounds in 2005-06, continues his wrestling career 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 Juan High School in Blanding, Utah. Brandon Browne, a projected starter at 174 pounds, is joined again by his brother, Cameron. Brandon was a two-time state champion at Plattsmouth High 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
The Browne family had plenty to celebrate last weekend. While junior Brandon Browne went 3-1 to help the Huskers to a second-place finish at the National Duals, sophomore Cameron Browne went 3-0 at the Hastings Open to capture first place at 197 pounds. Browne was one of several non-varsity Huskers to compete in Hastings against wrestlers from 12 other schools.

Browne opened competition with a 20-4 technical fall of Ross Melton from the Colorado School of Mines and followed with a 9-5 decision over Carl Wilkinson of Platte County CC. Browne came out on the winning end of a nail-biter against Hastings’ Brandon Hudiburgh in the finals, as Browne notched a takedown in overtime to win 13-11.

The tournament title is Browne’s second of the season and fourth top four finish. He is 12-3 on the year with six bonus-point victories.

Freshman Brian Litch also placed at the Hastings Open, working his way to a fifth place finish by going 2-2. Litch shutout Chris Saykally of the Colorado School of Mines 3-0 in the first round, but lost his next two matches by a total of three points. Litch rebounded with a 2-0 decision over Nebraska-Kearney’s Kazuhiro Fujinawa to claim fifth.

The non-varsity wrestlers wrap up their season at the Glen-Brand Open on Saturday in Omaha.

Next up: Huskers Host Missouri on Alumni Night
The Nebraska wrestling team returns to Lincoln for the first time in nearly two months as the Huskers host Missouri on Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. Husker alumni will be honored before the dual. The Huskers welcome the friendly confines of the Coliseum as NU looks to avenge a 31-11 loss to the Tigers last year in Columbia. The dual should feature two squads ranked in the top 10 in the nation. The Huskers jumped up to No. 3 after a second-place finish at the National Duals, while Missouri has hung around the No. 11 spot all season.