Nebraska Signs Five to 2009-10 Squad

Lincoln-Nebraska Head Coach Mark Manning announced on Thursday, Nov. 13, that five recruits signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Husker wrestling squad.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

The five signees, Kyle Waldo of Rockford, Mich., David Klingsheim of Brentwood, Calif., Cody Compton of Bonne Terre, Mo., Michael Klinginsmith of Kearney, Neb., and Caleb Kolb of Grove City, Pa., will join the team in the 2009-10 academic year.

“All five of these young men like Nebraska and like what we are about,” Manning said. “They add to a great recruiting class we had last year. I can’t say enough about these guys. They are excited about the future and the impact they are going to leave on our program.”

 

Kyle Waldo ? Rockford, Mich.

A three-time state champion for Coach Don Rinehart and Rockford High School, Kyle Waldo will attempt to become the 14th four-time state champion in Michigan high school history this winter. Waldo claimed the title as a freshman and sophomore at 103 pounds with 50-1 and 45-1 records, respectively. He moved up to 112 pounds as a junior, and earned a 26-1 mark to win the state championship again. He has a 121-3 career record while wrestling for the Rams.

Waldo also earned All-America honors with a seventh-place finish at 112 pounds in the freestyle division of the 2008 Junior National Championships. He is the nation’s 19th-ranked wrestler at 119 pounds according to WIN Magazine’s 2008-09 preseason rankings and is No. 96 in InterMat’s top 100 recruits of 2009. He is projected to wrestle 125 pounds at Nebraska.

Manning on Waldo: “Kyle is going to bring a great work ethic and great attitude to our program. He is a young man who identified our program early on and wanted to come to Nebraska. He has had the Huskers on his mind. We know him and we know what we are getting. He comes from a great high school program. He really has high aspirations that are right in line with our program and where we want go.”

 

David Klingsheim ? Brentwood, Calif.

Wrestling in a talent-filled state, David Klingsheim has excelled at Liberty High School for Coaches Greg Chappel and Rudy Dizon. Klingsheim will attempt to become the 18th wrestler ever to place (top eight) in four state meets in California, which only has one division for wrestling. He was eighth as a freshman at 103 pounds with a 55-5 record and followed with a 47-7 mark to place fifth at 112 pounds as a sophomore. Last season he claimed the state title at 112 with a 51-5 record. Klingheim’s title defense has gotten off to a solid start this season, as he won the prestigious Super 32 Challenge on Nov. 1 with a 7-0 mark at 119 pounds.

Klingsheim earned All-America accolades with a fourth-place showing at 112 pounds in the Greco-Roman division of the 2007 Junior National Championships. He is the No. 62 recruit in InterMat’s top 100 recruits of 2009 and will wrestle at 125 pounds for the Huskers.

Manning on Klingsheim: “He is a very talented young man who is very intense. He is very much a go-getter who wrestles at a high pace and tempo. People are going to really like to watch this young man compete because he gets after it. He brings a tremendous desire to be the best to our program.”

 

Caleb Kolb ? Grove City, Penn.

The Huskers claim another InterMat top 100 recruit of 2009 in Caleb Kolb. The No. 78 wrestler, Kolb is a two-time state qualifier for Grove City High School. He posted a 39-5 mark to finish third at 160 pounds at the state championships last season, after a 33-13 record as a sophomore. Kolb also participated in football as a halfback and outside linebacker, and in track and field as a pole vaulter his first three years of high school. Kolb earned All-America honors last summer after finishing third at 160 pounds in the National High School Coaches Association Wrestling Championships. Kolb will wrestle at 174 pounds for Nebraska.

Kolb is the son of Jon Kolb, who played 13 season in the National Football League with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jon started 177 games at offensive tackle from 1969 to 1981 and earned four Super Bowl rings.

Manning on Kolb: “I think he is one of the top kids in country at his weight. He is another guy that wrestles with a lot of energy. He is a very hard nose, tough guy that has great genes. He is a guy that we are very excited for.”

 

Cody Compton ? Bonne Terre, Mo.

A two-time All-American, Cody Compton has also found success at the state level for North County High School in Bonne Terre, Mo. Compton has racked up a 111-6 career record with three straight top-five finishes at the state championships. He claimed third as a freshman and sophomore with a 37-2 record at 130 pounds and a 40-1 mark at 140, respectively. He battled through mono and tonsillitis to place fifth last season at 152 pounds with a 34-3 record.

He claimed third at 145 pounds in the freestyle division of the 2007 Cadet National Championships, before notching an eighth-place showing at 152 pounds in the freestyle division of the 2008 Junior National Championships. He is the younger brother of Nebraska freshman linebacker Will Compton and is projected to wrestle 157 or 165 for NU.

Manning on Compton: “Cody is a guy that really fits into our program. He has toughness about him. He has a great work ethic that is really going to pay dividends. His attitude is very infectious. He has a huge upside because he hasn’t had the benefits a lot of young men have had, as far as being exposed to a lot of things. He has a lot of upside and a lot of room to improve that will pay dividends for him. He is going to have a great career at Nebraska.”

 

Michael Klinginsmith ? Kearney, Neb.

The Huskers continue to sign the best in-state talent, as Michael Klinginsmith will join the team after a standout career at Kearney Catholic High School. He placed third at 140 pounds as a freshman at the state championships, but has won state titles the last two years at 145 and 152 pounds. He owns a 123-7 career record, including 83-0 the last two seasons, and will look to continue that success at 160 pounds this year.

Klinginsmith has also excelled on the football field as the Stars’ starting quarterback the last three seasons. He has led the team to three straight playoff appearances with a 21-8 record. In the classroom, Klinginsmith has a 4.0 grade-point average and earned a 35 on his ACT. He has been on the honor roll every semester of his high school career and is a member of National Honor Society. He is projected to wrestle 149 or 157 for the Huskers.

Manning on Klinginsmith: “Michael exemplifies a high standard of excellence. He is a tremendous student-athlete. On the football team, he was just a great leader. When he concentrates only on wrestling, he will be a great talent. He exemplifies what you want in a great student-athlete. We are really excited about Michael and the future he has in our program.”