Huskers Head South to Face No. 3 Oklahoma State

Nebraska (9-9, 0-2 Big 12) vs. #3 Oklahoma State (12-2-1, 1-1-1 Big 12)
Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611) • Stillwater, Okla. • Friday, Feb. 12, 2010 • 7 p.m.
Series History: NU trails, 4-48-1
Last Meeting: NU won, 17-16, on Feb. 5, 2009 in Lincoln
Live Video: www.okstate.com (subscription requried)
Live Audio: www.okstate.com (subscription requried)
Live Stats: www.okstate.com
Live Blog: www.huskers.com
Next: at No. 2 Iowa State on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2 p.m.

The Nebraska wrestling team (9-9, 0-2 Big 12) continues its challenging 2009-10 schedule this week by traveling to No. 3 Oklahoma State (12-2-1, 1-1-1 Big 12) this Friday, Feb. 12. The Huskers and Cowboys will square off from Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater at 7 p.m.

Live video will be available online at okstate.com. Log on to the site, click on "Multimedia" and then "Live Events" on the left-hand side. The video also includes the radio broadcast from KSPI 93.7 FM. Live stats will be available for free on okstate.com, while Huskers.com will provide a free live blog.

This Friday will mark the 10th ranked opponent on Nebraska's schedule this season. The Huskers are currently in a stretch of dualing five teams ranked in the top-20 in the last five weeks of the regular season. Despite the tough slate of opponents and a shorthanded lineup (injury forfeit at 149 pounds), Nebraska has challenged its first Big 12 foes to the final match. In the conference opener Jan. 29, the Huskers nearly upset No. 17 Missouri after taking a 16-13 lead with two bouts remaining, one of which NU would forfeit (149). Last Thursday vs. No. 9 Oklahoma, the Huskers raced to a 15-0 lead by winning the first four matches, but dropped the last six and fell to the Sooners, 22-15.

Oklahoma State boasts the richest wrestling tradition in the nation, claiming 34 national championships and 42 conference titles since the Cowboys began the sport in 1915. However, the Huskers got the best of OSU last year in Lincoln when No. 4 Nebraska defeated No. 15 Oklahoma State, 16-15, in front of nearly 3,000 fans at the Devaney Center. The victory gave NU its first back-to-back wins over OSU in school history. The 2008-09 meeting was also the first time the Huskers faced a Cowboy squad ranked outside of the top five since the 1992-93 season. Oklahoma State went on to finish 16th at the NCAA Championships, but reloaded this season en route to its current 12-2-1 dual record and No. 3 national ranking.

Nebraska has three wrestlers ranked in InterMat's latest top 20, which will highlight Friday's dual as the Cowboys are also ranked at each of those bouts. At 174 pounds, No. 4 Stephen Dwyer (20-3) will meet No. 7 Mike Benefiel (29-2), as the NU senior looks to remain undefeated in Big 12 matches. Senior 197-pounder Craig Brester (24-0), ranked No. 2 nationally, will face No. 11 Alan Gelogaev (24-3), a week after winning an 18-2 technical fall match over No. 6 Eric Lapotsky of Oklahoma. At Heavyweight, Nebraska's 14th-ranked sophomore, Tucker Lane (20-7), will go up against the nation's best, No. 1 Jared Rosholt (26-1).

Brester has been the leading force in the Huskers' 2009-10 season, holding a perfect 24-0 record as NU winds down its dual match schedule. The Howells, Neb., native recently became the 17th Husker in school history to reach the 100-win plateau after he defeated Oregon State's Chad Hanke by a 10-2 major decision on Jan. 24. Brester is the first 100-win club member since Travis Pascoe hit the century mark at the end of the 2004-05 season and finished with a 101-37 career record. Senior Stephen Dwyer (174) is also nearing 100 career wins, as he currently holds a 98-33 mark as a Husker. Nebraska has not had two Huskers reach 100 wins in the same season since 2000-01 when Bryan Snyder and Brad Vering both accomplished the feat.

Scouting No. 3 Oklahoma State
John Smith has had an incredible amount of success in his 19 seasons as head coach at Oklahoma State, racking up five NCAA team championships and 23 individual championships on his way to a 293-44-5 record. The Cowboys had a rebuilding year last season, finishing fourth at the Big 12 Championships and crowning only one All-American (Jared Rosholt). This year, Smith has coached a more experienced Cowboy squad to a 12-2-1 record and returned to the top of the polls with a No. 3 national ranking.

Oklahoma State was ranked sixth in the InterMat preseason poll, just one spot ahead of Nebraska before the Huskers were riddled with injuries. The Cowboys opened with a home dual win over Arizona State (21-9), but tied rival Oklahoma in Norman on Dec. 4, 16-16. After six consecutive victories, including wins over No. 5 Minnesota (21-8), No. 11 Penn State (24-13) and No. 8 Lehigh (30-6), Oklahoma State dropped back-to-back duals to No. 1 Iowa (16-19) and No. 2 Iowa State (18-20). Since then, the Cowboys have rattled off four straight wins, most recently defeating No. 17 Missouri last Sunday in Columbia, 24-9. Following Friday's dual vs. the Huskers, Oklahoma State will meet Binghamton on Feb. 19 before the highly-anticipated regular-season finale rematch against No. 9 Oklahoma on Feb. 21 in Stillwater.

Individually, the Cowboys are led by returning All-American Jared Rosholt. The senior finished third at the 2009 NCAA Championships after a fourth-place finish as a sophomore. He is 26-1 this season, with the only loss coming to Oklahoma's Nathan Fernandez, 9-7. Rosholt is ranked No. 1 and has won 24 straight matches since that point on the strength of nine pins and three major decisions. Last week, he defeated defending NCAA champion Mark Ellis (Missouri), 3-2.

Redshirt freshman Jordan Oliver is ranked No. 5 at 133 pounds in his first year of varsity competition. Oliver is 23-2, losing only to No. 2 Jayson Ness (Minnesota) and No. 10 Boris Novachkov (Cal Poly). Junior Neil Erisman is the third returning starter, recording a 23-7 mark this season to go along with his No. 16 national ranking. In addition to Rosholt and Oliver, four more Cowboys are ranked in the top 10 in sophomore Mike Benefiel (No. 7, 174, 29-2), junior Clayton Foster (No. 8, 184, 14-3), redshirt freshman Alex Meade (No. 8, 165, 24-6) and sophomore Jamal Parks (No. 8, 141, 24-4). Sophomore Alan Gelogaev will wrestle Craig Brester at 197 pounds, ranking 11th with a 24-3 record.

Husker History versus the Cowboys
Oklahoma State has historically had the Huskers' number. NU owns just a 4-48-1 all-time record against the Cowboys, but recent duals have been close contests, including back-to-back Big Red victories in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. Prior to that, the Huskers had lost several close matchups in which they had an opportunity to win the dual heading in the final match.

Two years ago, third-ranked NU won six matches, including two bonus-point wins, en route to a 22-13 upset of second-ranked OSU in front of 2,496 fans at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Jan. 20, 2008. The Huskers' win snapped a 14-dual losing streak to the Cowboys and was their first win over OSU since 1993.

Last February year in Lincoln, Jordan Burroughs and Vince Jones notched major decisions against No. 15 Oklahoma State to help fourth-ranked Nebraska claim a historic 17-16 dual victory over the Cowboys in front of more than 2,800 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The win was NU's first home victory over OSU since the 1921-22 season, and gave the Huskers back-to-back dual wins over the Cowboys for the first time ever.

The contest came down to bonus points, as each team claimed five bouts on the night, and Burroughs and Jones, both natives of Sicklerville, N.J., scraped NU by with their two wins. In one of three matches featuring two wrestlers ranked in the top 10, third-ranked Burroughs used 10 takedowns, including four in the final period, to post a 21-9 major decision over No. 10 Neil Erisman of OSU at 157 pounds. Jones, ranked 11th in the nation at 184 pounds, used two takedowns in the first two periods to amass an early lead, but posted a six-point third period to earn an 11-2 major decision over Oklahoma State's Cody Hill. Last Time Out: Brester,

Dwyer Earn Senior Night Wins as Huskers Fall to OU
Behind a pair of bonus-point victories from seniors Craig Brester (197) and Stephen Dwyer (174), the Nebraska wrestling team jumped out to a 15-0 lead on No. 9 Oklahoma, but the Huskers dropped the last six bouts and fell to the Sooners, 22-15, on Feb. 4 at the Devaney Center.

Wrestling in front of a season-high 1,640 fans, Brester (24-0) and Dwyer (20-3) could not have performed better in their last home matches. Each delivered lasting impressions with powerful wins, as Brester dominated No. 6 Eric Lopotsky by an 18-2 technical fall, while Dwyer overcame a slow start with a seven-point third period to earn a 10-2 major decision over No. 18 Jeff James.

Along with early victories from redshirt freshman Josh Ihnen (184) and sophomore Tucker Lane (285), the bonus-point triumphs from NU's seniors gave the Huskers a 15-point advantage before OU fought back and eventually took its first lead on Nebraska's forfeit at 149 pounds. Nebraska came up against a tough Sooner lineup that included eight ranked wrestlers, although the Huskers defeated two and fell only by decision to three others.

Brester, ranked No. 2 in the nation, nailed down perhaps the best performance of his senior season with his technical fall over the sixth-ranked Lapotsky. The Howells, Neb., native left no doubt that he would go out a winner in his final home match, earning his first takedown just 15 seconds into the match. Brester then rolled Lapotsky over twice to gain a pair of three-point near falls and build an 8-0 lead after the first period. The worn-down Lapotsky did not last through the second period, as Brester picked up two takedowns and a third three-point near fall to end the match in 4 minutes, 46 seconds.

Beginning the dual at 174 pounds, Dwyer immediately put the Huskers on the board after battling through a slow start against the 18th-ranked James. The Rockton, Ill., native led just 3-2 after two periods until he worked his way to a takedown with 1 minute remaining, and then solidified the victory with a three-point near fall just 10 seconds before the final horn. While doing so, Dwyer moved a step closer to Nebraska's 100-win club, now sitting at 98-33 as a Husker.

Including a victory from Ihnen at 184 pounds, sophomore Tucker Lane rode the momentum to take a solid 6-3 victory from No. 12 Nathan Fernandez at Heavyweight. Like Brester, Lane went to work quickly by earning his first takedown 15 seconds into the match, then adding another just 58 seconds later to jump out to a 4-1 lead. It is the second time this season Lane defeated Hernandez after also doing so at the Las Vegas Invitational in December.

Ihnen's victory was his first in Big 12 action, and moves the redshirt freshman to 14-10, including a 10-8 mark in duals.

Four of Nebraska's six losses were by four points or less, including a near upset at 125 pounds when freshman David Klingsheim took No. 12 Jarrod Patterson to overtime, eventually falling 4-3.

Seniors Nearing End of Husker Careers
The Nebraska wrestling program bid a farewell to the 2010 senior class at the Huskers' Feb. 4 dual vs. Oklahoma. This year's class has been instrumental in Nebraska's notable success the past four years, helping the Huskers to 50 dual victories and a pair of top-two finishes at the Big 12 Championships, including last year's 2009 title. Combined, the three NU seniors have won 250 individual matches, led by Brester's 103-18 mark.

A former walk-on from Howells, Neb., Craig Brester has developed into one of the best wrestlers in school history. The senior is a member of Nebraska's 100-win club with an astounding 103-18 record during his career. Brester is a three-time NCAA Championship qualifier and two-time All-American. Last year, he propelled the Huskers to the Big 12 title with the 197-pound conference championship, while earning 'Outstanding Wrestler' of the tournament honors. He currently ranks sixth on Nebraska's all-time winning percentage list, but is moving up several charts this season with a perfect 24-0 record that includes 17 bonus-point victories. Brester is a mechanized systems management major and is a three-time selection to the first-team Academic All-Big 12 and NWCA All-Academic teams.

A three-time NCAA Championship qualifier, Stephen Dwyer has been a consistent force in the starting lineup throughout his career. In his second trip to nationals as a sophomore, the Rockton, Ill., native claimed 2008 All- America honors. Dwyer has won 75 percent of his matches as a Husker and is closing in on the 100-career win mark with 98 victories. This season, Dywer moved from 165 to 174 pounds, but has maintained top form with an impressive 20-3 record that includes eight pins. He is set to end his career with a fourth-straight NCAA Championship appearance next month. The two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection is a business administration major and has also been named to one NWCA All-Academic team.

A native of Aurora, Neb., Levi Wofford has helped his home state Huskers to notable success over the course of his career. The senior has started in dual matches during yearly improvement that included a solid 15-4 record last season with nine bonus-point victories. Wofford has competed at 184 pounds to Heavyweight, but has consistently seen success despite changing spots in the lineup. In his first season of varsity competition, Wofford led the Huskers to a victory over Virginia Tech with an upset over No. 9 Steve Borja. As a 2006 redshirt, he won two tournament titles en route to a 24-7 record with five pins and five major decisions. Levi is a communication studies major at Nebraska.

Tickets Available for 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
The University of Nebraska and the Omaha Sports Commission have announced that a limited number of all-session tickets for the 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships are on sale now. The championships are being held March 18-20 at Qwest Center Omaha.

The all-session tickets are available at four different prices, ranging from $100-165. With large crowds expected at the event, fans are encouraged to purchase quickly.

Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster at its official Web site (www.ticketmaster.com) or by calling 800/745- 3000. Each Division I wrestling program was given an optional ticket allotment before public sale.

The Huskers are coming off back-to-back fourth-place finishes at the NCAA Championships. Three NU wrestlers are looking for a repeat appearance at the national meet, led by second-ranked 197-pound senior Craig Brester, a two-time All-American and 2009 runner-up. Senior Stephen Dwyer is aiming for his second All-America honor as the fourth-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds. Sophomore heavyweight Tucker Lane is seeking another qualification after competing at the 2009 NCAA Championships as a freshman.

The University of Nebraska and the Omaha Sports Commission are co-hosts for the 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. This spring will mark the fifth time the University of Nebraska has hosted an NCAA Championship at Qwest Center Omaha since it opened in 2003. The Huskers also hosted the 2005 Big 12 Wrestling Championships at Qwest Center Omaha.

Tough Tasks
Head Coach Mark Manning was not shy as the NU staff put together the 2009-10 schedule. When the preseason rankings were released in October, Nebraska saw nine future opponents in the top 20, including four in the top 10. The Huskers' added more schedule strength at the 2010 NWCA National Duals, drawing No. 1 Iowa in the first round.

Nebraska defeated its first ranked opponent of the season, downing No. 11 Wisconsin, 26-17, on Nov. 15, but has struggled to win duals since injuries began to plague the lineup in Decemeber. Each of Nebraska's last three opponents are ranked in the top 10 (No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 2 Iowa State).

Last season, Nebraska faced 11 ranked opponents in 21 duals, posting a 7-3-1 mark against those teams.

Rough Weather Keeps Huskers Home
The weather was unusually kind in Arizona last month, forcing a cancelation of Nebraska's Jan. 22 dual at Arizona. The Huskers were scheduled to fly out of Omaha, but the flight was called off due to Arizona experiencing one of its worst winter storms over the past two decades.

The two schools will not make up the match this season, but may explore options for a dual in 2010-11.

Brester Shining in Senior Season
Senior Craig Brester is solidifying his spot among the best wrestlers in school history, beginning his final season with a 24-0 record. Brester's start has the 197-pounder on the brink of climbing the record books, as he currently ranks No. 6 all-time in career win-loss percentage (.851) and recently became the 17th Husker ever to reach 100 wins (currently 103-18).

This season, Brester is winning by domination, pinning 10 opponents to go along with three technical falls and five major decisions. In addition to his 10 pins, he also leads the Huskers in wins (24), dual points (83) and has the second-fastest fall this season, pinning North Dakota State's Drew Ross in 41 seconds on Jan. 3.

In December, Brester was awarded for his outstanding performance as he was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week by the league office for matches Dec. 7-Dec. 13. It was the second Big 12 weekly award of his career, earning the honor after pinning Minnesota's Joe Nord (1:10) Dec. 10 in Minneapolis before defeating his fourth ranked opponent in a two-week stretch with an 8-2 decision over No. 9 Tyler Sorenson of South Dakota State on Dec. 12. The week before, Brester claimed the 2009 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational championship and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Seventeen of Brester's 23 victories in 2009-10 have come in bonus-point fashion. He has five wins over ranked opponents, including an 18-2 technical fall over No. 6 Eric Lapotsky of Oklahoma last Thursday.

Currently ranked No. 2 in the nation at 197 pounds, Brester is a two-time All-American and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 2009 Big 12 Championships.

Dwyer Two Wins Away from Husker History
Senior Stephen Dywer is bidding to put his name in the Husker record books, as he is just two victories away from reaching the 100-win total in his NU career. The 174-pounder is 98-33 since joining the Huskers in 2006 and is off to a 19-3 start this season with his only losses coming to No. 1 Mack Lewnes (Cornell), No. 2 Jay Borschel (Iowa) and No. 9 Colby Covington.

Dwyer was a 2008 All-American at 165 pounds, where he wrestled his first three seasons. This year, he moved up to 174 pounds and has not skipped up a beat, rising has high as No. 3 in the national rankings. Dywer is 16-2 in duals and is second on the team in dual points behind Craig Brester with 72. Dywer has eight pins this season, including back-to-back falls two weeks ago over No. 15 Dorian Henderson (Missouri) and Patrick Prentice (Northern Colorado). Six of Dwyer's pins have come in the first period. Prior to this season, the senior had just three falls in his entire career and none last season.

Howells, Neb., Boasts Two 100-Win Club Members
Although the small Nebraska community of Howells holds a population of just over 600 people, the town boasts two of Husker wrestling's 100-win club members in Brad Vering and Craig Brester.

Vering is one of Nebraska's 10 national champions, claiming the 2000 title at 197 pounds. He finished his career with an outstanding 124-26 record that included three All-America honors.

Brester is a two-time All-American and reached 100 wins following his victory over Oregon State's Chad Hanke last Sunday. His 103-18 record was built on a 34-4 mark last season, when the 197-pounder won the Big 12 title and finished second at the NCAA Championships.

The only other duo in Nebraska's 100-win club to hail from the same city is Bill and Jim Scherr (1981-84) of Mobridge, S.D.

Ihnen Ranked No. 25 in NCAA Coaches Rankings
Redshirt freshman Josh Ihnen is seeing positive signs from his first season of varsity competition, as he is ranked No. 25 at 184 pounds in the first of three NCAA coaches' panel rankings. The final rankings will be one of the criteria in the selection process for the 2010 NCAA Championship qualifiers.

Ihnen is 14-10 this season with a 10-8 dual record. Nine of his 10 losses are to ranked opponents, six of which are in the top 10. The Sheldon, Iowa native was Nebraska's top redshirt a year ago, producing a 24-5 record with 13 bonus-point victories.

Non-Varsity Notes
Nebraska did not compete in non-varsity action last week, most recently participating in Glen Brand Open in Omaha on Jan. 16.

On the season, freshman Caleb Kolb (174) has been the non-varsity's top performer with a 27-5 overall record that includes tournament titles at the UNK Loper Open and Quality Hotel Open.Thirteen of Colb's 27 victories have come in bonus-point fashion, including eight major decision wins.

Freshman Kyle Waldo (125) has also reached 20 wins this season, as he holds a 21-5 record with four pins and four major decisions. Waldo also claimed first at the UNK Loper Open and Quality Hotel Open.

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Next Up: Huskers End Regular Season at No. 2 Iowa State
Nebraska will meet its fifth ranked oponents in a one-month span when the Huskers travel to Ames to take on No. 2 Iowa State on Sunday, Feb. 21. The dual between the Huskers and Cyclones will begin at 2 p.m. and mark the end of the 2009-10 regular season.

The 2010 Big 12 Championships take place March 6 in Norman, Okla.