Huskers Travel West to Take on Northern Colorado, Wyoming

No. 21 Nebraska (3-1) vs. Northern Colorado (0-1)
Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion (2,955) • Greeley, Colo. • Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 • 8 p.m.
Series History: UNC leads, 8-12-1
Last Meeting: NU won, 37-9, on Jan. 31, 2010, in Lincoln, Neb.

No. 21 Nebraska (3-1) vs. No. 14 Wyoming (0-0)
UniWyo Sports Complex (1,200) • Laramie, Wyo. • Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010 • 8 p.m.
Series History: NU leads, 29-14
Last Meeting: UW won, 29-10, on Jan. 17, 2010, in Lincoln, Neb.
Live Stats: http://www.nwcaonline.com
Live Video (subscription required): www.wyomingathletics.com

The 21st-ranked Nebraska wrestling team will trek west on their second two-match road trip of the season when they take on the Northern Colorado Bears and Wyoming Cowboys this weekend. The Huskers will open the road trip on Friday, Dec. 3, against Northern Colorado from the Western Wrestling Conference, before taking on the 14th-ranked Wyoming Cowboys on Saturday, Dec. 4. Both matches are set to begin at 8 p.m. CT. Live Stats for the Wyoming match can be found at www.nwcaonline.com. The Wyoming match is also available to watch on Wyoming's athletic website through Wyoming All-Access, but a subscription is required.
   Nebraska is currently riding a three-match winning streak to improve their record to 3-1 after dropping their opening dual of the season. Last weekend, the Huskers won a pair of matches over Bucknell and South Dakota State. The Huskers got a stiff challenge from the Bison of Bucknell, but were able to use a late major decision victory from Tucker Lane to come back and win by a 19-16 score. NU used victories from Ross Grande, Tyler Koehn, Caleb Kolb and a fall from senior Jordan Burroughs to cruise a 36-6 victory over SDSU.
   The Huskers faced both the Bears and the Cowboys last season, splitting the matches between the two schools. Wyoming defeated the Huskers by a 29-10 score, while NU was victorious over the Bears, 37-9. Both matches took place in Lincoln.
   Northern Colorado will enter the match on Friday with a 0-1 overall record after falling to 5th-ranked Boise State, 25-9, on Nov. 19, in their only match of the season. The Bears feature one ranked wrestler in Justin Gaethje, who checks in at No. 17 in the 149 pound weight class. Wyoming has yet to wrestle in a dual this season, but will enter the match with four wrestler nationally ranked at their respective weights, including 2nd-ranked Joe LeBlanc at 184-pounds. The Huskers and Cowboys will have two matches featuring two top 10 wrestlers competing against each other, including 2nd-ranked Jordan Burroughs (NU) and 5th-ranked Shane Onufer (UW) at 165-pounds, and LeBlanc and 10th-ranked Josh Ihnen (NU) at 184-pounds. This will be the third time the Ihnen and LeBlanc have met in their careers after the pair faced off in the first round of last year's NCAA Championships where the seventh-seeded LeBlanc edged Ihnen in a 7-5 decision. LeBlanc also won during last year's dual season.

Scouting the Northern Colorado Bears
   Northern Colorado will enter the match on Friday having only wrestled in one dual so far this season, although it has participated in two tournaments. In their first dual of the season, the Bears fell at home to 5th-ranked Boise State, 25-9. In that match, the Bears got victories from Rocco DePaolo (157), Eric Brennan (184) and Nick Bayer (197).
 After the loss to Boise State, the Bears hosted the Old Chicago Classic at Northern Colorado's home arena the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion. Northern Colorado had an impressive showing at the tournament with nine wrestlers finishing in the top six of their bracket. The Bears have been led this season by true freshman Nick Bayer. Bayer won the 197-pound title at the Old Chicago Classic and has amassed an 8-0 overall record so far this season. In their first tournament of the season, the Bears placed ten wrestlers at the Cowboy Open in Laramie, Wyo.
   Northern Colorado returns one All-American from a season ago in senior Justin Gaethje (149). Last season, Gaethje became the first Bear in 40 years to earn All-American status after finishing seventh at the NCAA Championships. Gaethje has a 5-0 record this season, but did not compete in the Bear's opening dual against Boise State.
   The Bears are coached by Ben Cherrington, who is in his second year as head coach of the Bears. Cherrington was the Bears interim head coach last season, but had the interim tag removed after last season 

Husker History vs. Northern Colorado
   The Huskers and Bears have a met 21 times in the school's histories, with Northern Colorado leading the all-time series 8-12-1. Last season, the Huskers defeated the Northern Colorado, 37-9, on Jan. 31, 2010, in Lincoln, to extend their winning streak over the Bears to five matches.

Scouting the Wyoming Cowboys
   The 14th-ranked Cowboy's will feature one of the deepest lineups the Huskers have seen so far this season with four nationally ranked wrestlers. The Cowboy's, who have not yet competed in a dual this season, will host the Huskers after competing in the Kaufman-Brand Open in Omaha, Neb, where they had eight wrestlers finish in the top six of their bracket. 
   The Cowboy's are led by junior Joe LeBlanc, who is the 2nd-ranked wrestler in the 184-pound weight division. LeBlanc has yet to wrestle in a match this season, but owns an 84-14 career record. LeBlanc is a two-time All-American and reigning Western Wrestling Conference wrestler of the year. 
   Other ranked wrestlers for the Cowboy's include 16th-ranked Michael Martinez (133), 20th-ranked Cole Dallaserra (149) and 5th-ranked Shane Onufer (165). Onufer, who is 4-0 on the season, will match up against 2nd-ranked Jordan Burroughs in a matchup of two top five wrestlers.
   The Cowboy's are coached by Mark Branch, who is in his third season as head coach. Branch has led Wyoming to two straight Western Wrestling Conference championships.

Husker History vs. Wyoming
   The Cowboys and Huskers have matched up over 40 times in their history, while Nebraska has an edge in the all-time record over Wyoming, 29-14. Last season, UW defeated the Huskers, 29-10, to break a streak of 21 consecutive victories for NU over the Cowboys, dating back to the 1986-87 season.

Burroughs Joins Elite Class with 100th Victory
   Senior Jordan Burroughs joined an elite group of wrestlers last weekend as he became only the 19th wrestler in school history to record 100 victories in his career. Burroughs defeated Corey Lear (Bucknell) by fall in 1:05, to collect his 100th career victory. Later in the day, the senior won his 101st career match also by fall over John Nething II (South Dakota State). In his career, Burroughs owns a 101-20-0 career record, and currently ranks inside the top ten in career winning percentage and career dual winning percentage.

Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Match to Air on Big Ten Network
   Nebraska's wrestling match against current No. 4 Wisconsin on Friday, Jan. 21, will be available to watch on the Big Ten Network. The dual will kick off from Madison, Wis., at 7 p.m. The match will mark the first television appearance for the Huskers this season and will be a preview of what Husker fans can expect next year when NU moves to the Big Ten Conference. 
   The dual will feature two of the best wrestlers in the country as Jordan Burrouhgs and Andrew Howe will face off at the 165-pound match. Howe is currently the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the country at 165 and is the reigning national champion. Burroughs is ranked at 2nd-ranked wrestler at the 165-pound weight class and also holds a national championship after finishing first in 2009 at the 157 pound weight class. After missing last season with a knee injury, Burroughs moved up to the 165 pounds this season and looks to become the school's first two-time national champion.

Last Time Out: Lane Leads Huskers Past Bison, Huskers Go 2-0
   The 16th-ranked Nebraska wrestling team used a late rally to take down the Bucknell Bison, 19-16, before defeating the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, 36-6, to pick up their second and third victories of the season on Saturday, Nov. 27, at the NU Coliseum. The Huskers have won three straight duals since dropping their season opener, while improving their record to 3-1. 
   Trailing 16-15 entering the last match against Bucknell, NU looked to junior heavyweight Tucker Lane to bring the Huskers back in the dual's deciding match. Lane, the 9th-ranked heavyweight in the country, used a pair of first period takedowns while only giving up three escape points en route to his 12-3 major decision victory over Conor Sweeney. The victory gave the Huskers their 19-16 victory.
   Lane also defeated Kevin Kelly in the day's last match to be one of only two wrestlers to win both of their matches on the day. Lane was dominant in his match, as he did not give up a point in a 4-0 shutout. Lane now has an 11-1 record this season, with a 3-1 mark in dual action.
   History was made Saturday afternoon at the NU Coliseum, as Jordan Burroughs won his 100th and 101st career matches to become only the 19th Husker is school history to reach the century win total. The senior was dominant in both of his matches, recording two pins at the 165-pound weight division. In his first match, Burroughs only used 1 minute, 5 seconds to pin Bucknell's Corey Lear, while he also won by fall over South Dakota State's John Nething II in 4 minutes, 2 seconds. The school's only undefeated national champion (35-0 in 2008-09) now has five pins on the season. Burroughs owns a 101-20-0 career record and currently ranks in the top 10 for career winning percentage (.834) in school history.
   The Huskers also had victories from Ridge Kiley, Mike Koehnlein and Josh Ihnen against the Bison. Ihnen, who now has a 4-0 dual record, defeated Joseph McMullan (Bucknell) 8-3, while Koehnlein took down Zachary Hancock (Bucknell), 5-3. Kiley picked up his first dual win of the season by defeating Alex Pelliccotti (Bucknell).
   After dropping two out of the first three matches against the Jackrabbits, Nebraska reeled off four straight victories to take control of the dual. Including Burroughs pin, Ross Grande (149), Tyler Koehn (157) and Caleb Kolb (174) all won by decision over their respective opponents to pull away from the Jacks.
   The win against Bucknell marked the 15th straight home-opening victory, while the defeat of South Dakota State gives Nebraska at least a 3-1 start for the 19th consecutive season.

Huskers Announce Talented Signing Class
   Head Coach Mark Manning and the Husker wrestling program have announced the signings of four high school seniors who plan to enroll and compete at Nebraska beginning with the 2011-12 season.
   Three of the four signees are ranked in the InterMat Top 25, while the other is a two-time Nebraska Class C state champion. Three of the wrestlers have been crowned state champions at their respective high schools.

2010-11 Nebraska Wrestling Signees (bold weights indicate projected college division)

Austin Wilson, Hastings, Neb. (Hastings St. Cecilia) - 157/165
   Austin Wilson will enter his senior season at Hastings St. Cecilia looking to break the all-time career victories record in Nebraska state high school history. Wilson owns a 133-3 career record and would need 39 victories to break the record of 172. As a sophomore, Wilson finished the season with a perfect 47-0 record while only giving up one takedown and one reversal all season en route to the Class C state title at 130 pounds. In his junior season, the Hastings native was just as impressive, going 48-0 and only being scored on one time. Wilson's 48 victories as a junior broke an All-Class record for wins a season. Wilson is nationally-ranked as the No. 15 wrestler in his weight division according to WIN magazine. Wilson is set to wrestle at either the 157 or 165 pounds.

Jake Sueflohn, Hartland, Wis., (Arrowhead) - 141/149
   Jake Sueflohn has established himself as one of the best high school wrestlers in the country after winning the 2010 Wisconsin Division I state championship at 135 pounds. Sueflohn, a Harland, Wis. Native, is ranked as the No. 4 wrestler in the nation at the 140-pound weight division and is the No. 23 ranked recruit overall according to InterMat. As a freshman, Sueflohn finished third at the state championships at 119, while recording a 50-4 record. His sophomore season saw him finish in the runner-up spot at the 125-pound weight division going 38-5. Sueflohn owns a 146-12 career record. Sueflhon is slated to wrestle at either 141 or 149 pounds.

Donny Longendyke, White Bear Lake, Minn. (White Bear Lake) - HWT
   Donny Longendyke will enter his senior season as one of the most dominate heavyweights in the country after going 47-0 as a junior, while recording 39 pins en route to the Minnesota Class AAA state championship. In his sophomore season, Longendyke recorded a 39-2 mark and a second place finish at the state championships. Longendyke was the No. 2 rated heavyweight recruit in the country according to InterMat, and the No. 25 overall prospect in the country. This summer, Longendyke was most impressive at the USA Wrestling National Championships in Fargo, N.D., where he placed in all five events he entered and earned a spot in the finals twice. Longendyke will wrestle at the Heavyweight spot for the Huskers.

James Green, Willingboro, N.J. (Willingboro) - 157
   James Green will join the Husker wrestling program after accumulating over 100 victories in his first three seasons at Willingboro (N.J.) High School. As a junior, Green finished his junior season with a 35-2 record and a second place finish at the state championships. Green is considered one of the top recruits in the country and is ranked as the No. 22 overall prospect by InterMat. The Willingboro, N.J. native is the 2nd-ranked wrestler at the 145-pound weight division by WIN magazine and checks in as the 4th-ranked wrestler in Intermat's individual rankings. Green is projected to be a 157-pound wrestler at Nebraska.

Four-Time All-American Snyder Returns as Assistant Coach
   The Nebraska wrestling team announced this offseason the return and addition of one of the most decorated student-athletes in program history, as Bryan Snyder was named an assistant coach for the Huskers Over the summer,
   The only four-time All-American and four-time conference champion in school history, Snyder comes back to the Husker wrestling program in its 100th anniversary season. The Easton, Pa., native spent last year as the head assistant coach at Arizona State and helped guide five Sun Devils to the 2010 NCAA Championships in Omaha. Snyder began his coaching experience as an assistant at Harvard in 2002-03, while returning to the Husker wrestling program as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons (2003-04 and 2004-05), as NU went 38-5-1 in duals and finished fifth at the 2004 NCAA Championships.
   As a wrestler, Snyder ranks No. 1 on Nebraska's all-time winning percentage chart (.925), compiling a 136-11 record from 1999-2002. He claimed All-America accolades and a Big 12 championship all four years, while finishing as the NCAA runner-up at 157 pounds in 2001 and 2002. He amassed over 30 wins per season three times, including his 43-3 record as a sophomore that stands as the second-best single-season mark in school history. A four-time NWCA All-Academic selection, Snyder was named the 2002 Nebraska Male Student-Athlete of the Year and graduated with a double major in Sociology and Communication Studies.

Brester, Brown Join NU Coaching Staff
   Two recent NU All-Americans will add further experience and knowledge to the Husker wrestling coaching staff as Nebraska announced the additions of volunteer assistant Brandon Browne and administrative assistant Craig Brester. Along with coach Bryan Snyder, the three new hires combined to win 87 percent of their matches and earn eight All-America honors during their Husker careers.
   Browne will be in his second year with the Huskers after serving as the team's club coach last year. A native of Plattsmouth, Neb., Browne won back-to-back Big 12 championships at 174 pounds in 2008 and 2009.
   Brester will be the most recent face on the NU staff and serve the role of administrative assistant. The Howells, Neb., native finished his career this past March with his second-straight NCAA runner-up finish at 197 pounds. Through four years, Brester produced a 109-21 record and ranks with the eight-best winning percentage (.838) in school history.