Huskers Face Tar Heels in Last Road Dual

#14 Nebraska (12-5, 1-2 Big 12) vs. North Carolina (8-8-1, 2-3 ACC)
Carmichael Arena (8,010) • Chapel Hill, N.C. • Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011 • Noon  
Live Video: http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/allaccess/?media=219917
Live Stats: www.nwcaonline.com

   The No. 14 Nebraska wrestling team will hit the road for the final away dual of the season when they take on the North Carolina Tar Heels this Saturday, Feb. 12, at Noon in Chapel Hill, N.C. NU was originally supposed to dual both North Carolina and the Duke Blue Devlis on Saturday, but the dual between Duke and Nebraska was canceled and will not be made up this season.
   The Huskers enter the dual this weekend with a 12-5 overall record after splitting a pair of matches last weekend against Arizona State and No. 5 Oklahoma State. The Huskers were dominant in their win over the Sun Devils on Friday night, by not allowing a takedown in the first four contested duals in route to their 35-8 victory. In its next dual, NU took on No. 5 Oklahoma State in a battle of nationally-ranked teams at the NU Coliseum , but couldn't pull off the upset falling by a 22-10 count. Mike Koehnlein led the dual off with an upset decision over No. 17 Josh Kindig, 10-4, while the Huskers also got victories from No. 1 Jordan Burroughs and No. 12 Tucker Lane. Combined with his pin over Carlos Castro on Friday night, Koehnlein was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week for his efforts on the mat. It was the third time this season a Husker wrestler has been named Big 12 Wrestler of the week this season after Jordan Burroughs earned the honor twice earlier this season.
   North Carolina sports an 8-8-1 overall record, with a 2-3 record in ACC duals. The Tar Heels are currently riding a two-dual winning streak with victories over NC State and Edinboro. UNC has one nationally-ranked wrestler in No. 20 Corey Mock at 157 pounds. Mock has a 31-13 overall record for the season.
   Fans can watch Saturday's dual for free on the internet at www.tarheelblue.cstv.com. Live stats will also be available at nwcaonline.com. The Huskers return for their final home dual of the season on Sunday, Feb. 20, when they take on the Iowa State Cyclones, in what will be the final Big 12 dual the Huskers compete in.

Last Time Out: No. 5 Cowboys Defeat NU, 22-10
   The No. 14 Nebraska wrestling team dropped their conference home opener on Sunday Feb. 4, falling to the No. 5 Oklahoma State Cowboys, 22-10. Wrestling in front of 827 people at the NU Coliseum, the Huskers saw their record drop to 12-5 on the season, with a 1-2 mark in Big 12 duals. Oklahoma State improved to 12-2-1 and is 5-1 against Big 12 opponents.
   The dual started with Nebraska senior Mike Koehnlein (NU) upsetting No. 17 Josh Kindig (OSU) at 141-pounds by decision, 10-4. Trailing 2-1 entering the second period, Koehnlein used two takedowns and an escape to take the lead at 7-4. Koehnlein then scored a two-point near fall in the final seconds of the match to extend his lead to 10-4 with the riding time advantage. Koehnlein's victory marked the second nationally-ranked opponent he has defeated this season.
   Oklahoma State responded with two victories of their own at 149 and 157-pounds to regain the lead at 6-3. Ross Grande (NU) battled No. 10 Jamal Parks (OSU) for the entire match, but fell to the nationally-ranked wrestler by a 2-0 count. At 157, No. 16 Neil Erisman (OSU) defeated Tyler Koehn (NU) by decision, 7-1.
   No. 1 Jordan Burroughs (NU) picked up his 27th straight victory of the season by defeating No. 12 Dallas Bailey (OSU) by major decision at 165-pounds, 21-9. Burroughs' victory gave him his sixth win over a ranked opponent and his 15th bonus point victory in dual matches.
   The Huskers were not able to keep the momentum after Burroughs' victory, dropping three straight matches to nationally-ranked opponents. No. 17 Mike Benefiel (OSU) defeated Caleb Kolb (NU) by decision, 11-5, at 174-pounds, while No. 11 Chris Perry (OSU) edged No. 10 Josh Ihnen (NU) at 184, 3-2. With Perry leading 2-1 heading into the third period, Ihnen was able to get an escape in the third to tie the match at 2-2, but wasn't able to get the takedown he needed as Perry held the riding time advantage (1:34), which ended up being the deciding point.
   At 197-pounds, No. 14 Andy Johnson saw his six-match winning snapped when he fell to No. 3 Clayton Foster (OSU), 4-0. In the first period, Johnson was on the attack and nearly caught Foster on his back, but the senior couldn't capitalize on numerous shot attempts which saw him get to Foster's legs. Foster used an escape and a takedown in the second period to take control of the match between the two ranked wrestlers.
   The Huskers got their final victory of the dual from junior Tucker Lane (NU) at the heavyweight class. Lane earned an escape in the third period and owned the riding-time advantage (1:56) in route to his 2-0 decision over Blake Rosholt (OSU).
   NU dropped the final two matches of the dual to a pair of top 10 opponents. At 125-pounds, David Klingsheim (NU) fell to No. 8 Jon Morrison (OSU), 4-2, while No. 1 Jordan Oliver (OSU) remained perfect on the season with his victory over Ridge Kiley (NU) at 133-pounds.

A Closer Look at the North Carolina Tar Heels
   The North Carolina Tar Heels enter Saturday's match with an 8-8-1 overall record and a 2-3 mark in Big 12 duals. The Tar Heels began the season by winning four out of their first six duals of the season, with victories over Drexel, Lock Haven, Chattanooga and UNC Greensboro.
   After a 16th place finish at the Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C., UNC dropped three straight duals to drop their record to 4-5. Two of those losses came to ranked teams as the Tar Heels fell to then-No. 19 Rutgers, 28-6, and then-No. 4 Virginia Tech, 25-9. Although they came up short on the scoreboard, the Tar Heels battled the Hokies and ended up splitting the 10 bouts.
   UNC is currently riding a two-dual winning streak with victories over in-state rival NC State and Edinboro. Leading the way for UNC is Corey Mock. The freshman 157-pounder has accumulated a 31-13 record this season, with a 11-6 record in dual competition. Mock is the only ranked Tar Heel checking in at No. 20 according to InterMat.
   At 197-pounds, Zac Bennett is tied for second on the team with 24 victories and has an impressive 14-3 record in dual matches. UNC is coached by C.D. Mock, who is in his seventh season as head coach.

Husker History vs. North Carolina
   The Huskers and Tar Heels have faced off nine times in their history, with Nebraska holding an advantage in the all-time series at 8-1. In their last meeting, the Huskers defeated North Carolina, 26-12, on Jan. 14, 2005, in Hampton, Va.

Blackout Scheduled for Iowa State Dual
   Make sure to wear all of your black Husker gear to the Huskers' last home dual of the season against the Iowa State Cyclones on Sunday, Feb. 20, as we try to paint the Coliseum black in what will be the last Big 12 dual for Nebraska as the move to the Big Ten next season. The Huskers will be sporting their black singlet's as the action will begin at 2 p.m.
   NU will be celebrating senior day against the Cyclones as three Huskers will wrestle for the last time at the NU Coliseum. Jordan Burroughs, Andy Johnson and Mike Koehnlein will all be honored before the start of the dual on the mat. Don't miss your last chance to watch one of the best Husker wrestlers of all-time at home as Burroughs looks to finish his career at the Coliseum with a bang.

Burroughs Looks to Cement Name in Record Books
   After becoming the 19th wrestler in program history to reach the 100-win mark earlier this season, Burroughs has his sights set on many of the school's all-time wrestling records as he goes after his second NCAA title.
   - Moved past Corey Olsen (1989-93) for No. 6 on the all-time victories chart with 119. He needs four more victories to tie Jason Kelber (1987-91) for fifth all-time.
   - Currently sits at No. 6 on the all-time winning percentage chart with a .856 clip and a 119-20-0 career record.
   - With his two victories last weekend, he moved into a tie for No. 7 on the all-time dual victories list with 60.
   -Currently at No. 7 in career dual winning percentage at .882. 
   - Has accumulated 17 falls this season to move his career total to 38. Burroughs would need 7 more victories by technical fall or pin to move into the top 5 career falls list at NU.
   - Burroughs' 17 falls this season is the tenth most falls recorded in a season by a Nebraska wrestler.

Johnson Breaks Into National Rankings
   Andy Johnson has vaulted himself into the national rankings with his win over Keldrick Hall from OU and upset over No. 10 Brent Haynes from Missouri two weeks ago. The senior, who returned this season after sitting out of competition last year, is the 13th-ranked wrestler in the country at 197-pounds according to InterMat, while Amateur Wrestling News has him ranked at No. 12 in their latest polls.
   Johnson owns a 23-9 overall record this season, while going 12-5 in dual competition. Last weekend, the senior battled No. 3 Clayton Foster from Oklahoma State, but fell by decision, 4-0.
   Other ranked Huskers according to InterMat include No. 1 Jordan Burroughs (165), No. 11 Josh Ihnen (184) and No. 12 Tucker Lane (HWT).

Koehnlein Earns Big 12 Wrestler of the Week
   Senior Mike Koehnlein was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Monday, Feb. 7, for his performance last weekend in the Huskers' duals against Arizona State and No. 5 Oklahoma State. This is the first time in Koehnlein's career that he has been named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week, and is the third time this season a Husker has earned the award after Jordan Burroughs earned the honor twice earlier in the year.
   Koehnlein, who went 2-0 in a pair of dual matches, began the weekend by pinning Carlos Castro (ASU) in 6:20 for his first pin of the season at 141-pounds. The senior's victory helped lead the No. 14 Huskers to a 35-8 victory over Arizona State.
  The West Minster, Calif.-native then upset No. 17 Josh Kindig (OSU) by decision, 10-4. Trailing 2-1 entering the second period, Koehnlein used two takedowns and an escape to take the lead at 7-4. Koehnlein then scored a two-point near fall in the final seconds of the match to extend his lead to 10-4 with the riding-time advantage. Koehnlein's victory marked the second nationally-ranked opponent he has defeated this season (No. 20 Kaleb Friedley, Northwestern).
   The returning NCAA qualifier has helped the Huskers to a 12-5 record and a 1-2 mark in Big 12 duals. For the season, Koehnlein owns a 15-10 overall record with a 9-8 record in dual competition.

Huskers Place 16 on Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll
   The Nebraska wrestling team was well represented on the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll for the fall 2010 semester as 16 student-athletes earned the academic award. The Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes who record a 3.0 GPA or higher each semester.
   Nebraska had a total of 358 honorees across its 23 varsity sports, including 43 student-athletes with perfect 4.0 GPAs. That group included two members of the Husker wrestling program in junior Tucker Lane and redshirt freshman Michael Klinginsmith.
   Other wrestlers to earn the award were Ross Grande, Chris Hacker, Ryne Harris, Josh Ihnen, Andy Johnson, Spencer Johnson, Tyler Koehn, Robert Kokesh, Caleb Kolb, Livingston Lukow, Shawn Nagel, James Nakashima, Chad Stroh and John Svododa.

Huskers On the Road
   Saturday's dual against the Tar Heels marks the last away dual the Huskers will participate in this season. NU has an 8-3 record in away duals with three victories over nationally-ranked opponents, including No. 11 Ohio State, No. 14 Wyoming and No. 7 Missouri.
  Earlier this season, the Huskers went on a seven-dual road swing that stretched from Jan. 15 through Jan. 30. In those seven duals, NU went 5-2 with three victories at the Lone Star Duals in Grand Prairie, Texas, over Utah Valley, Stanford and Brown.

Huskers Release 2011 Summer Camp Dates
   The Nebraska wrestling program has announced camp dates for the summer of 2011 on the days listed below. Camp information, including dates, costs and an application form, will be available before the end of January.
   The Husker staff will host three team camps and three specialized individual camps during the summer of 2011. Wrestlers in attendance will have a chance to learn from and compete with the Husker wrestling staff and team members. Head Coach Mark Manning will provide instruction at each camp as well as numerous guest instructors. To sign up for the 2011 wrestling camps, visit Huskers.com or call the Husker wrestling office at (402) 472-9430.

TEAM CAMPS:
   Team Camp I - June 26-30
   Team Camp II - July 10-14 
   Team Camp III - July 17-21

INDIVIDUAL CAMPS:
   Technique Camp - June 14-17 
   Intensive Camp - July 8-21
   Takedown Camp - July 7-10

Burroughs Brings in Big 12 Awards
   Senior Jordan Burroughs is one of two wrestlers in the Big 12 to receive Big 12 Wrestler of the Week honors twice this season. Burroughs was honored on Dec. 13, 2010, and Jan. 3, 2011. Over his career, Burroughs has been named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week four times in his career.

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.

Huskers Look Forward to Hendricks Training Complex
   The Nebraska wrestling program will be experiencing some major facility improvements in the near future, starting with the addition of the Hendricks Training Complex.
   The Hendricks Training Complex, which will provide three full-sized practice mats, new office suites and new areas for both strength and conditioning and athletic medicine at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, is currently under construction. The new practice facility will be open for student-athletes at Nebraska beginning in the 2011-12 season - the same year the Huskers are scheduled to begin competition in the Big Ten Conference.
   In addition to the new practice and training facility, the Husker men's and women's basketball teams will move into a new home in 2013-14 with the addition of a new downtown arena. At the same time, the Devaney Center will undergo major renovations to benefit the sports who will remain housed in the facility.