Lane, Ihnen Claim Academic All-America Honors

Lincoln - Nebraska wrestlers Tucker Lane and Josh Ihnen captured spots on the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Division I Men's At-Large Teams, when the squads were announced by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday, June 7.

It marks the first time in Nebraska history that a pair of wrestlers have won CoSIDA Academic All-America awards in the same season. Lane and Ihnen were two of 45 student-athletes across 11 different men's NCAA Division I sports to earn spots on the 2012 men's at-large teams.

Lane, a graduate student who completed his eligibility for Coach Mark Manning's Huskers in 2012, claimed first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as a senior heavyweight.

The Redvale, Colo., native was a four-time NCAA qualifier and amassed 105 victories in his NU career, including a 27-9 mark and a 15-4 dual record in 2012. He earned his bachelor's degree in May of 2011 with a 3.94 GPA in communication studies.

Lane, who also earned a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in May of 2012, captured first-team academic All-Big Ten honors as a senior and was a three-time first-team academic All-Big 12 pick. He was also a winner of a 2012 Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award.

Lane, who is just the second first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America wrestler in Nebraska history, became the third two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America wrestler at NU, joining Ryan Tobin (1996-2nd, 1998-1st) and Matt Murray (2004-2nd, 2005-3rd).

Ihnen became the fourth wrestler in school history to capture CoSIDA Academic All-America honors by earning a spot on the second team.  

The junior 184-pounder captured All-America honors on the mat in 2012 after posting a 26-8 overall record that included a 16-3 dual mark. He finished eighth at the 2012 NCAA Championships despite suffering a torn ACL during the competition. He was also the Big Ten Conference runner-up at 184.

A three-time NCAA qualifier, Ihnen was also the Big 12 runner-up at 184 in 2011. Off the mat, Ihnen earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Nebraska in just seven semesters, graduating before the end of his junior season in December of 2011.

The Sheldon, Iowa, native was an academic All-Big Ten pick in 2012 and was a two-time first-team academic All-Big 12 choice. He was also a two-time member of Nebraska's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Ihnen is expected to return for his senior season in 2012-13 and contend for All-America honors both on and off the mat again for the Huskers.

The awards for Lane and Ihnen increase Nebraska's nation-leading CoSIDA Academic All-America total all-time across all sports to 296.