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Four of Nebraska’s wrestlers earned top-20 spots in the Amateur Wrestling News preseason rankings, which were released on Tuesday.
Juniors James Green (157), Robert Kokesh (174) and Jake Sueflohn (149) each garnered top-10 spots heading into the 2013-14 campaign, while redshirt freshman Tim Lambert enters the season ranked 17th at 125 pounds.
Green, a two-time All-American, is fourth at 157 pounds following his second consecutive seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2013. The Willingboro, N.J., native is also No. 4 in the InterMat rankings, which were released last week. Green finished the 2012-13 season with a 25-6 record, which included a second-place finish at the Big Ten Championships.
Kokesh is No. 4 at 174 pounds after one of the most successful sophomore campaigns in Husker history. The Wagner, S.D., native capped a 38-4 season with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships last March. Kokesh captured last year’s Midlands Invitational title and Cliff Keen Invitational crown in addition to a third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Kokesh is also ranked fourth in the InterMat preseason rankings.
Sueflohn enters his third season at Nebraska ranked sixth at 149 pounds. The two-time NCAA qualifier fell one win shy of All-America honors in 2013 after a second-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Sueflohn finished his sophomore campaign with a 24-7 record. He is ranked fourth by InterMat.
Lambert begins his redshirt freshman season in the top 20 following a successful first season at Nebraska in which the Forest Hills, Mich., native won four open tournament titles. Lambert went 19-3 as a redshirt at 125 pounds.
The Huskers open the 2013-14 campaign on Nov. 3 at the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open in Brookings, S.D. On Nov. 8, Nebraska hosts its annual Wrestle-Offs at the Bob Devaney Sports Center at 6 p.m. NU’s first home dual is scheduled for Nov. 17 at 1 p.m., against Northwestern at the Devaney Center.
Complete Amateur Wrestling News weight class rankings can be found at http://awn.theopenmat.com/2013/10/awn-2013-14-preseason-division-i-college-wrestling-rankings/.
Amateur Wrestling News Preseason Rankings (Oct. 15)
125: #17 Tim Lambert - RFr. (19-3)*
149: #6 Jake Sueflohn - Jr. (24-7)
157: #4 James Green - Jr. (25-6)
174: #4 Robert Kokesh - Jr. (38-4)
Last season’s record in parentheses
*- denotes redshirt from last season