Huskers Conclude Season at NCAA Championships

2014 NCAA Championships
Chesapeake Energy Arena (18,203) • Oklahoma City, Okla. • Thursday, March 20 - Saturday, March 22
Championship Website: www.ncaa.com/championships/wrestling/d1
Video Streaming (ESPN3): espn.go.com/watchespn
TV: ESPNU, ESPN
Twitter Feed: @HuskerWrestling (www.twitter.com/HuskerWrestling)

Schedule of Events
Thursday, March 20
Session I - 11 a.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Session II - 6 p.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)

Friday, March 21
Session III - 10 a.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Session IV - 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3)

Saturday, March 22
Session V - 10 a.m. (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Session VI - 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3)

*All times central

Seven Huskers head to Oklahoma City, Okla., for the NCAA Championships at Chesapeake Energy Arena Thursday through Saturday to conclude Nebraska’s 2013-14 campaign.

The ESPN family of networks will provide the broadcast coverage for the six session event. Thursday’s first session consists of the Pigtails and First Round, starting at 11 a.m. CT, while Session II begins later that day at 6 p.m. The Second Round as well as Wrestleback Preliminaries and Consolation matches will take place at night. All of the first-day matches will be available to view on either ESPNU or ESPN3.

Friday’s action commences at 10 a.m., with the Quarterfinals and Wrestlebacks before the night session, consisting of the Semifinals and Wrestlebacks, which is set for 7 p.m. Saturday’s Session V is slated for 10 a.m., with Wrestleback Semifinals as well as the Third-, Fifth- and Seventh- Place Matches. Session VI, the Championship Finals, begin on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Semifinals and Finals will be broadcasted on ESPN, while ESPNU and ESPN3 will provide coverage for the rest of Friday and Saturday’s action.

Reigning All-Americans James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) lead the Huskers into the NCAA Championships. Green is the top seed at 157 pounds, while Kokesh earned the No. 3 spot at 174 pounds. Jake Sueflohn (No. 6 at 149), TJ Dudley (No. 8 at 184) and Tim Lambert (No. 12 at 125) are also seeded.

Austin Wilson (165) and Collin Jensen (HWT) will also make appearances in Oklahoma City.

Last Time Out: Green, Kokesh Capture Big Ten Crowns
Reigning All-Americans James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) each won their weight class titles at the Big Ten Championships to lead Nebraska to a fifth-place finish on Sunday, March 9, at the Kohl Center.

Green and Kokesh become the first two Big Ten champions for Nebraska since the Huskers joined the conference in 2011. The Huskers earned 79 points for the tournament as Penn State (140.5) won the team title.

Green, the No. 2 seed at 157 pounds, battled fourth-seeded Derek St. John of Iowa in the Big Ten Finals. Like their first matchup of the season, Green emerged with a victory as the Husker junior notched a 7-4 decision over the defending national champion. He posted wins over Illinois’ Zac Brunson and Minnesota’s Dylan Ness on Saturday before topping St. John on Sunday.

Kokesh, the top seed at 174 pounds, squared off with Iowa’s Mike Evans, the No. 3 seed, and topped the Hawkeye for the second time this season in a 6-4 decision. The victory marked the 100th of Kokesh’s career as he becomes the 22nd to accomplish the feat in school history. Kokesh also earned victories against Michigan’s Collin Zeerip and Minnesota’s Logan Storley at the Big Ten Championships.

Fellow junior Jake Sueflohn (149) also advanced to the Big Ten Finals but dropped a 6-2 decision to third-seeded Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern. Sueflohn heads into the NCAA Championships with a 29-4 record and takes runner-up honors at the Big Ten Championships for the second consecutive year.

Redshirt freshman Tim Lambert (125) finished his first appearance in the Big Ten Championships with a fifth-place result. In Session III, he fell to No. 4 seed Ryan Taylor of Wisconsin, 5-3, before pinning eighth-seeded Nick Roberts of Ohio State in the fifth-place match in 4:24.

Sophomore Austin Wilson managed a sixth-place finish at the conference tournament. He lost a pair of decisions on Sunday to Danny Zilverberg of Minnesota and Jackson Morse of Illinois.

Caleb Kolb (197), Shawn Nagel (133) and Collin Jensen (HWT) also wrestled on Sunday, each making appearances in the ninth-place match of their respective weight class. Kolb emerged with a 3-1 sudden victory over Michigan State’s Nick McDiarmid. Nagel and Jensen each fell in their matches to finish 10th.

Husker History at the NCAA Championships
Nebraska looks to crown its 12th national champion in school history, with Jordan Burroughs (165) being the most recent Husker to claim the title in 2011. The Huskers have had 22 wrestlers reach the NCAA Finals.

As a team, Nebraska has 18 top-10 finishes, with their last occurring in 2009, when the Huskers finished fourth. NU’s best team finish in school history was third place in 1993.
The Huskers have 93 All-Americans in school history, with Robert Kokesh (174) and James Green (157) accomplishing that feat last season. Kokesh finished third, while Green earned his second consecutive seventh-place result. As a team, Nebraska finished 13th at the 2013 NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, with 38 points.

Seven Huskers Qualify for NCAA Championships
Seven Husker wrestlers earned spots in the NCAA Championships field when the brackets were announced on Wednesday, March 12.

Big Ten champion James Green earned the No. 1 seed at 157 pounds to lead the way for Nebraska. Green heads into the NCAA Championships with a 29-1 record, having won four tournament titles on the season. Green, a junior, is a two-time All-American, having finished seventh in both 2012 and 2013.

Junior Robert Kokesh also won a Big Ten title, and will represent the No. 3 seed at 174 pounds. Kokesh rides an 18-match winning streak into Oklahoma City, and holds a 32-1 record overall. His lone loss came to Andrew Howe of Oklahoma, the No. 2 seed, on Dec. 7. Last season, Kokesh finished third at the NCAA Championships. He will be making his third appearance in the tournament.

Big Ten runner-up Jake Sueflohn is the No. 6 seed at 149 pounds. The junior is 29-4 this season, and leads the team in major decisions with 10. Sueflohn is making his third NCAA Championships appearance after falling one match short of All-America status last season.

Redshirt freshman TJ Dudley (184) rounds out the list of Huskers with top-10 seeds, taking the No. 8 spot. Dudley is 25-6, and completed the dual season with a 13-1 mark. He has eight pins and seven major decisions in 2013-14.

At 125 pounds, Tim Lambert will be the 12th seed after a fifth-place showing at the Big Ten Championships over the weekend. He went 4-2 in Madison, Wis., and sits at 22-11 in his first year in the NU lineup.

Austin Wilson (165) and Collin Jensen (HWT) also qualified for the NCAA Championships. Wilson, a sophomore, is making his second NCAA appearance after taking sixth at the Big Ten Championships. Jensen, a redshirt freshman, is competing in the national tournament for the first time after compiling a 20-13 record.

The NCAA Championships will introduce a different finals match order for this year’s event; a change the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee believes will create the best possible live and broadcast event for the wrestling community, as well as enhancing the championship experience for the student-athletes. The order will be determined by the committee on Saturday afternoon after the completion of Session V.

NCAA Championships Qualifiers
125: #12 Tim Lambert
149: #6 Jake Sueflohn
157: #1 James Green
165: Austin Wilson
174: #3 Robert Kokesh
184: #8 TJ Dudley
HWT: Collin Jensen

Seven Huskers in RPI, Coaches’ Panel Rankings
Seven Huskers earned spots on the NCAA’s final Coaches’ Panel Rankings and RPI Rankings, released on Thursday, Feb. 27. It was the third set of coaches’ rankings and second set of RPI Rankings.

Junior 157-pounder James Green led the way with the No. 1 ranking at 157 pounds in both polls. Robert Kokesh (174) also earned top-five spots in both sets of rankings. Kokesh is No. 3 in the Coaches’ Panel Rankings and fourth in the RPI Rankings. At 149 pounds, Jake Sueflohn managed the No. 4 spot from the coaches and earned the No. 7 ranking in the RPI.

Redshirt freshman TJ Dudley is seventh in the RPI Rankings and eighth in the coaches’ poll at 184 pounds. Dudley made a big impact during his first season in the NU lineup, going 13-1 in duals and posting a 25-4 mark overall.

Tim Lambert (125), Austin Wilson (165) and Collin Jensen (HWT) also earned spots on both sets of rankings. Lambert is 12th in the Coaches’ Rankings and 29th in the RPI Rankings. Wilson earned the No. 13 spot in the RPI, while garnering the 20th ranking by the coaches. Jensen is 22nd by the coaches and 27th in the RPI.

NCAA Coaches’ Panel Rankings (Feb. 27)
125: #12 Tim Lambert
149: #4 Jake Sueflohn
157: #1 James Green
165: #20 Austin Wilson
174: #3 Robert Kokesh
184: #8 TJ Dudley
HWT: #22 Collin Jensen

Back Points - Notes on Nebraska’s NCAA Qualifiers
Robert Kokesh, 174 pounds, Jr., 32-1, Wagner, S.D.
• Robert Kokesh completed a perfect dual season with a 14-0 record, starting every match at 174 pounds. He is the first Husker to accomplish this feat since Jordan Burroughs in 2010-11.

• Kokesh and James Green (157) became the first two Big Ten champions in school history since the Huskers joined the conference in 2011.

• Kokesh is the No. 3 seed at the NCAA Championships, behind top seed Chris Perry of Oklahoma State and second-seeded Andrew Howe of Oklahoma. Kokesh’s only two losses in his last 43 matches came to Perry and Howe. Perry, the reigning national champion, defeated Kokesh at the 2013 NCAA Championships by a 4-2 sudden victory. Howe took down Kokesh, 3-2, on Dec. 7, 2013, at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.

• Kokesh has won 18 matches in a row, dating back to his 3-2 setback to No. 1 Andrew Howe of Oklahoma at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 7.

• Kokesh earned his 100th career victory at the Big Ten Championships with his 6-4 decision over Iowa’s Mike Evans in the finals. The third-year starter holds a 100-12 career record, with 32 of those victories coming this season. He is the 22nd member of Nebraska’s 100-win club.

• Kokesh is two wins shy of earning a spot on Nebraska’s Top 10 Season Wins by a Junior List.

• Kokesh is three wins shy of earning a spot on Nebraska’s Top 20 Season Victories List for the second consecutive season. He won 38 matches in 2012-13 en route to a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

• Kokesh is fourth on the NCAA Division I Most Dominant List with 4.31 points.

• Kokesh has won three tournaments this season, capturing the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open title on Nov. 3, the Reno Tournament of Champions crown on Dec. 22 and the Big Ten title on March 9. He finished second at the Cliff Keen Invitational, Dec. 6-7.

• Kokesh is near the top of the list in every statistical category for the Huskers this season. He leads the team in overall wins (32), dual wins (14), dual points (67) and pins (9). He is tied for first in technical falls (5). Kokesh is second on the team in major decisions (8).

• Kokesh is making his third NCAA Championships appearance after achieving All-America status last season with his third-place finish. In 2012, he went 2-2 in his first showing at the national tournament.

• Kokesh has three top-three Big Ten Championships finishes. He won the title this season after taking third place in both 2012 and 2013.

James Green, 157 pounds, Jr., 29-1, Willingboro, N.J.
• James Green is the top seed at 157 pounds. The No. 2 seed is Derek St. John of Iowa, whom Green defeated in his most recent match at the Big Ten Championships. Green is 2-0 this season against St. John and has won the last three meetings between the two.

• Green and Robert Kokesh (174) became the first two Big Ten champions in school history since the Huskers joined the conference in 2011.

• Green held the No. 1 spot in the InterMat, TheOpenMat.com, WIN Magazine, Asics FloRankings and WrestlingReport polls for a four-week stretch following his victory over defending national champion Derek St. John of Iowa on Jan. 18. Green’s run came to an end following his loss to Wisconsin’s Isaac Jordan on Feb. 21.

• During the week of Green’s ascent to the top spot, he claimed a pair of national honors. Green won USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week on Jan. 21 and Flowrestling.com’s Brute Wrestler-of-the-Week Award on Jan. 20.

• Green was named to the Hodge Trophy’s Sensational Six List on Feb. 3, along with Oklahoma’s Andrew Howe (174), Edinboro’s Mitchell Port (141), Penn State’s Zain Retherford (141), Maryland’s Jimmy Sheptock (184) and Penn State’s David Taylor (165).

• Green has taken home four tournament titles this season, winning the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open (Nov. 3), Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 6-7), Reno Tournament of Champions (Dec. 22) and Big Ten (March 8-9) crowns.

• Green went 12-1 in duals this season and boasts 29 wins overall. He has five pins, three technical falls and six major decisions.

• Green is five wins away from making Nebraska’s Top 10 Season Wins by a Junior List.

• Green is making his third NCAA Championships appearance. He is a two-time All-American, finishing seventh in both 2012 and 2013. He won the 2014 Big Ten title after taking runner-up honors in 2013 and finishing fifth at the conference tournament in 2012. Green holds a career record of 88-16.

Jake Sueflohn, 149 pounds, Jr., 29-4, Watertown, Wis.
• Jake Sueflohn is 29-4 this season and completed the dual campaign with a 13-1 record. His 29 wins overall and his 13 dual wins are each tied for second on the team. He leads the team in major decisions (10). In addition, Sueflohn has three pins and two technical falls.

• Sueflohn finished second at the Big Ten Championships for the second consecutive season. He took fifth at the conference tournament in 2012.

• Sueflohn saw his 16-match winning streak come to an end in the finals of the Big Ten Championships on March 9. Prior to that loss, his previous setback was to No. 2 Kendric Maple of Oklahoma at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 7.

• Sueflohn earned the Reno Tournament of Champions title on Dec. 22. He took runner-up honors at the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open (Nov. 3), Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 6-7) and Big Ten Championships (March 8-9).

• Sueflohn is five wins away from making Nebraska’s Top 10 Season Wins by a Junior List.

• Sueflohn is making his third NCAA Championships appearance in 2014. Last season, he went 2-2 and fell one match short of All-America status. Sueflohn holds a career record of 78-22.

Austin Wilson, 165 pounds, So., 22-14, Hastings, Neb.
• Austin Wilson is one win shy of the 50th of his collegiate career at Nebraska. He holds a career record of 49-28, with 22 of those wins coming this season.

• Wilson is making his second NCAA Championships appearance. He went 3-2 in his first showing last season.

• Wilson is tied for first on the team in technical falls (5). In addition, he has two pins and three major decisions.

• Wilson finished sixth at the Big Ten Championships, going 3-3 during the conference tournament.

• Wilson has a pair of top-five tournament finishes this season. He took runner-up honors at the Reno Tournament of Champions (Dec. 22) and finished fifth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 6-7).

TJ Dudley, 184 pounds, RFr., 25-6, Irmo, S.C.
• TJ Dudley made a big impact during his first year in Nebraska’s lineup, going 13-1 in duals and compiled a 25-6 record overall.

• Dudley is making his first NCAA Championships appearance.

• Dudley is three wins away from a spot on Nebraska’s Top 10 Season Wins by a Freshman.

• Dudley is second on the team in pins (8) and dual points (57), and is tied for second on the team in dual wins (13). In addition, he has seven major decisions, which is third-best on the team.

• Dudley has a pair of top-three tournament performances this season. He knocked off two ranked opponents at the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 6-7) en route to a runner-up finish and took third at the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open (Nov. 3).

Tim Lambert, 125 pounds, RFr., 22-11, Forest Hills, Mich.
• Tim Lambert is 22-11, and posted a 9-5 dual record in his first season in the NU lineup. He has five major decisions, three pins and two technical falls.

• Lambert is making his first NCAA Championships appearance.

• Lambert finished fifth at the Big Ten Championships, going 4-2 over two days and capped his performance with a fall.

• Lambert has a pair of runner-up finishes in tournaments this season. He took second at both the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open (Nov. 3) and the Reno Tournament of Champions (Dec. 22).

Collin Jensen, Heavyweight, RFr., 20-13, Mobridge, S.D.
• Collin Jensen has compiled a 20-13 record in his first year in the Husker lineup, and managed a 7-6 dual record. He has five pins and three major decisions.

• Jensen is making his first NCAA Championships appearance.

• Jensen finished 10th at his first Big Ten Championships.

• Jensen has two top-five tournament finishes this season. He opened the 2013-14 campaign by winning the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open in his home state of South Dakota on Nov. 3, before taking fifth place at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 22.

Dual Season in Review
Nebraska finished the dual season with a 12-2 record, going 6-2 in the Big Ten. The Huskers were one win shy of a three-way tie for first in the conference.

The two losses tie the fewest by Nebraska in a season under Head Coach Mark Manning, who is in his 14th year. In 2004-05, the Huskers went 19-2-1 under Manning.

The Huskers went 5-0 in true road duals and put together a perfect 3-0 record in neutral site matches. Nebraska finished its home season with a 4-2 mark, winning over Northwestern, Wyoming, Indiana and Penn at the Devaney Center. In addition, the Huskers went 6-2 against ranked opponents.

Trio of Redshirt Freshmen Making Impact
Redshirt freshmen TJ Dudley (184), Tim Lambert (125) and Collin Jensen (HWT) each earned spots in Nebraska’s lineup this season and completed the dual season with winning records.

The trio has combined to go 67-30, while compiling a 29-12 dual record. They have collectively earned five top-three tournament finishes. All three of them will be making their first NCAA Championships appearance this week.

Huskers Surpass 11,000-Fan Mark for Home Duals
Nebraska had 11,958 fans in attendance this season over six duals as the Huskers made their return to the Devaney Center. Nebraska managed four duals of more than 1,000 fans, and surpassed the 2,500-fan plateau in each of its final three matchups. The highest attended dual this season was Jan. 18 against Iowa, where 3,946 fans showed up.

Juniors Lead Dual Season Win Total
The junior class led the Huskers in dual competition this season, winning 42 matches among six different wrestlers. The redshirt freshmen, who have had four different starters, have compiled 29 wins. The sophomores have accounted for 12 wins, while lone freshman starter Colton McCrystal has earned six victories. Three seniors have started and accumulated six wins.

Kokesh Leads Battle for Pin King
Robert Kokesh (174) leads all Husker starters with nine pins heading into the NCAA Championships after picking up one at the Big Ten Championships. In what has been a back-and-forth battle nearly all season, Kokesh took the lead over TJ Dudley, who has eight. Non-varsity member McCoy Newberg (174) also has eight pins this season.

Huskers in the Rankings
Five Huskers are ranked in InterMat’s latest poll, released on March 11. James Green (157) garnered the No. 2 spot, while Robert Kokesh (174) holds the third spot and Jake Sueflohn (149) is sixth. Redshirt freshmen Tim Lambert (11th at 125) and TJ Dudley (13th at 184) are also ranked.

The WIN Magazine rankings were released on March 10 and feature five Huskers in its poll. Green leads the way at second, with Kokesh at third and Sueflohn at sixth. Lambert is 13th and Dudley is 16th.

In TheOpenMat.com’s poll, released on March 11, six Huskers achieved top-20 rankings. Green is No. 2, Kokesh is No. 3, Sueflohn is No. 4, Lambert is No. 13, Dudley is No. 16 and sophomore Austin Wilson is 17th at 165 pounds.

As a team, Nebraska is ranked seventh by InterMat, seventh in WIN Magazine and eighth in the USA Today/NWCA/Amateur Wrestling News Coaches rankings.

Fans Set Attendance School Record at Iowa Dual
The audience of 3,946 that showed up to the Devaney Center on Saturday, Jan. 18 set a record for largest home crowd in Nebraska wrestling’s dual history.

Nebraska Wrestling’s Largest Home Crowds
1. Iowa (2014) - 3,946
2. Iowa State (2001) - 3,574
3. Iowa (2012) - 3,526
4. Oklahoma State (2005) - 3,442
5. Missouri (2008) - 3,252

BTN, BTDN Give Huskers Exposure
The Huskers made two dual appearances on the Big Ten Network this season, while appearing on the Big Ten Digital Network six times. In addition, the Big Ten Championships, March 8-9, were also shown on BTN and BTDN.

BTN broadcasted Nebraska’s home dual against Iowa on Jan. 18 as well as the Huskers’ road victory over Illinois on Feb. 1. BTDN streamed NU’s matchups against Wisconsin, Indiana, Wyoming, Ohio State, Purdue and Michigan. NU’s win over Penn on Jan. 11 was streamed on Huskers.com as part of the “Tumble N Rumble” event.

Husker Wrestling on Social Media
Nebraska wrestling can be followed on a variety of social media platforms for up-to-date team information as well as features on wrestlers:

• Twitter: @HuskerWrestling (www.twitter.com/HuskerWrestling)
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/NebraskaWrestling
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/HuskerWrestling
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/HuskerWrestling
• Flowrestling: www.flowrestling.org/user/NEwrestle

“Behind the Grind” is a weekly video blog that showcases the Nebraska wrestling program. Each week, photos from the Nebraska wrestling room will be tweeted to show behind-the-scenes footage of practice. Additionally, following practice a wrestler and/or coach will talk about Nebraska wrestling while also previewing the upcoming week. Fans are encouraged to tweet their questions for each coach and wrestler at @HuskerWrestling.

Three Huskers Earn Reno Titles
Jake Sueflohn (149), James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) each won their respective weight division titles to lead Nebraska to the team championship at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Sunday, Dec. 22.

The Huskers finished with 159 points, which was 56 ahead of second-place Wyoming. North Carolina finished third with 97 points.

After Sueflohn took a first-round bye, he won back-to-back major decisions before capping his perfect day with three consecutive decisions. He won the championship match by a 7-1 margin over The Citadel’s Matt Frisch.

Green pinned three of his five opponents in Reno, while adding a technical fall and one decision. He took down Andy McCulley of Wyoming in the championship bout, 9-5. Green earned his third tournament title of the season after claiming the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open and Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational crowns as well.

Kokesh capped his performance with a 3-1 decision over Southern Oregon’s Brock Gutches in the finals. Kokesh added a decision in his opening bout, but earned two pins and two major decision in his other matches. His quickest pin came in the third round in a time of 1:02.

Tim Lambert (125) and Austin Wilson (165) each made it to the finals in their respective weight classes, but ultimately took runner-up honors. Lambert went 4-1 with a major decision before falling to Wyoming’s Tyler Cox in the finals by a 4-3 margin. Wilson opened with back-to-back technical falls before a major decision in the third round. He lost to Corey Mock of Tennessee-Chattanooga, 9-1, in the championship match.

At 141 pounds, Anthony Abidin earned a third-place finish, winning a 13-0 major decision over CSU-Bakersfield’s Ian Nickell in his final match. Abidin registered two pins on his way to the semifinals before falling by an 8-3 decision to Joey Ward. Abidin won two matches in the consolation bracket following his lone loss of the day.

Spencer Johnson (197) and Collin Jensen (HWT) each finished fifth. Johnson dropped a 3-1 decision to Reuben Franklin of CSU-Bakersfield in his first match of the day, but reeled off five consecutive victories before suffering his second loss. He defeated Upper Iowa’s Carl Broghammer by injury default in the fifth-place match.

Jensen pinned his first opponent, but lost in the second round. In the consolation bracket, he won five matches, two of which were by fall. His final victory was a pin in 5:37 over Wayne Purnell of West Virginia.

Colton McCrystal (133), Ben Morgan (133), Brandon Wilbourn (165), McCoy Newberg (174), TJ Dudley (184) and Aaron Studebaker (197) also competed at the Reno Tournament of Champions for the Huskers.

Green Captures Cliff Keen Crown
James Green won the 157-pound title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational to lead Nebraska to a second-place finish on Saturday, Dec. 7.

The Huskers’ 130.5-point total was 24 points behind team champion Oklahoma.
Green opened his day with a 7-5 sudden victory over Michigan’s Brian Murphy in the semifinals. In the finals, Green outlasted No. 12 Brian Realbuto of Cornell, 6-5, to capture the title.

Anthony Abidin (141), Jake Sueflohn (149), Robert Kokesh (174) and TJ Dudley (184) each advanced to the finals in their respective weight classes, but fell in the championship bout.

Abidin earned a medical forfeit win over Virginia Tech’s Devin Carter in the semifinals before losing to No. 1 Logan Stieber of Ohio State by a 16-1 technical fall. Sueflohn managed a 7-6 win over No. 7 Eric Grajales of Michigan, but fell by an 8-3 margin to No. 5 Kendric Maple of Oklahoma in the finals.

Kokesh won a 6-0 decision over No. 11 Stephen Doty of Virginia in the semifinals, but lost a 3-2 decision to No. 1 Andrew Howe of Oklahoma. Kokesh suffered his first loss of the season after a 14-0 start.

Dudley defeated No. 18 Benjamin Stroh of Wyoming in the semifinals, 18-9, before losing a 13-3 major decision to No. 12 Gabriel Dean of Cornell in the finals.

Austin Wilson (165) and Colton McCrystal (133) each started the day in the consolation bracket and managed top-eight finishes. After a decision and a pin for Wilson, he fell by a 4-2 margin to Northern Iowa’s Cooper Moore. In the fifth-place match, Wilson bounced back to win a 9-8 decision over Cornell’s Dylan Palacio.

McCrystal opened his day with a 5-2 decision over Rutgers’ Vincent Dellafave before being pinned by No. 18 Rosario Bruno of Michigan. In the seventh-place, McCrystal fell to Navy’s Colton Rasche, 8-5.

At heavyweight, Collin Jensen dropped his lone match of the day to No. 14 Ross Larson of Oklahoma by fall.

Tim Lambert (125) and Spencer Johnson (197) each lost their opening match on the first day to fall into the consolation bracket. Both picked up a win in the consolation bracket, but were ultimately eliminated.

Manning Earns 200th Career Victory
Nebraska Head Coach Mark Manning picked up his 200th career dual victory on Sunday, Nov. 24, when the Huskers took down South Dakota State, 36-6.

Manning, who is in his 17th season overall, earned the win in his home state of South Dakota. The Vermillion, S.D. native holds a career record of 210-97-5. Manning is 187-73-3 in his 14th season at Nebraska after compiling a 23-24-2 record in three seasons at Northern Iowa.

Huskers Return to Devaney Center
Nebraska returned to the Devaney Center this season for all of its home duals after years of wrestling at the NU Coliseum. The Huskers opened their home dual season on Nov. 17 before hosting a four-dual home stand in January and finished their home calendar at the newly renovated 7,907-seat venue against Michigan on Feb. 7.

In addition to hosting duals, the Devaney Center and Hendricks Training Complex house the wrestling offices, locker room, weight room and wrestling room, all just steps from each other, providing an atmosphere conducive to elite training. The Hendricks Complex, which is inside the Devaney Center, includes a practice facility, coaches’ offices as well as strength and conditioning and athletic medicine areas.

Huskers Show Depth at Wrestle-Offs
Nebraska held its annual Wrestle-Offs in conjunction with the Fall Coaches Clinic at the Devaney Center on Friday, Nov. 8.

Returning All-American Robert Kokesh (174) made one appearance, winning a 17-2 technical fall over McCoy Newberg. 2013 NCAA qualifiers Jake Sueflohn (149) and Caleb Kolb (197) also competed during Wrestle-Offs and each won both of their matches.

Sueflohn opened with a pin over Luis DeAnda in 2:47 before winning by injury default over newcomer Destin McCauley. Kolb battled Spencer Johnson to extra time twice on the night, winning by a 3-2 margin on both occasions.

At 184 pounds, Aaron Studebaker and TJ Dudley split their matches against each other. Studebaker won the first battle by a 4-2 decision, while Dudley won the second showdown, 6-5.

At 125 pounds, redshirt freshman Tim Lambert defeated Shawn Nagel twice, winning the first by pin in 4:52 and the second by technical fall, 18-0. At 133 pounds, Colton McCrystal put together a pair of victories. McCrystal took down Ben Morgan, 6-1, before defeating Eric Montoya, 7-4.

Micah Barnes (165) won both of his matches, defeating Brandon Wilbourn by injury default and outlasting Ian Ousley, 12-3. At 157 pounds, John Svoboda picked up a pair of wins. Svoboda opened with a 5-2 triumph over Ousley and added a 5-2 decision over Metzler.
The heavyweights battled once on Friday night, with Nyle Bartling notching an injury default victory over Collin Jensen.

At 141 pounds, Anthony Abidin pinned Adam Joseph in 1:27 following Joseph’s 5-3 decision over Tyrell Galloway.

Three Huskers Win at Daktronics Open
Robert Kokesh (174), James Green (157) and Collin Jensen (HWT) each captured titles to open the season in the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open at Frost Arena on Sunday, Nov. 3.

Kokesh tore through the bracket at 174 pounds with two pins, one technical fall and two major decisions. The Wagner, S.D., native opened with a fall in 6:04 over Augustana College’s Drake Fanslau and added a pin in 2:06 in the semifinals against Michael Joseph of Minnesota. Kokesh completed his tournament run with a 13-3 major decision over Missouri’s Mike England in the finals.

Green took home the title at 157 pounds with a victory in the finals over Kyle Bradley of Missouri. Green added a pin, major decision and technical fall leading into the final match. His fall occurred in 1:49 in the quarterfinals against Northern Illinois’ Andrew Morse.

Jensen captured the heavyweight crown in South Dakota by winning four matches after a first-round bye. Jensen pinned his first opponent in 2:46 before a major decision in the quarterfinals. He won back-to-back decisions to cap his championship run, including a 7-3 victory over Devon Mellon of Missouri in the finals.

Tim Lambert (125), Anthony Abidin (141) and Jake Sueflohn (149) each made appearances in the finals but fell by decision to finish second. Lambert finished the day with four wins, including two by technical fall. Abidin achieved a pin in 1:08 and a technical fall as part of his four victories on Sunday. Sueflohn won five matches, earning two pins and two major decisions in the process.

Ben Morgan (133), TJ Dudley (184) and Spencer Johnson (197) each finished third in their respective weight classes. Dudley defeated fellow Husker Aaron Studebaker, 9-4, in the third-place match at 184 pounds.

Additional Husker placers include Brandon Wilbourn (fourth at 165), McCoy Newberg (fourth at 174), Shawn Nagel (fifth at 125) and Nyle Bartling (seventh at heavyweight).

Burroughs Wins Second FILA World Title
Former Husker Jordan Burroughs added to his international wrestling legacy this fall by winning the 74-kg freestyle gold medal at the 2013 FILA World Championships on Sept. 18.

Burroughs captured his third consecutive world title with the win, which includes the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal in London, England, and the 2011 FILA World Championship. His crown marks the third FILA freestyle title won by a former Husker as Bill Scherr won at 90 kg in 1985.

In the gold medal match, Burroughs defeated Iran’s Essadollah Akbari by a 4-0 decision. Burroughs took a 1-0 lead late in the first period following a push out and extended the lead to 2-0 in the second period with an additional push out. With time winding down in the match, the Sicklerville, N.J. native took down Akbari to close out the match.

Burroughs opened the tournament with a 9-2 technical fall over Gamid Dzhalilov of Tajikistan before winning 7-0 over India’s Narsingh Yadav in the second round.

After the first round of the quarterfinals, Burroughs managed a 1-0 lead over Jabrayil Hassanov of Azerbaijan. The American struck quickly in the second period, however, and extended his lead to 7-0, which stood as the final score.

Burroughs faced Ali Shabanau of Belarus in the semifinals and trailed 0-1 before a double at the end of the first period gave him the lead. Burroughs expanded his lead as Shabanau received penalties for hitting Burroughs in the face. Burroughs held on to a 6-1 lead at the five-minute mark but Shabanau received his third caution and was ultimately disqualified.

Burroughs extended his international winning streak to 65 consecutive matches with his performance in Hungary. He was a two-time NCAA champion at Nebraska and won the Hodge Trophy in 2011.

Green Competes at World University Games
Nebraska All-American James Green went 1-1 representing the United States in freestyle wrestling at the 2013 World University Games at Ak Bars Wrestling Palace on July 11.

Green, a junior from Willingboro, N.J., defeated Finland’s Petteri Martikainen, 4-0, in his opening match in the 66 kg class. Martikainen finished fifth at the 2012 World University Championships.

Nebraska’s two-time All-American was then eliminated from medal contention in the round of eight with a loss to Kyrgyzstan’s Ulukman Mamatov.

Russia’s Magomed Kubanaliev defeated Armenia’s Devid Safaryan 3-1 to capture the gold medal at 66 kg.

Green was one of seven wrestlers from Big Ten schools competing on the 14-member USA Wrestling Team at the World University Games.

Green earned his place on the USA Wrestling World University Games Team by capturing the 66 kg/145.5-pound championship at 2013 ASICS University Freestyle Nationals in Akron, Ohio in late May.

Green was one of four U.S. wrestlers competing in freestyle at the World University Games, along with Ed Ruth (Penn State, 84kg), Nico Megaludis (Penn State, 55 kg) and Tyrell Fortune (Grand Canyon, 120 kg), who earned a bronze medal for the United States.