Green, Kokesh Reach NCAA Quarterfinals

Oklahoma City, Okla. – Nebraska’s reigning All-Americans James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) each won major decisions in the second session of the NCAA Championships on Thursday to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals.

As a team, the Huskers are tied for 10th with Cornell and Virginia Tech after Session II with 14 points. Penn State leads the team standings with 26.5 points.

Green, the top seed at 157 pounds, took down No. 16 seed Zac Brunson of Illinois in the second round, 14-3, after defeating Air Force’s Joshua Kreimier by the same margin in the first session. Green improves to 31-1 this season and will face ninth-seeded Dylan Ness of Minnesota in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Kokesh, the No. 3 seed at 174 pounds, earned two major decisions on the day as well, dominating Rider’s Conor Brennan in Session II, 14-5. In the first session, Kokesh collected a 10-1 triumph over West Virginia’s Jacob Scheffel.

On Friday, Kokesh faces No. 6 seed and fellow South Dakota native Logan Storley of Minnesota in the quarterfinals. Kokesh is 34-1 this season and holds a 20-match winning streak.

Jake Sueflohn (149), Tim Lambert (125) and TJ Dudley (184) each fell in the second round after winning first-round matches in Session I. Sueflohn, the No. 6 seed, dropped a 7-5 decision to No. 11 seed Joshua Kindig of Oklahoma State.

Lambert, the No. 12 seed at 125 pounds, fell by the same score to fifth-seeded Dylan Peters of Northern Iowa. Dudley, the No. 8 seed at 184 pounds, lost to Arizona State’s Blake Stauffer, 7-2.

Sophomore Austin Wilson (165), who lost in the first round, bounced back with a win in the consolation bracket, posting a 6-1 decision over Missouri’s Zach Toal. Wilson advances to face No. 9 seed Joseph Booth of Hofstra in Session III.

Redshirt freshman Collin Jensen (HWT) saw his first season in the Nebraska lineup come to an end after being pinned by Ohio State’s Nick Tavanello in 3:41. Jensen finishes the 2013-14 campaign with a 20-15 record.

Friday’s action begins at 10 a.m. CT with Session III, consisting of the championship bracket quarterfinals and the consolation bracket second and third rounds. ESPNU will provide the broadcast coverage and ESPN3 will stream matches. Session IV is also slated for Friday, beginning at 7 p.m.

NCAA Championships
March 20-22, 2014
Chesapeake Energy Arena
Oklahoma City, Okla.

125 pounds
First Round: #12 Tim Lambert (NEB) by dec. over David White (BING), 5-1
Second Round: #5 Dylan Peters (UNI) by dec. over #12 Tim Lambert (NEB), 7-5

149 pounds
First Round: #6 Jake Sueflohn (NEB) by tech. fall over Christian Barber (UNC), 16-0
Second Round: #11 Joshua Kindig (OKST) by dec. over #6 Jake Sueflohn (NEB), 7-5

157 pounds
First Round: #1 James Green (NEB) by major dec. over Joshua Kreimier (AF), 14-3
Second Round: #1 James Green (NEB) by major dec. over #16 Zac Brunson (ILL), 14-3

165 pounds
First Round: #10 Cooper Moore (UNI) by dec. over Austin Wilson (NEB), 5-3
Consolation First Round: Austin Wilson (NEB) by dec. over Zach Toal (MIZZ), 6-1

174 pounds
First Round: #3 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by major dec. over Jacob Scheffel (WVU), 10-1
Second Round: #3 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by major dec. over Conor Brennan (RID), 14-5

184 pounds
First Round: #8 TJ Dudley (NEB) by major dec. over Donald Patrick (DAV), 13-5
Second Round: Blake Stauffer (ASU) by dec. over #8 TJ Dudley (NEB), 7-2

Heavyweight
First Round: #11 Austin Marsden (OKST) by major dec. over Collin Jensen (NEB), 10-2
Consolation First Round: Nick Tavanello (OHST) by pin over Collin Jensen (NEB), 3:41