Huskers Take 10th at NCAA Championships

Pittsburgh, Pa. – Huskers senior Tyler Berger (157) fell in the national championship match to Penn State’s Jason Nolf to end his stellar career with the Nebraska wrestling program. Nolf defeated Berger 10-2, by major decision. The Prineville, Ore., native finished his senior season with a 28-4 record and 12 bonus point victories.

 

As a team, the Huskers finished in 10th place with 51 points, marking the fifth straight season that Coach Manning’s team has earned a top-10 spot at the NCAA Championships. The Penn State Nittany Lions (137.5 pts), led all teams with three national champions and won their eighth national championship in the last nine seasons. Ohio State (96.5 pts) took second place while Oklahoma State (84 pts), Iowa (76 pts) and Michigan (62.5 pts) rounded out the top five.

 

Overall, four of the eight Huskers who competed this weekend earned All-America honors, which marks the second time in the last three years that NU had four or more All-Americans in one season. Coach Manning has now had five straight years with three or more All-Americans.

 

Redshirt freshman Mikey Labriola (174) became the third Husker freshman to earn All-America honors in the past two seasons, as both Chad Red Jr. (141) and Taylor Venz (184) both earned the honor in 2018. Before them, James Green (2011-15), was the last freshman All-American at Nebraska (2012).

 

Seniors Zeke Moisey (125) and Tyler Berger (157) each made their fourth NCAA Championships appearance this year. Between the two, they’ve combined for 213 career wins and five All-American honors.

 

Chad Red Jr. (141), Taylor Venz (184) and Eric Schultz (197) are each two-time NCAA qualifiers and they will all return next year for their junior seasons. Isaiah White (165), who garnered All-American status for the first time, and David Jensen (285), will both return for their senior seasons next year.

 

NCAA Championships

Session VI
March 23, 2019 
Pittsburgh, Pa.

 

Individual Results:

 

125 pounds: #18 Zeke Moisey – (0-2) – DNP

First Round: #15 Elijah Oliver (Indiana) dec. #18 Zeke Moisey (Nebraska), 11-4

Cons. First Round: #31 Korbin Meink (Campbell) dec. #18 Zeke Moisey (Nebraska), 5-4

 

141 pounds: #16 Chad Red Jr. – (4-3) – 8th
First Round: #16 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska) pinned #17 Ian Parker (Iowa State) (3:59)

Second Round: #1 Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) dec. #16 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska), 7-3

Cons. Second Round: #16 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska) major dec. #31 Gabe Willits (Oregon State), 12-4

Cons. Third Round: #16 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska) dec. #8 Kanen Storr (Michigan), 8-1

Cons. Round of 12: #16 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska) dec. #22 Max Murin (Iowa), 4-1

Cons. Quarterfinals: #7 Mitch McKee (Minnesota) dec. #16 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska), 6-2

7th Place Match: #13 Kyle Shoop (Lock Haven) major dec. #16 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska), 11-3

 

157 pounds: #2 Tyler Berger – (4-1) – 2nd

First Round: #2 Tyler Berger (Nebraska) tech. fall #31 Benjamin Barton (Campbell), 16-1

Second Round: #2 Tyler Berger (Nebraska) pinned #15 Eric Barone (Illinois) (6:07)

Quarterfinals: #2 Tyler Berger (Nebraska) dec. #7 Larry Early (Old Dominion), 5-2

Semifinals: #2 Tyler Berger (Nebraska) dec. #6 Kaleb Young (Iowa), 5-3

Finals: #1 Jason Nolf (Penn State) major dec. #2 Tyler Berger (Nebraska), 10-2

 

165 pounds: #7 Isaiah White – (5-2) – 5th
First Round: #7 Isaiah White (Nebraska) dec. #26 Joey Gunther (Illinois), 5-1

Second Round: #7 Isaiah White (Nebraska) dec. #10 Branson Ashworth (Wyoming), 5-4

Quarterfinals: #2 Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) SV-1 #7 Isaiah White (Nebraska), 3-1

Cons. Round of 12: #7 Isaiah White (Nebraska) TB-1 #21 Te-Shan Campbell (Ohio State), 3-2

Cons. Quarterfinals: #7 Isaiah White (Nebraska) dec. #11 Bryce Steiert (N. Iowa), 5-0

Cons. Semifinals: #4 Evan Wick (Wisconsin) dec. #7 Isaiah White (Nebraska), 4-3

5th Place Match: #7 Isaiah White (Nebraska) dec. #3 Josh Shields (Arizona State), 8-3

 

174 pounds: #10 Mikey Labriola – (4-3) – 6th

First Round: #10 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) dec. #23 Daniel Bullard (NC State), 7-5

Second Round: #10 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) dec. #7 Jacobe Smith (Oklahoma State), 8-4

Quarterfinals: #2 Daniel Lewis (Missouri) pins #10 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) (4:28)

Cons. Round of 12: #10 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) TB-2 #11 Dylan Lydy (Purdue), 4-3

Cons. Quarterfinals: #10 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) dec. #9 Devin Skatzka (Minnesota), 7-5

Cons. Semifinals: #4 Myles Amine (Michigan) dec. #10 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska), 5-3

5th Place Match: #6 David McFadden (Virginia Tech) dec. #10 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska), 4-3

 

184 pounds: #9 Taylor Venz – (3-2) – DNP
First Round: #9 Taylor Venz (Nebraska) dec. #24 Tanner Harvey (American), 7-4

Second Round: #8 Ryan Priesch (Lehigh) dec. #9 Taylor Venz (Nebraska), 4-3

Cons. Second Round: #9 Taylor Venz (Nebraska) dec. #7 Nick Reenan (NC State), 7-2

Cons. Third Round: #9 Taylor Venz (Nebraska) dec. #16 Corey Hazel (Lock Haven), 13-7

Cons. Round of 12: #3 Zachary Zavatsky (Virginia Tech) dec. #9 Taylor Venz (Nebraska), 5-4

 

197 pounds: #14 Eric Schultz – (2-2) – DNP
First Round: #14 Eric Schultz (Nebraska) dec. #19 Tanner Orndorff (Utah Valley), 11-5

Second Round: #3 Preston Weigel (Oklahoma State) dec. #14 Eric Schultz (Nebraska), 7-2

Cons. Second Round: #14 Eric Schultz (Nebraska) dec. #20 Noah Adams (West Virginia), 7-2

Cons. Third Round: #6 Willie Micklus (Iowa State) dec. #14 Eric Schultz (Nebraska), 3-2

 

285 pounds: #17 David Jensen – (1-2) – DNP

First Round: #16 Chase Singletary dec. #17 David Jensen (Nebraska), 3-0

Cons. First Round: #17 David Jensen (Nebraska) major dec. #32 Brandon Ngati (West Virginia), 10-0

Cons. Second Round: #15 Tate Orndorff (Utah Valley) dec. #17 David Jensen (Nebraska), 10-3

 

1. Penn State – 137.5
2. Ohio State – 96.5

3. Oklahoma State – 84.0

4. Iowa – 76.0

5. Michigan – 62.5

6. Missouri –  62.0

7. Cornell – 59.5

8. Minnesota – 53.5

9. Rutgers – 51.5

10. Nebraska – 51.0

 

National Champions:

125: Spencer Lee, Iowa

133: Nick Suriano, Rutgers

141: Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell

149: Anthony Ashnualt, Rutgers

157: Jason Nolf, Penn State

165: Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech

174: Zahid Valencia, Arizona State

184: Drew Foster, Northern Iowa

197: Bo Nickal, Penn State

285: Anthony Cassar, Penn State

 

Session I Attendance: 17,949

Session II Attendance: 17,957

Session III Attendance: 18,013

Session IV Attendance: 18,100

Session V Attendance: 18,436

Session VI Attendance: 18,950 (5th highest in final session attendance history)

 

Total Attendance: 19,405 (6th highest total in NCAA Championships history)