Eight of Nebraska’s wrestlers earned spots in the top 20 of their respective weight classes when InterMat released its preseason rankings on Tuesday.
Reigning All-Americans James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) are each ranked second heading into the 2014-15 campaign, and will wrestle at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 1 in Philadelphia, Pa.
Green, a three-time All-American, finished last season with a 35-2 record and a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships. He finished seventh at the national tournament in both 2012 and 2013.
Kokesh, a two-time All-American, took fourth place at the 2014 NCAA Championships after a 37-3 campaign as a junior. He finished third at nationals as a sophomore in 2013.
Senior Jake Sueflohn rounds out the Huskers in the top 10 with the No. 8 spot at 149 pounds. The three-time NCAA qualifier finished last season with a 31-6 mark, which included a 13-1 record in dual competition.
Juniors Austin Wilson (165) and Anthony Abidin (141) also earned spots in the rankings, along with sophomores TJ Dudley (184), Tim Lambert (125) and Collin Jensen (HWT). Wilson, Dudley, Lambert and Jensen all qualified for last season’s NCAA Championships.
Wilson enters the season ranked 14th at 165 pounds after going 23-16 last season. Abidin sits at No. 17 at 141 pounds after posting an 18-3 record, which included a perfect 5-0 dual mark.
Dudley is No. 13 at 184 pounds, and posted a 26-8 record during his first season in the NU lineup. Lambert went 24-13 last season, and is ranked 14th at 125 pounds. Jensen comes in at No. 16 at heavyweight after posting a 20-15 record in 2013-14.
As a team, Nebraska is ranked 10th in the tournament rankings and holds the No. 7 spot in the dual meet rankings.
The Huskers open their 2014-15 campaign on Friday, Oct. 31 by hosting the Coaches Clinic/Intrasquad event at the Devaney Center at 5 p.m. The following day, Green and Kokesh will each grapple at the NWCA All-Star Classic at the Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa. Nebraska’s first home dual is slated for Sunday, Nov. 16 against new Big Ten foe Maryland at the NU Coliseum.
Huskers in InterMat Preseason Rankings (Oct. 21)
125: #14 Tim Lambert (So.)
141: #17 Anthony Abidin (Jr.)
149: #8 Jake Sueflohn (Sr.)
157: #2 James Green (Sr.)
165: #14 Austin Wilson (Jr.)
174: #2 Robert Kokesh (Sr.)
184: #13 TJ Dudley (So.)
HWT: #16 Collin Jensen (So.)