Wrestling – Page 7 – North Platte Post Archive

Huskers Ranked Seventh in Preseason Poll

Posted on November 3, 2014

The Nebraska wrestling team opens its 2014-15 campaign with the No. 7 ranking in the USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll.

The Huskers return all seven NCAA qualifiers from last season, including All-Americans James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174). Both Green and Kokesh collected victories in the NWCA All-Star Classic on Saturday night in Philadelphia, Pa.

Tim Lambert (125), Jake Sueflohn (149), Austin Wilson (165), TJ Dudley (184) and Collin Jensen (HWT) all competed in the 2014 NCAA Championships. All seven wrestlers are ranked by InterMat heading into the season, as well as junior Anthony Abidin, who garnered the No. 17 spot at 141 pounds.

The Huskers will face five teams that are ranked in the preseason poll, including Big Ten foes Michigan (9th), Illinois (13th), Wisconsin (18th) and Northwestern (19th). No. 25 Wyoming hosts Nebraska on Friday at 4 p.m. (CT) in the Huskers’ dual opener.

Iowa earned the top spot in the rankings, while Minnesota (2nd) and Cornell (3rd) round out the top three. Big Ten teams Ohio State (4th) and Penn State (5th) are also in the top five.

This weekend, the Huskers will compete in the Cowboy Open on Saturday in Laramie, Wyo., after battling No. 25 Wyoming on Friday night. NU’s first home dual is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 16 against Maryland at the NU Coliseum at 1 p.m. All five of Nebraska’s remaining home duals will be held at the Devaney Center.

USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll (Preseason)
1. Iowa
2. Minnesota
3. Cornell
4. Ohio State
5. Penn State
6. Missouri
7. Nebraska
8. Oklahoma State
9. Michigan
10. Edinboro
11. Virginia
12. Virginia Tech
13. Illinois
14. Pittsburgh
15. Lehigh
16. Iowa State
17. Northern Iowa
18. Wisconsin
19. Northwestern
20. Oregon State
21. Oklahoma
22. Old Dominion
23. North Dakota State
24. Ohio
25. Wyoming

Green, Kokesh Win at NWCA All-Star Classic

Posted on November 2, 2014

Philadelphia, Pa. – All-Americans James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) each opened their senior campaign with a victory at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Saturdaynight at The Palestra.

Kokesh, the second-ranked wrestler by InterMat, defeated NAIA No. 1 and three-time national champion Brock Gutches of Southern Oregon by an 8-2 decision at 174 pounds. After a Gutches takedown in the first period, the Husker senior controlled the rest of the match, earning an escape in the opening stanza before getting a takedown to build a 3-2 lead.

In the second period, Kokesh rode out Gutches from the top position to rack up nearly two minutes of riding time heading into the final period. Kokesh started the third period on bottom and earned an early escape before taking down Gutches and added a riding time point to secure a victory in his first match of the season.

Green, the No. 2 wrestler at 157 pounds, won by a 6-4 decision over No. 3 Ian Miller of Kent State. Miller struck first with a takedown in the opening period, but gave Green a free release. Green responded with a takedown of his own before rewarding Miller with a free release to make the score 2-2.

In the second period, Green started in the bottom position and earned an escape to take a 3-2 advantage. Miller took down Green, but the Husker senior escaped to tie the score 4-4 heading to the third period.

Miller started the final period in the down position and was called for stalling, which gave Green a 5-4 lead. Green added a point for riding time, which led to a 6-4 final. After the competition, Green was named Most Valuable Wrestler for the Red team.

The Huskers open their dual season on Friday at 4 p.m. (CT) against Wyoming in Laramie, Wyo. On Saturday, Nov. 8, NU will compete at the Cowboy Open, which starts at10 a.m. Nebraska’s first home dual is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 16 against Maryland at the NU Coliseum. The Huskers’ five remaining home duals will be contested at the Devaney Center.

Nebraska Results at the NWCA All-Star Classic
174: #2 Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) by dec. over Brock Gutches (Southern Oregon), 8-2
157: #2 James Green (Nebraska) by dec. over #3 Ian Miller (Kent State), 6-4

Huskers Impress at Intrasquad

Posted on November 1, 2014

The Nebraska wrestling team held its annual Coaches Clinic/Intrasquad event on Friday at the Devaney Center, which gave fans their first chance to see the 2014-15 Huskers.

Head Coach Mark Manning, who enters his 15th season at Nebraska, introduced the team before the exhibition and shared facts about each wrestler during the competition. Assistant Coach and Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs also spoke to the crowd about the upcoming season.

The 90-minute workout included matches from all 10 weight classes that will assist the coaching staff in selecting starters for the season.

Reigning All-Americans James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) each begin their senior season on Saturday at the NWCA All-Star Classic at The Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa. The competition begins at 6 p.m. (CT) as Green battles Ian Miller of Kent State and Kokesh wrestles Brock Gutches of Southern Oregon.

The Huskers begin their dual season on the road against Wyoming on Friday, Nov. 7 at 4 p.m. Nebraska’s first home dual is Sunday, Nov. 16 against Maryland at the NU Coliseum at 1 p.m. NU’s five remaining home duals after Maryland will be contested at the Devaney Center.

Green, Kokesh Open Season at NWCA Classic

Posted on October 30, 2014

James-Green-Nebraska-Wrestling — James Green

Match Day: NWCA All-Star Classic
Date: Saturday, Nov. 1
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: The Palestra (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Video Streaming: Flowrestling.org (subscription required)
Live Stats: TrackWrestling.com
Event Information: http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcawebsite/Events/nwcaallstarclassic.aspx

Seniors James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) begin their final season in a Husker singlet on Saturday night at the NWCA All-Star Classic at The Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa.

Video streaming for the event will be provided by Flowrestling.com, with a subscription required to view the matches. TrackWrestling.com will have live stats.

Green, the second-ranked wrestler at 157 pounds by InterMat, will battle No. 3 Ian Miller of Kent State. Kokesh, the No. 2 wrestler at 174 pounds, faces NAIA No. 1 and three-time national champion Brock Gutches of Southern Oregon.

Green, a three-time All-American, finished third at the 2014 NCAA Championships after dominating Miller by a 13-1 major decision in his final match of the tournament. Green collected seventh-place NCAA finishes during his freshman and sophomore seasons at Nebraska. He also won the 2014 Big Ten title at 157 pounds, and finished his junior campaign with a 35-2 record, which included 10 major decisions, five pins and four technical falls.

For his career at Nebraska, Green is 94-17 in three seasons, and holds a 37-7 mark in dual competition. He seeks to become the second wrestler in Nebraska history to earn All-America honors on four occasions, a title currently owned by Associate Head Coach Bryan Snyder, who wrestled from 1999 to 2002.

Green’s opponent, Miller, went 31-6 last season on his way to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. He also won the 2014 Mid-American Conference title at 157 pounds after redshirting in 2012-13. Miller is a junior in 2014-15.

Kokesh, a two-time All-American, finished fourth at the 2014 NCAA Championships after capturing the 174-pound Big Ten title. The Wagner, S.D., native took third place in 2013, and holds a career record of 105-14. Kokesh compiled a 37-3 record last season, which included a perfect 14-0 dual record. He led the team in dual points (67) and pins (9), while adding five technical falls and 10 major decisions.

Kokesh and Green become the 30th and 31st Husker wrestlers to compete at the NWCA All-Star Classic and the first since 2009 when Jordan Burroughs, Stephen Dwyer and Craig Brester all competed.

Husker Wrestling Hosts Intrasquad on Friday

Posted on October 30, 2014

Match Day: Nebraska Coaches Clinic/Intrasquad
Date: Friday, Oct. 31
Time: 5 p.m. CT
Location: Devaney Center (Lincoln, Neb.)

The Nebraska wrestling team will hold its annual Intrasquad in conjunction with the Fall Coaches Clinic on Friday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Intrasquad starts at 5 p.m. (CT).

The event is free admission and will assist the Husker coaching staff in determining NU’s starting lineup for the 2014-15 season. Head Coach Mark Manning will be wearing a microphone for the duration of competition.

Nebraska Intrasquad Matchups
Round 1
1. Tim Lambert vs. Brian Peska
2. Mitchell Maginnis vs. Eric Coufal
3. Eric Montoya vs. Darrian Schwenke
4. Aris Shino vs. Sean Murphy
5. Anthony Abidin vs. Colton Adams
6. Hayden Tuma vs. Colton McCrystal
7. Justin Arthur vs. Tyrell Galloway
8. Tyler Berger vs. Luis DeAnda
9. Austin Chauncey vs. John Svoboda
10. Austin Wilson vs. Ian Ousley
11. Dustin Williams vs. Gage Anderson
12. Eric Engler vs. TJ Dudley
13. Jake Anderson vs. Aaron Studebaker
14. Spencer Johnson vs. Derek White
15. Micah Barnes vs. Josh Kettel
16. Collin Jensen vs. Nyle Bartling

Round 2
1. Tim Lambert vs. Mitchell Maginnis
2. Eric Montoya vs. Eric Coufal
3. Darrian Schwenke vs. Sean Murphy
4. Brian Peska vs. Aris Shino
5. Anthony Abidin vs. Hayden Tuma
6. Colton McCrystal vs. Colton Adams
7. Justin Arthur vs. Tyler Berger
8. Luis DeAnda vs. John Svoboda
9. Tyrell Galloway vs. Austin Chauncey
10. Austin Wilson vs. Gage Anderson
11. Dustin Williams vs. Ian Ousley
12. TJ Dudley vs. Jake Anderson
13. Eric Engler vs. Aaron Studebaker
14. Spencer Johnson vs. Josh Kettel
15. Micah Barnes vs. Derek White
16. Collin Jensen vs. Nyle Bartling

Big Ten Wrestling Opens 2014-15 Campaign This Week

Posted on October 30, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The 2014-15 Big Ten wrestling season begins this weekend, with six conference teams taking the mat. On Saturday, Nebraska will open its campaign in Philadelphia at the NWCA All-Star Classic. On Sunday, Maryland will travel to Clarion, Pa., for the Clarion Open, while Rutgers will host the Rutgers Duals. Michigan State will welcome Michigan and Ohio State to the Michigan State Open.

Six teams begin the season next weekend. On Saturday, Nov. 8, Indiana will compete at the Harold Nichols Open in Ames, Iowa, while Minnesota will compete in the Bison Open in Fargo, N.D. Northwestern will travel to Stanford for a dual meet, while Wisconsin begins its season at the Stevens Point Open. Illinois will host the Illini Quad on Nov. 9, while Penn State will welcome Lehigh to Rec Hall.

Iowa and Purdue will open the 2014-15 campaign later this month. The Boilermakers will face Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, Calif., on Nov. 14, while the Hawkeyes will compete in the Luther Open in Decorah, Iowa on Nov. 15.

Nine teams enter the season ranked among the top 20 of the first InterMat College Dual Meet Rankings, including four in the top five and the top three spots in the poll. Minnesota leads the way at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Iowa, No. 5 Penn State and No. 7 Nebraska. Michigan begins the season ranked No. 9, followed by No. 11 Illinois, No. 14 Wisconsin and No. 16 Northwestern.

Eight Husker Wrestlers Ranked in InterMat Preseason Poll

Posted on October 21, 2014

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.)

Kokesh to Compete at NWCA All-Star Classic

Posted on October 8, 2014

Senior 174-pounder Robert Kokesh will face Pittsburgh’s Tyler Wilps in the NWCA All-Star Classic at the Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa. on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Kokesh, a two-time All-American, will begin his senior season at the event, as he joins teammate James Green (157) at the NWCA All-Star Classic. Kokesh finished fourth at the 2014 NCAA Championships after capturing the 174-pound Big Ten title. The Wagner, S.D., native took third place in 2013, and holds a career record of 105-14 heading into his final season in a Husker singlet.

Kokesh squared off against Wilps in the consolation quarterfinals of last year’s national tournament, with Kokesh emerging victorious by a 2-1 decision in the first tiebreaker. Wilps notched a seventh-place finish, and holds a career record of 70-28, as he starts the 2014-15 season. Wilps, a two-time NCAA qualifier, captured the 174-pound ACC title in 2014, and will be a senior this season.

Kokesh compiled a 37-3 record last season, which included a perfect 14-0 dual record. He led the team in dual points (67) and pins (9), while adding five technical falls and 10 major decisions.

Kokesh and Green become the 30th and 31st Husker wrestlers to compete at the NWCA All-Star Classic and the first since 2009 when Jordan Burroughs, Stephen Dwyer and Craig Brester all competed.

The NWCA has already announced six other matches for this year’s event and will reveal three others over the coming weeks leading up to the competition.

The Huskers open the season by hosting their annual Intrasquad on Friday, Oct. 31 at the Devaney Center at 5 p.m. Nebraska’s first dual is set for Friday, Nov. 7 at Wyoming, starting at 4 p.m. (CT).

Green Selected for NWCA All-Star Classic

Posted on October 1, 2014

Senior 157-pounder James Green will face Kent State’s Ian Miller in the NWCA All-Star Classic at the Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa. on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Green, a three-time All-American, starts his final season in a Husker singlet at the event after earning a silver medal at the University World Championships in July. The Willingboro, N.J., native finished third at the 2014 NCAA Championships, dominating Miller by a 13-1 major decision in his final match of the tournament.

Green collected seventh-place NCAA finishes during his freshman and sophomore seasons at Nebraska. He also won the 2014 Big Ten title at 157 pounds, and finished his junior campaign with a 35-2 record, which included 10 major decisions, five pins and four technical falls.

Green becomes the 30th Husker wrestler to compete at the NWCA All-Star Classic and the first since 2009 when Jordan Burroughs, Stephen Dwyer and Craig Brester all competed.

The NWCA has already announced three other matches for this year’s event and will reveal six others over the coming weeks before the competition.

Burroughs Takes Bronze at World Championships

Posted on September 9, 2014

Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Olympic Gold Medalist and Nebraska Assistant Coach Jordan Burroughs earned the freestyle bronze medal at 74 kg/163 pounds at the 2014 FILA World Championships after going 4-1 at the Gymnastics Palace on Tuesday.

In his first-round match, Burroughs injured his left knee, but managed a 4-3 victory over Guinea Bisau’s Augusto Midana. Burroughs dominated in his next two matches, defeating Korea’s Yunseok Lee and Uzbekistan’s Rashid Kurbanov by a combined score of 18-2.

Burroughs held a 3-2 lead over Lee after the first period, but took command for the rest of the match in a 13-2 win. In the quarterfinals, Burroughs took down Kurbanov by a 5-0 margin to advance to the semifinals against Denis Tsargush of Russia.

Wrestling with a wrapped leg, Burroughs fell behind 7-0 in the first period and never recovered, dropping a 9-2 decision to Tsargush. The loss marked his first to a foreign opponent on the international circuit.

Burroughs responded in the bronze medal match with a first-period fall in 2:48. His opponent, Rustam Dudaev of Ukraine, earned the first takedown but Burroughs built a 6-2 lead before pinning Dudaev.

After Tuesday’s performance, Burroughs holds a 92-2 record internationally, earning gold medals at the 2012 Olympics, as well as the 2011 and 2013 FILA World Championships. At Nebraska, he won national titles in 2009 and 2011, capturing the Hodge Trophy in his final year with the Huskers.

2014 FILA World Championships
Sept. 8-14 at Gymnastics Palace, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Burroughs’ Road to the Bronze Medal at 74 kg/163 pounds
First Round: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Augusto Midana (Guinea Bisau), 4-3
Second Round: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Yunseok Lee (Korea), 13-2
Quarterfinals: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Rashid Kurbanov (Uzbekistan), 5-0
Semifinals: Denis Tsargush (Russia) def. Jordan Burroughs (USA), 9-2
Bronze Medal Match: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Rustam Dudaev (Ukraine) by fall, 2:48