[Husker] NU wrestling

[Andy Knipp]

NU will be finishing up the season in wrestling soon.  They finished the regular
season at 18-2-1,  with a tie agianst Wisconsin, losses to Michigan and #1 OSU
(which was a controversal loss).  They finished #2 in the B12, won the Virginia 
duals and took second (to MI) in the Las Vegas Invitational.

The B12 tourney is this weekend in Omaha, the top 3 place winners plus 6 wild cards
qualify for the NCAAs in St. Louis.  Since there are only 5 teams,  that equates to 72%
of the B12 starters qualify for the NCAAs

Here is a breakdown:

125 - SO Matt Keller will enter the B12 seeded #2, behind the #1 wrestler in the country.
He wil enter the NCAAs seeded (about) 7th,  which should give him the opportunity to 
make AA (top 8 get AA status),  falling one match short last year.

133 - SO Domick Moyer will enter the B12 seeded 3rd.  This is more due to it being a 
weak weight for the B12.  However he should qualify for the NCAAs and could win a 
couple matches.  This is a tough weight nationally, so AA will be difficult.

141 - SR Matt Murry, returning AA will enter the B12 seeded #2, with the nationally #1 
wrestler from ISU,  plus another returning AA from OK,  this is a very tough weight. All 3
should AA again,  and one could see a B12 finals.

149 - The injury to Travis Shufelt (AA SR - hope for Medical red shirt), then JUCO champ
Chris Nedens has made JR David Ingals the starter.  This is also a weak weight in the B12
so Ingals could win a couple matches & make the NCAAs.

157 - SR BJ Wright looks to make it one step further this year and earn AA honors. He will 
be seeded 2nd and should enter the NCAAs in the 6-8 range.  AA is very possibile.

165 - JR AA Jacob Klein wants to improve on his 7th place finish last year.  He should enter 
the very tough B12 at #2.  There are 4 returning AAs out of 5 wrestlers.  Klein, OSU wrestler
(#2 at 165 in 2004), ISU (AA at 157 in 2004), and MU (AA at 157 in 2003).  If Klein makes the
B12 finals,  he should enter the NCAAs seeded 4/5 and a very good shot at AA again.

174 - SO Marc Harwood has wrestled well and deserves the shot at the NCAAs.  Sadly that 
will not happen when the other 4 wrestlers are ranked in the top 6 nationally.  

184 - SR Travis Pascoe enters the B12 with 1 loss though still should be the #1 seed.  He needs
to win the B12 and enter the NCAAs seeded 2/3 with a shot at the finals. He has historically wrestled
well in the regular season and underperformed in the post season.  I certainly hope that does not 
happen as he should be in the finals, wrestling the 2 time champ from WV (who Pascoe gave a 
good match earlier in the season)
 
197 - JR BJ Padden has wrestled great guys very close (losing a contriversional match to the
#1 wrestler from OSU) then lost to some mediocre wrestlers.  Still he should be seeded 2/3 in the B12
and have the chance to AA.  With as many losses as he has,  it is doubtful Padden will get much of a 
seed in the NCAAs. Still Klien entered the tourny last year unseeded,  lost his first match, and won 
several matches in the consolation bracket (beating 3 guys he previously lost to) to earn AA status. 
Padden was one win away from AA last year,  so he can do it.

HWT - FR Jon May was given the starting position over Sr (former DT) Mitch Manstedt.  Surprising 
since Manstedt won the wrestle-offs,  however May's record of 22-8 (with a win over the #2 wrestler
in  the country) give May a better shot at a WC should he finish 4th.  May will enter the tournament 
seeded 4th and with wins over the MU or OU wrestler,  will be on the bubble for a wildcard. 2 wins & he 
qualifies.  Returning AAs from OSU and ISU make reaching the B12 finals unrealistic.


To the few that enjoy these posts.....


Andy





Andy Knipp
andy at knipp.com
(480) 818-1026 (M)