[Husker] NU Wrestling - final Big 12's (Big 5)

[Andy Knipp]

OK. NU had the last B12 meet Saturday. B12 is a misnomer as only 5 teams competing. However those 5 teams are always ranked in the top 20, and typically 3 are top 10. 

This is probably the weakest team that I remember NU having for a number of years, however they still took 3rd in the regular season and 4th in the tournament. NU also is sending 7 of 10 wrestlers to the NCAAs (while it had looked like only 4 or 5 would qualify). Qualification for NCAAs is kind of funky but it makes sense. There are tier 1 wrestlers, (only a couple at each weight), the very best. Second each tournament qualifies a certain number of each weight (a tough weight qualifies all 5, weak weights only qualify 1). That accounts for 26-29 wrestlers per weight. Lastly there are a handful of wildcards (to reach 33 at each weight) announced (likely tomorrow). 

A quick rundown:

125 pounds - SO David Klingsheim entered the tournament with an 8-9 record and seeded 4th. Only 3 were to qualify, but he came in and took the championship. So he enters the NCAAs with a 12-9 record, beating 2 top 10 wrestlers. 

133 pounds - SO Ridge Kiley had a top 25 ranking and 2-2 in the conference. He ended up taking 4th and qualified for the NCAAs as well. 

141 - SR Mike Koelien also took 4th and qualified for the NCAA for a second year in a row. 

149 - SO Ross Grande was a 5th place finisher and this was a weight where only 1 B12 wrestler will be taken, so he stays home. 

157 - SO Tyler Koehn also took 5th in a weak weight, with 1 qualifier. Cody Compton (Will's younger brother) wrestled in a few matches and was a HS AA, so I am uncertain if he was hurt or could not beat out Koehn. 

165 - SR Jordan Burroughs returns for his final season. He is undefeated, defeating Caldwell from OU in the B12 championship. Caldwell is ranked 2 or 3. The other one standing in JBs way of becoming NU's 1st 2 time NC is ANdrew Howe from Wisconson. JB defeated Howe once this season already, expect the rematch to happen at the NCAA finals. 

174 - FR Caleb Kolb took 4th and is possbily a wildcard candidate, but I doubt it. His record was not stellar, but if you look at the number of ranked guys he went up against, it makes sense. Kolb is still a HS AA and will grow into an AA in a couple years. 

184 - SO Josh Ihnen - Ranked in the 10-12 range, Josh qualified fro the NCAAs and has a shot at earning All American. He fell one win short last year. He will earn points for NU and hopefully get a medal.

197 - SR Andy Johnson is the surprise of the team. Johnson was a career backup at 174 and took last year off. Mark Manning asked him if he wanted to try his SR year and Johnson did, getting a ranking in the top 10. While he only took 4th (he was seeded 2nd) he still qualified for the NCAAs. Johnson has a shot to be on the podium. 

HWT - Tucker Lane also seeded second, lost to OU, who he was previously 7-0 against. Lane still qualified for NCAAs, like Johnson and Ihnen, may get seeded in the top 12 and may end up on the podium (top 8). 

The worst results I can imagine (barring injury) is Burroughs losing in the finals and no other AAs. Best case would be 1 NC and 3 others (5-8). 

NU also has some talent redshirting. HS national champions are at 133, 141, 157 and 165 weight classes.  The B10 is very competitive in wrestling, second only the the B12 in the % of wrestlers qualifying and earning AA status. 

Side note is that the B12 will lose the conference qualifiers next year with only 4 teams.

Andy