EVANSTON, Ill. – 157-lb senior Cody Pack went 1-1 on day two of the prestigious Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern. #14 Pack advanced to the championship match against #9 Isaiah Martinez by way of a win over #18 Justin Staudenmayer (Brown).

Pack is the first Jackrabbit to ever make it to the Midlands championship match and is the highest placer in SDSU history at the tournament.

In the title bout against Illinois’ Martinez, Pack fell, 6-3. Pack showed an aggressive attack, but ultimately fell short against the undefeated Martinez.

In the semifinals, Pack defeated #18 Justin Staudenmayer (Brown), 5-1. After trailing 1-0, Pack recorded a second-period takedown and reversed Staudenmayer in the third for the 5-1 win.

Isaac Andrade (125), Colin Holler (149) and David Kocer (174) also advanced to the second day of competition but dropped consolation matches in the afternoon session.

SDSU (3-5, 0-0 WWC) return home for the entire month of January, starting with duals against Buffalo and Dakota Wesleyan on January 11. SDSU will also host Boise State (Jan. 16) and Northern Colorado (Jan. 18), along with Cal Poly and Oregon State (Jan. 25).

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Courtesy Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations

The Southern Scuffle is set for Thursday and Friday.

Huskers Open New Year at Southern Scuffle

Courtesy NU Media Relations

Tue, December 30, 2014

2015 Defense Soap & Flips Wrestling Southern Scuffle
Thursday, Jan. 1 – Friday, Jan. 2 • McKenzie Arena • Chattanooga, Tenn.
Event Information: TheSouthernScuffle.com
Live Scoring/Brackets: TrackWrestling.com
Live Video Streaming (subscription required): Flowrestling.org
Twitter Feed: @HuskerWrestling

Schedule of Events (all times central)
Thursday, Jan. 1
8 a.m.: Round of 64
11 a.m.: Championship Round of 32 and Consolation Round 1
2 p.m.: Consolation Round 2
4:45 p.m.: Championship Round of 16 and Consolation Round 3

Friday, Jan. 2
8 a.m.: Championship Quarterfinals
10:30 a.m.: Consolation Round 5
11:30 a.m.: Consolation Round 6
12:30 p.m.: Championship Semifinals & Consolation Quarterfinals
2:30 p.m.: Consolation Semifinals
6 p.m.: Championship Finals and Medal Matches

After nearly three weeks off from competition, Nebraska will open 2015 at the Defense Soap & Flips Wrestling Southern Scuffle at McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Thursday and Friday.

Live scoring and updated brackets will be available on TrackWrestling.com. Live video streaming will be provided by Flowrestling.org, with a paid subscription required to view the matches. Event information can be found at TheSouthernScuffle.com.

Thursday’s action begins at 8 a.m. (CT) and will consist of three championship rounds and three consolation rounds. Friday’s slate starts at 8 a.m., with the quarterfinals, before the championship finals and medal matches, set for 6 p.m.

Last Time Out: Huskers Stunned by Badgers
No. 8 Nebraska suffered its first loss of the season on Saturday, Dec. 13, as the Huskers fell to Wisconsin, 23-14, at the Devaney Center. No. 1 Robert Kokesh (174), No. 18 Tim Lambert (125), No. 20 Anthony Abidin (141) and No. 2 James Green (157) each posted victories for the Huskers. Kokesh and Abidin provided bonus points, as they each collected major decisions.

Nebraska in the Rankings
As a team, Nebraska is ranked 12th in the USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll, 12th by InterMat and 12th by WIN Magazine. The Huskers are 4-1 on the season, with a 1-1 record in Big Ten duals. NU is 1-0 against ranked opponents, 1-1 at home and 3-0 on the road.

Back Points – Notes on Nebraska’s Starters
Tim Lambert, 125 pounds, Sophomore, Forest Hills, Mich.
• Tim Lambert is 7-4 this season, and holds a 4-1 record in dual competition. He is 0-3 against ranked opponents and 2-0 in Big Ten duals. Lambert has one pin, one technical fall and two major decisions this season.
• Lambert is ranked 17th by InterMat and 17th by WIN Magazine.
• Lambert finished second at the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo.
• Lambert went 24-13 last season on his way to qualifying for the NCAA Championships. He went 2-2 at the national tournament after finishing fifth at the Big Ten Championships.

Eric Montoya, 133 pounds, Sophomore, Albuquerque, N.M.
• Eric Montoya is 7-5 this season, with a 2-3 mark in duals. He is 0-3 against ranked opponents and 0-2 in Big Ten duals. Montoya has one pin, one technical fall and one major decision in 2014-15.
• Montoya took home the 133-pound title at the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo.
• Montoya went 11-2 last season en route to winning Nebraska Redshirt-of-the-Year honors. In 2013, he qualified for the NCAA Championships while wrestling at Campbell University.

Anthony Abidin, 141 pounds, Junior, Dix Hills, N.Y.
• Anthony Abidin is 11-1 this season, and holds a 5-0 record in duals. He is 1-1 against ranked opponents and 2-0 in Big Ten duals. Abidin has one technical fall and eight major decisions this season.
• Abidin is ranked 20th by InterMat and 10th by TheOpenMat.com.
• Abidin won the 141-pound crown at the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo.
• Abidin went 18-3 last season in his first year with the Huskers, which included a 5-0 mark in dual competition. In 2012, while wrestling at Nassau Community College, Abidin won the NJCAA national title at 133 pounds.

Justin Arthur, 149 pounds, Sophomore, Huntington, W.Va.
• Justin Arthur is 12-6 this season, with a 1-4 record in duals. He is 3-2 when facing ranked opponents and 2-0 in Big Ten duals. Arthur has two pins and one major decision in 2014-15.
• Arthur is ranked 20th by WIN Magazine.
• Arthur captured the 149-pound title at the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo., and finished fourth at the Cliff Keen Invitational, Dec. 5-6, in Las Vegas, Nev.
• Arthur competed at Clarion last season, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships and fell one win short of All-America honors. He went 29-16 at 149 pounds for the Golden Eagles.

James Green, 157 pounds, Senior, Willingboro, N.J.
• James Green is 13-1 this season, and holds a 5-0 record in dual competition. He is 3-1 when facing ranked opponents and is 2-0 in Big Ten duals. Green has one pin, six technical falls and three major decisions this season.
• Green is ranked second in the InterMat, WIN Magazine and TheOpenMat.com polls.
• Green won the 157-pound title at the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo., and finished second at the Cliff Keen Invitational, Dec. 5-6, in Las Vegas, Nev.
• Green’s lone loss of the season came in the Cliff Keen Invitational finals to No. 1 Dylan Ness of Minnesota, 4-3.
• Green became the 23rd member of Nebraska’s 100-Win Club with his major decision over Maryland’s Lou Mascola on Nov. 16.
• Green opened his season at the NWCA All-Star Classic in Philadelphia, Pa., where he defeated No. 3 Ian Miller by a 6-4 decision. After the competition, he was named MVP of the Red Team. The win does not count toward his record.
• Green looks to become the second Husker all-time to earn All-America status on four occasions. The title is currently owned by Associate Head Coach Bryan Snyder, who wrestled for the Huskers from 1999 to 2002. Green finished third at the 2014 NCAA Championships after taking seventh during both his sophomore and freshman seasons.
• Green won the 2014 Big Ten title at 157 pounds after finishing second in 2013 and fifth in 2012.

Austin Wilson, 165 pounds, Junior, Hastings, Neb.
• Austin Wilson is 6-5 this season, with a 3-2 record in dual competition. He is 1-3 against ranked opponents and 1-1 in Big Ten duals. Wilson has one pin, one technical fall and two major decisions this season.
• Wilson is ranked 20th by InterMat and 18th by WIN Magazine.
• Wilson is a two-time NCAA qualifier and finished sixth at the 2014 Big Ten Championships. Last season, he went 23-16 after posting a 27-14 record in 2012-13.

Robert Kokesh, 174 pounds, Senior, Wagner, S.D.
• Robert Kokesh is 15-0 on the season, and holds a 5-0 dual record. He is 4-0 when facing ranked opponents, and holds a 2-0 record in Big Ten duals. Kokesh has three pins, two technical falls and three major decisions in 2014-15.
• Kokesh is ranked first in the InterMat, WIN Magazine and TheOpenMat.com polls.
• Kokesh joined Nebraska’s Top 10 Career Victories List (112) with his pin of Maryland’s Josh Snook on Nov. 16.
• Kokesh won the 174-pound title at the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo., and at the Cliff Keen Invitational, Dec. 5-6, in Las Vegas, Nev.
• Kokesh opened his season at the NWCA All-Star Classic in Philadelphia, Pa., where he defeated NAIA No. 1 and three-time national champion Brock Gutches of Southern Oregon by an 8-2 decision. The win does not count toward his record.
• Kokesh is a two-time All-American and member of Nebraska’s 100-Win Club. He finished fourth at the 2014 NCAA Championships after taking third place in 2013.
• Kokesh won the 2014 Big Ten title at 174 pounds after finishing third in both 2013 and 2012.

TJ Dudley, 184 pounds, Sophomore, Irmo, S.C.
• TJ Dudley is 10-4 this season, with a 1-2 dual record. He is 0-4 against ranked opponents and holds an 0-1 record in Big Ten duals. Dudley has three pins and three major decisions this season.
• Dudley is ranked 19th by InterMat.
• Dudley captured the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) crown at 184 pounds on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo., and finished seventh at the Cliff Keen Invitational, Dec. 5-6, in Las Vegas, Nev.
• Dudley went 26-8 last season on his way to qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

Aaron Studebaker, 184 pounds, Sophomore, Raymond, Neb.
• Aaron Studebaker is 14-4 this season, and holds a 2-1 dual record. He is 1-3 against ranked opponents and is 1-1 in Big Ten duals. Studebaker has two pins, four technical falls and one major decision in 2014-15.
• Studebaker finished fifth at the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open on Nov. 2 in Brookings, S.D., took runner-up honors at the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo., and won the 184-pound title at the Bob Smith Open on Dec. 7 in Fort Hays, Kan.
• Studebaker went 24-5 last season, capturing three open tournament titles in the process.

Micah Barnes, 197 pounds, Sophomore, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
• Micah Barnes is 9-7 this season, with a 2-2 mark in dual competition. He is 0-3 against ranked opponents and 1-0 in Big Ten duals. Barnes has three major decisions this season.
• Barnes finished second at the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo.
• Barnes won two open tournament titles last season, posting a 9-1 record in the process.

Spencer Johnson, 197 pounds, Senior, Mountain Lake, Minn.
• Spencer Johnson is 14-2 this season and has competed in four open tournaments. He has seven pins and two major decisions in 2014-15.
• Johnson did not place at the Cowboy Open on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo., but took first place at the Northern Colorado Open (Nov. 15 in Greeley, Colo.), Nebraska-Kearney Holiday Inn Open (Nov. 22 in Kearney, Neb.) and the Bob Smith Open (Dec. 7 in Fort Hays, Kan.).
• Johnson is on a 12-match winning streak since starting the season 2-2.
• Last season, Johnson went 25-8, which included a 3-2 dual record. He collected four top-five tournament finishes.

Collin Jensen, Heavyweight, Sophomore, Mobridge, S.D.
• Collin Jensen is 7-5 this season, and holds a 3-2 dual record. He is 0-3 against ranked opponents, and 1-1 in Big Ten duals. Jensen has four pins this season.
• Jensen is ranked 14th by InterMat, 18th by WIN Magazine and 20th by TheOpenMat.com.
• Jensen tied for third at the Cowboy Open (Elite Division) on Nov. 8 in Laramie, Wyo.
• Jensen went 20-15 last season on his way to a berth in the NCAA Championships.

Keeping an Eye on Nebraska’s Career Records Lists
• Head Coach Mark Manning is nine wins away from becoming the winningest coach in Nebraska wrestling history. The win would also mark the 200th in his time with the Huskers. Manning holds a 191-74-3 record in his 15th season at Nebraska. Former Head Coach Tim Neumann (1985-2000) went 199-77-6 while coaching the Huskers.

• Senior James Green (157) is six wins away from joining Nebraska’s Top 10 Career Victories List. Green holds a career record of 107-18-0 and is a three-time All-American.

• Senior Robert Kokesh (174) is four wins away from joining Nebraska’s Top Five Career Victories List. Kokesh owns a career mark of 120-14-0 and is a two-time All-American.

Sueflohn Out for the Season
Senior Jake Sueflohn (149) will miss the 2014-15 campaign with a torn ACL. Sueflohn is redshirting this season and will have one more year of eligibility. The three-time NCAA qualifier has a career record of 80-24, and holds a dual mark of 37-8.

Tumble N’ Rumble Set for Jan. 9
The second annual Tumble N’ Rumble is scheduled for Nebraska’s Jan. 9 dual against Purdue at the Devaney Center at 7 p.m. The event features wrestling and women’s gymnastics at the same time on the same floor. The gymnastics team faces Lindenwood in its season opener for Tumble N’ Rumble.

Kokesh Ascends to No. 1 at 174 Pounds
Robert Kokesh moved up to No. 1 at 174 pounds in every major NCAA wrestling poll following his first-place finish at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Dec. 5-6. Kokesh, a Wagner, S.D., native, earned the top spot from InterMat, WIN Magazine, TheOpenMat.com and Asics Flo Rankings. He entered the tournament ranked second before reeling off five wins en route to the 174-pound title in Las Vegas, Nev.

Dual Recaps
Wyoming (Nov. 7): Huskers Top Cowboys in Season Opener
No. 7 Nebraska opened its dual season with a 22-13 victory over No. 25 Wyoming at the Wyoming Indoor Practice Facility on Friday, Nov. 7. No. 15 Collin Jensen (HWT), Eric Montoya (133), No. 17 Anthony Abidin (141), No. 2 James Green (157), No. 14 Austin Wilson (165) and No. 2 Robert Kokesh (174) claimed wins for the Huskers. Green pinned Archie Colgan, while Abidin earned a major decision over Cole Mendenhall for bonus points.

Maryland (Nov. 16): Green Earns 100th Career Win as NU Routs Terps
Senior James Green (157) picked up his 100th career victory as No. 7 Nebraska cruised to a 42-3 triumph over Big Ten newcomer Maryland at the NU Coliseum on Sunday, Nov. 16. Four Huskers won by fall against the Terrapins, including No. 14 Tim Lambert (125), No. 16 Austin Wilson (165), No. 2 Robert Kokesh (174) and No. 18 Collin Jensen (HWT). Justin Arthur (149) and Aaron Studebaker (184) each notched major decisions, while No. 15 Anthony Abidin (141) and Micah Barnes (197) each won by decision.

Duke/NC State (Nov. 22): Huskers Sweep Weekend Trip to North Carolina
No. 7 Nebraska took down Duke, 45-3, at Card Gymnasium in Durham, N.C., before holding off NC State by a 16-15 margin at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, N.C., on Saturday, Nov. 22.

The Huskers won nine bouts against the Blue Devils, which included pins from Eric Montoya (133), No. 16 TJ Dudley (184) and No. 15 Collin Jensen (HWT). No. 15 Anthony Abidin (141), No. 2 James Green (157), No. 17 Austin Wilson (165), Micah Barnes (197) also won matches, while No. 14 Tim Lambert (125) and No. 2 Robert Kokesh (174) did not compete because Duke forfeited those matches.

NU split its matches against the Wolfpack, 5-5, but Green’s major decision proved to be the difference in the Huskers’ one-point victory. Lambert, Abidin, Kokesh and Aaron Studebaker (184) also posted victories against NC State wrestlers.

Tournament Recaps
Cowboy Open (Nov. 8): Huskers Win Eight Weight Classes at Cowboy Open
No. 7 Nebraska won eight weight class titles at the Cowboy Open at War Memorial Field House in Laramie, Wyo., on Saturday, Nov. 8. No. 2 James Green (157), No. 2 Robert Kokesh (174), No. 13 TJ Dudley (184), Eric Montoya (133), No. 17 Anthony Abidin (141) and Justin Arthur (149) each captured Elite Division titles. No. 14 Tim Lambert (125) and Micah Barnes (197) each garnered runner-up honors, while No. 15 Collin Jensen and Nyle Bartling tied for third at heavyweight.

In the Amateur Division, Tyler Berger took home the 149-pound crown, while Colton Adams and Hayden Tuma tied for first at 141 pounds. Mitchell Maginnis (125) finished third.

John Svoboda (157), No. 14 Austin Wilson (165) and Spencer Johnson (197) also wrestled for the Huskers at the Cowboy Open.

Cliff Keen Invitational; Las Vegas, Nev. (Dec. 5-6): Kokesh Wins Cliff Keen Invitational Title
Senior All-American Robert Kokesh captured the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational crown at 174 pounds at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Saturday, Dec. 6. Four Huskers placed in the tournament, with senior James Green taking runner-up honors at 157 pounds. Sophomore Justin Arthur (149) notched a fourth-place finish and TJ Dudley (184) finished seventh. Nebraska finished sixth as a team with 89 points.

No. 17 Austin Wilson (165), No. 14 Collin Jensen (HWT), No. 13 Tim Lambert (125), Eric Montoya (133), No. 15 Anthony Abidin (141) and Micah Barnes (197) each competed for the Huskers at the Cliff Keen Invitational, but did not place.

Tracking the Non-Varsity
Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open; Brookings, S.D. (Nov. 2)
Seven Huskers earned spots on the podium at the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open at Frost Arena in Brookings, S.D., on Sunday, Nov. 2. Tyler Berger (149) and Dustin Williams (165), each wrestling unattached, turned in second-place finishes to lead the way. Derek White (3rd at 197 – unattached), Aaron Studebaker (5th at 184), Micah Barnes (5th at 197), Nyle Bartling (5th at HWT) and Colton McCrystal (6th at 141 – unattached) also placed for the Big Red.

Harold Nichols Cyclone Open; Ames, Iowa (Nov. 8)
Freshman Derek White led five Huskers at the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open on Saturday, Nov. 8 with his runner-up finish at 197 pounds. At 149 pounds, junior Tyrell Galloway turned in a sixth-place finish. Sean Murphy (133), Gage Anderson (165) and Eric Engler (184) also competed for the Huskers at the Harold Nichols Open.

Nebraska-Kearney Holiday Inn Open; Kearney, Neb. (Nov. 22)
Sophomore Colton McCrystal (141) and senior Spencer Johnson (197) each won Elite Division titles, while freshman Dustin Williams (165) won an Amateur Division crown at the Nebraska-Kearney Holiday Inn on Saturday, Nov. 22. Freshman Tyler Berger, wrestling unattached, finished third at 149 pounds in the Elite Division. Eric Coufal (Elite 133), Tyrell Galloway (Elite 149), Darrian Schwenke (Amateur 133), Brian Peska (Amateur 133), Aris Shino (Amateur 133), Austin Chauncey (Amateur 157) and Jake Anderson (Amateur 197) also competed for the Huskers at the Nebraska-Kearney Holiday Inn Open.

Bob Smith Open; Fort Hays, Kan. (Dec. 7)
Aaron Studebaker (184) and Spencer Johnson (197) each captured weight class titles at the Bob Smith Open on Sunday, Dec. 7. Brandon Wilbourn also placed, taking third at 165 pounds after a 4-1 performance. Mitchell Maginnis (125), Sean Murphy (133), Aris Shino (133), Eric Coufal (133), Austin Chauncey (157) and Jake Anderson (197) also competed for the Huskers at the Bob Smith Open.

York College Open; York, Neb. (Dec. 13)
Colton McCrystal (141), Tyler Berger (149) and Derek White (197) each won weight class titles in dominating fashion at the York College Open on Saturday, Dec. 13. Brian Peska also competed at the York College Open and posted a 3-2 record at 133 pounds, which included one technical fall and one major decision. All four wrestlers were unattached at the tournament.

Green, Kokesh Win at NWCA All-Star Classic
All-Americans James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) each opened their senior campaign with a victory at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Saturday, Nov. 1 at The Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa.

Kokesh defeated NAIA No. 1 and three-time national champion Brock Gutches of Southern Oregon by an 8-2 decision at 174 pounds, and Green won by a 6-4 decision over No. 3 Ian Miller of Kent State. After the competition, Green was named Most Valuable Wrestler for the Red Team.

Huskers Impress at Intrasquad
Nebraska held its annual Coaches Clinic/Intrasquad event on Friday, Oct. 31 at the Devaney Center, which gave fans their first chance to see the 2014-15 Huskers.
Head Coach Mark Manning 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.

BTN, BTN Plus Giving Huskers Exposure
Nebraska will make one appearance on the Big Ten Network this season, while making five showings on BTN Plus before the Big Ten Championships, March 7-8.

The Huskers’ Jan. 25 dual against Rutgers at the Devaney Center is slated for a noon (CT) start on BTN. NU will welcome the conference newcomer for the third all-time meeting between the two schools.

Nebraska’s first BTN Plus appearance is set for Friday, Jan. 23, when the Huskers face Illinois at 7 p.m., in Champaign, Ill. The dual marks the first of four road matchups to be streamed on BTN Plus. The Huskers’ duals at Northwestern (Jan. 30), at Michigan (Feb. 6) and at Michigan State (Feb. 8) will all be on BTN Plus in addition to NU’s home finale against Stanford on Friday, Feb. 13.

The entire first day of the Big Ten Championships on March 7 in Columbus, Ohio will be streamed on BTN Plus. The start time will be announced at a later date. The final session on Sunday, March 8 at 2 p.m., will be televised on BTN.

Huskers Working Through 2014-15 Slate
Following the Southern Scuffle, the Huskers return home to face Purdue on Friday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. The matchup between the Huskers and Boilermakers marks the first of 10 duals for Nebraska during January and February.

On Friday, Jan. 23, NU journeys to Champaign, Ill., to face Illinois, before returning home to host new Big Ten foe Rutgers on Sunday, Jan. 25 at the Devaney Center. The following weekend, the Huskers make a return to trip to Illinois on Friday, Jan. 30 to face Northwestern in Evanston, before returning home for a Sunday match against Indiana on Feb. 1.

The Huskers head to the Great Lakes State for a pair of duals on the subsequent weekend, as NU faces Michigan on Friday, Feb. 6, before visiting East Lansing, Mich., to wrestle against Michigan State.

Senior Night at the Devaney Center is slated for Friday, Feb. 13, as Nebraska hosts Stanford at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 21, NU will compete against Drexel and Princeton in Philadelphia, Pa., starting at noon.

The Big Ten Championships are scheduled for March 7-8 in Columbus, Ohio, while the NCAA Championships will be March 19-21 in St. Louis, Mo.

Burroughs Takes Bronze at World Championships
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 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Sept. 9.

After his 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.

Green Falls in World Team Trials Finals
James Green (70 kg/154 pounds) advanced to the finals of the Phase II World Team Trials before dropping two matches to Nick Marable on July 24 at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D.

Green, representing Titan Mercury Wrestling Club, won the challenge tournament to earn a spot in the best-of-three championship series for a spot on the U.S. World Team. In the first match against 2014 U.S. Open champion Marable, Green fell by a 2-1 margin. Marable also came out on top in the second match, 8-2.

Gold Medalist Burroughs Hired As Assistant Coach
Head Coach Mark Manning announced the hiring of Husker legend and Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs as an assistant coach for the team on July 11.

“We are pleased to announce Jordan as one of my top assistants,” Manning said. “Jordan is one of the best wrestlers in the world and his accomplishments speak for themselves. We want him to continue to win World and Olympic titles until he completes his career. Jordan and his wife Lauren have made a commitment to be a part of Nebraska Athletics for a very long time. I along with the wrestlers and staff are glad to have the influence, mentorship and knowledge that Jordan brings to Nebraska wrestling. He has been a part of Nebraska wrestling for the last eight years and will continue to be a tremendous ambassador for the University of Nebraska.”

Burroughs previously served on the Nebraska wrestling staff as an administrative assistant for the 2012-13 season. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in sociology in May 2011.

“This is a huge stepping stone for my career and for Nebraska wrestling,” Burroughs said. “These are great facilities, people and tradition, and I’m extremely happy to continue to be a part of it. Now I get to look at things from the inside-out, whereas before it was from the outside-in. I want us to win team championships.”

Green Takes Silver at University Worlds
James Green earned the silver medal at 70 kg/154 pounds in the men’s freestyle division of the University World Championships in Pecs, Hungary on July 9.

Green (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC) opened the day with an 11-1 victory over Finland’s Jere Kunnas in the quarterfinals before taking down Russia’s Shamil Magomedov, 8-4, in the semifinals. In the finals, Evgheni Nedealco of Moldova pinned Green.

This year’s competition marked the second consecutive year that Green competed in the University World Championships. Last summer Green posted a 1-1 record in Kazan, Russia.

Ex-Husker Raschke Inducted into Hall of Fame
Former Husker wrestler Jim Raschke was one of four men inducted into the Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions on Oct. 18 at the Kennedy Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

In addition to Raschke, the fifth induction class included Jim Burke (posthumous), Brad Rheingans and Jim Martinez. The Martinez Family received the Legacy Award and Dave Curby was given the Alan Rice Leadership Award.

Raschke lettered for Nebraska from 1960 to 1962, and captured the 1962 Big Eight title at heavyweight. After his collegiate career, Raschke became the second American to win a medal at the Greco-Roman World Championships when he finished third at heavyweight in 1963. In 1965, he became a worldwide interservice wrestling champion for the U.S. Army. While in high school, Raschke won the 1958 Nebraska Class A state crown at heavyweight while wrestling at Omaha North.

Raschke joined former Huskers Rulon Gardner and Matt Lindland in the prestigious Greco-Roman Hall of Fame. The four inductees for 2014 increased the Hall of Fame total to 14 wrestlers.

Ex-Husker Scherr Collects USA Wrestling Honor
Former Husker wrestler Bill Scherr earned USA Wrestling’s Myron Roderick Man-of-the-Year Award on June 19, an accolade that recognizes an outstanding man for his contributions to the sport of wrestling.

Scherr served a pivotal role in keeping wrestling as an Olympic sport, as he chaired the Committee for the Preservation of Olympic Wrestling (CPOW). In the position, Scherr developed the working structure of CPOW, ran weekly conference calls to help with CPOW’s strategy, oversaw the international relations area of CPOW and served as a spokesman for the organization.

Scherr has served on USA Wrestling’s Board of Directors and coached numerous teams, including the Women’s World Team. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1998 as a distinguished member after achieving success on the international level.

Scherr made one Olympic appearance, capturing the bronze medal at 220 pounds in 1988. At the FILA World Championships, Scherr earned four medals from 1985 to 1989. He took first place at 198 pounds in 1985, while earning runner-up finishes in 1986 and 1989, and a third-place result at the 1987 World Championships.

While at Nebraska, Scherr capped his impressive career with the NCAA title at 190 pounds in 1984. The three-time All-American earned a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships in 1983 and finished fourth in 1982. Scherr completed his career at Nebraska (1981-84) with a record of 133-18.

Scherr’s brother Jim, also a former wrestler at Nebraska, took home USA Wrestling’s Man of the Year Award in 1994. In addition, former Huskers Jordan Burroughs (2012) and Rulon Gardner (2000) have earned the accolade.

Husker Wrestling on Social Media
Nebraska wrestling can be followed on a variety of social media platforms for up-to-date team information as well as features on wrestlers:

• Twitter: @HuskerWrestling (www.twitter.com/HuskerWrestling)
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/NebraskaWrestling
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/HuskerWrestling
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/HuskerWrestling
• Flowrestling: www.flowrestling.org/user/NEwrestle

Next Up: Purdue (Tumble N’ Rumble)
The Huskers return home to face Purdue on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Devaney Center as part of Tumble N’ Rumble with the women’s gymnastics team. The event, which features both sports on the same floor at the same time, is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

#getjacked

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Walsh Guaranteed Top 6 at Midlands

Courtesy Rider Sports Information

Tue, December 30, 2014

Photo courtesy of Neil Davis

Chad Walsh 5-1 so far at Midlands

College Wrestling

Rider Currently 11^th of 59 at Midlands-Day Two

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS—The Rider Broncs, ranked 10^th in the nation by InterMat, are currently in 11^thplace, competing in the 52^nd Ken Kraft Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern Illinois.

On Tuesday, the Broncs have won two of their first five matches, and only one Bronc remains, red-shirt freshman Chad Walsh (Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic), who is 5-1 at the most prestigious wrestling tournament in the nation.

In consolations on Tuesday, Walsh defeated T.C. Warner of Old Dominion 3-2 and the ninth seed, Brandon Zeerip of Eastern Michigan, 4-3 in overtime. Walsh will now finish third, fourth, fifth or sixth.

On Monday Walsh lost in the quarterfinals to the fifth seed after winning his first three matches, two by fall.

Junior Rob Deutsch (Cherry Hill, NJ/Eastern Regional) went 3-2 as the eighth seed, In consolations Tuesday Deutsch was tied 2-2 before being pinned in the third period by the tenth seed, Kevin Norestrem of Virginia Tech. On Monday Deutsch lost 4-3 in the third round to the ninth seed. He then won twice in consolations, including a pin.

Senior Clint Morrison (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) went 3-2. In consolations Tuesday Morrison was injured during his consolation match with the fifth seed, Ricky Robertson of Wisconsin. On Monday Morrison, the 10^th seed at 184, won twice in consolations. Morrison lost 5-2 to the seventh seed in the second round after a first round win.

Freshman B.J. Clagon (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) went 2-2. In consolations on Tuesday Clagon lost in overtime, 2-1 to the seventh seed, Alexande Richardson of Old Dominion. On Monday Clagon lost in the quarterfinals on a tie breaker 2-1 to the top seed. The eighth seed at 149, Clagon won by pin in just 24 seconds in the third round. In the second round Clagon won by a major decision after receiving a first-round bye.

Rider senior Chuck Zeisloft (Woodbury Heights, NJ/Gateway) went 2-2, losing in the third round on a tie-breaker. Junior Greg Velasco (Union Beach, NJ/Keyport) went 2-2 at heavyweight. Junior Conor Brennan (Brick, NJ/Brick Twp.) finished 1-1 before withdrawing due to injury. Sophomore Ryan Wolfe (New Castle, Del./Caravel Academy) went 1-2. Senior Donald McNeil (Plainville, Mass./Wyoming Seminary), the 11^th seed at 197 and placed at Midlands last year, went 1-2. Sophomore J.R. Wert (Christiansburg, Va./Christiansburg), the 12^th seed at 125,went 1-2.

The Broncs won 19 of 34 matches on Monday.

The Broncs placed 15^th of 47 teams at Midlands last year, 16^th in 2008 and 12^th in 2007.

-ru-

Click here to view as a web page.

For Immediate Release:

From Brown University Athletic Communications

December 30, 2014

Brown Wrestling Lands Two Placers at Midlands Championships

Release Link: http://brownbears.com/sports/m-wrestl/2014-15/releases/201412300iavwk

EVANSTON, Ill. – Sophomore Justin Staudenmayer finished in fifth place at 157 lbs., and senior Billy Watterson came in sixth place at 125 lbs. to lead Brown University wrestling on the second and final day of the 52^ndAnnual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on Tuesday at Northwestern University’s Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Seeded third and ranked 18^th nationally, Staudenmayer (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) edged Maryland’s Louis Mascola in the fifth-place bout, 4-3. Earlier in the day, he fell to second-seeded and 14^th-ranked Cody Pack of South Dakota St. in the semifinals, 5-1, and conceded a 4-1 decision to fourth-seeded Chad Walsh of Rider in a tiebreaker period in consolation action.

Staudenmayer has placed for the Bears at all four of the team’s events thus far this season. He came in second at the East Stroudsburg Open, first at the Navy Classic, and fourth at the Cliff Keen Invitational.

Watterson (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) won two bouts in the second day of competition to reach the fifth-place match. The No. 11 seed at 125 pounds, Watterson topped No. 7 seed Shayne Wireman of Eastern Michigan and then beat Binghamton’s David White, 2-1. He fell to No. 4 seed Stevan Micic of Northwestern before dropping a 9-2 decision to third-seeded and 14^th-ranked Joshua Rodriguez of North Dakota St. in the fifth-place bout.

As the only other Bear in competition on day two, senior Ophir Bernstein (Allen, Texas), seeded sixth at 184 lbs. and ranked 13^th, fell to No. 9 seed and 20^th-ranked Nikko Reyes of Illinois in consolation competition.

With 28.0 points as a team, Brown ranked 20^th out of 59 teams at the conclusion of the team’s competition.

Next, Brown competes at the Franklin & Marshall Open in Lancaster, Pa., on Saturday.

Friday Recap

Staudenmayer won four consecutive bouts to advance to the semifinals in the 157-pound weight class at day one of the Midlands Championships on Monday.

Staudenmayer began his day with a 2-0 victory over Princeton’s Kevin Moylan. He then defeated Northwestern’s Benjamin Sullivan, 6-2, and topped Indiana’s Alex Gregory, 3-2. In the quarterfinals, Staudenmayer outlasted sixth-seeded Reece Lefever of Wabash College, 3-2, in the first tiebreaker period.

Watterson and Bernstein reached the quarterfinals of their weight classes, 125 pounds and 184 pounds, respectively.

Watterson defeated Columbia’s Penn Gottfried and bested Maryland’s Josh Polacek, 7-3, in a tiebreaker session to make it to the quarterfinals before falling to third-seeded and 14^th-ranked Joshua Rodriguez of North Dakota St.

Bernstein opened action with a 9-4 triumph over Mitch Sliga of Northwestern. He followed with a 7-6 win over Riley Lefever of Wabash prior to succumbing to third-seeded and eighth-ranked Sam Brooks of Iowa, 12-3, in the quarters.

Senior Ricky McDonald (Carson City, Nev.) won a bout at 174 lbs. over Conner Lefever of Wabash, 3-2, while sophomore Steven Galiardo (Chicago, Ill.) captured a major decision win at 149 pounds – 10-2 over Columbia’s Connor Sutton. Freshmen Brendan O’Connor (Monroe, Mich.) and Austin Pfarr (Marysville, Ohio) competed for the Bears at 133 and 197 pounds respectively.

Through quarterfinal action, Brown ranked tied for 18^th out of 59 competing teams with 18.0 points as a team.

Brown Results:

125 Pounds

No. 11 Seed Billy Watterson

Day One

Defeats Penn Gottfried (Columbia), injury forfeit

Defeats Josh Polacek (Maryland), 7-3 (TB-1)

No. 3 Seed/No. 14 Ranked Joshua Rodriguez (North Dakota State) defeats Watterson, 6-1 (Quarterfinals)

Day Two

Defeats No. 7 Seed Shayne Wireman (Eastern Michigan) by forfeit

Defeats David White (Binghamton), 2-1

No. 4 Seed Stevan Micic (Northwestern, Unattached) defeats Watterson by major decision, 15-3

No. 3 Seed/No. 14 Ranked Joshua Rodriguez (N.D. St.) defeats Watterson, 9-2 (Fifth-Place Bout)

133 Pounds

Brendan O’Connor

No. 12 Seed Dominick Malone (Northwestern) defeats O’Connor, Fall 2:40

Brance Simms (South Dakota St.) defeats O’Connor by major decision, 22-8

149 Pounds

Steven Galiardo (Unattached)

No. 1 Seed/No. 1 Ranked Jason Tsirtis (Northwestern) defeats Galiardo by major decision, 11-3

Defeats Connor Sutton (Columbia) by major decision, 10-2

Gustavo Martinez (Grand View U.) defeats Galiardo, 3-2

157 Pounds

No. 3 Seed/No. 18 Ranked Justin Staudenmayer

Day One

Defeats Kevin Moylan (Princeton, unattached), 2-0

Defeats Benjamin Sullivan (Northwestern), 6-2

Defeats Alex Gregory (Indiana), 3-2

Defeats No. 6 Seed Reece Lefever (Wabash College, Unattached), 3-2 (TB-1) (Quarterfinals)

Day Two

No. 2 Seed/No. 14 Ranked Cody Pack (South Dakota St.) defeats Staudenmayer, 5-1 (Semifinals)

No. 4 Seed Chad Walsh (Rider) defeats Staudenmayer, 4-1 (TB-1)

Defeats Louis Mascola (Maryland), 4-3 (Fifth-Place Bout)

174 Pounds

Ricky McDonald

Defeats Conner Lefever (Wabash College, Unattached), 3-2

No. 4 Seed Brock Gutches (Southern Oregon) defeats McDonald, Fall 2:29

Josef Johnson (Harvard) defeats McDonald, 3-2

184 Pounds

No. 6 Seed/No. 13 Ranked Ophir Bernstein

Day One

Defeats Mitch Sliga (Northwestern), 9-4

Defeats Riley Lefever (Wabash, Unattached), 7-6

No. 3 Seed/No. 8 Ranked Sam Brooks (Iowa) defeats Bernstein by major decision, 12-3 (Quarterfinals)

Day Two

No. 9 Seed/No. 20 Ranked Nikko Reyes (Illinois) defeats Bernstein, Fall 0:34

197 Pounds

Austin Pfarr

No. 5 Seed/No. 13 Ranked Nathan Rotert (South Dakota St.) defeats Pfarr by major decision, 10-2

Ian Solcz (Davidson) defeats Pfarr, 3-1

####

—

Nick Dow

Athletic Communications Assistant

Brown University

Email: nicholas_dow@brown.edu

Office: 401-863-6069

Cell: 781-812-7991

Dec. 30, 2014

University of Iowa Wrestling

Wrestling contact: Chris Brewer

Iowa Crowns 4 Champions, Collects Tournament Record

The Hawkeyes collect four individual titles and set tournament points record at the 52^nd Midlands Championships

EVANSTON, Illinois — The University of Iowa wrestling team won four individual titles and scored a tournament-record 189.0 points to win the 52^nd annual Midlands Championships on Tuesday night.

The Hawkeyes’ 189 team points broke their previous record of 187.5, set in 2013. Illinois was a distant second with 130.5, followed by Northwestern (106), Edinboro (101) and Virginia Tech (99.5). Iowa has won a record 24 Midlands team titles.

Iowa crowned four champions — Cory Clark, Mike Evans, Nathan Burak, Bobby Telford — for the first time since 2007, when Joe Slaton, Dan LeClere, Mark Perry, and Brent Metcalf all earned first place finishes at their respective weights.

No. 3 seeded Clark took the 133 title after advancing to the finals for the first time in three trips to the Midlands Championships. He previously collected a fourth-place finish in 2012 and a sixth-place finish in 2013. Clarkimproves his overall record to 14-0 after this championship win.

“It felt good to have a first-place performance instead of a sixth and previous year fourth, so it’s a big jump for me, especially going up a weight,” Clark said. “At the same time, all this tournament is for me is a learning experience and I’ve learned a lot.”

Evans defended his championship at 174 after a 2-1 victory over the No. 2 seed Zac Bruson from Illinois. Evans is the first repeat champion since Brent Metcalf won three straight titles from 2007-2009.

Iowa 197-pounder Nathan Burak, seeded first and wrestling unattached, collected his first Midlands Championship title. He took on the sixth-seeded Timmy McCall (Wisconsin) in the finals and clinched the match with a takedown in the final seconds to win, 4-3. Burak previously came in third during his first appearance and his all-time Midlands record stands at 10-1.

Bobby Telford, the No. 2 seed at 285, walked away with a first-place finish after a battle with the top-seeded Mike McMullan of Northwestern. The pair had met five times previously and Telford improved upon his 2011 and 2013 second-place finishes.

“It’s a big win,” Telford said. “I’ve been in this situation three times, I’ve gotten second twice and that kind of lingers with a guy. It was my last chance at it and it was my last chance to get the feather in my hat with a Midlands championship.”

Thomas Gilman, the defending champion at 125, fell to the second-seeded Joey Dance from Virginia Tech, 3-1, in the second sudden-victory period. It was Gilman’s first loss of the season, tallying a record of 14-1 overall.

The Hawkeyes also closed out the Midlands Championships with four third-place finishes. Sixth-seeded Brandon Sorenson (149), No. 5 seed Michael Kelly (157), No. 10 seed Alex Meyer (174), and No. 3 seed Sammy Brooks (184) each won their consolation finalsmatches.

Josh Dziewa (141) and Nick Moore (165) both collected fourth-place finishes at the Midlands. Dziewa was defeated by the No. 10 seed Joseph McKenna (Lehigh-unattached), in a 3-1 decision. Moore ultimately fell to fourth-seeded Jackson Morse (Illinois) in a 5-2 decision.

Iowa returns to action on Jan. 2 at Rutgers. The dual is set to begin at 7 p.m. (CT) and is televised on BTN. The Hawkeyes then travel to Ohio State to compete Jan. 4 at 1 p.m. (CT).

FINALS RESULTS (# indicates tournament seed)

125 – #2 Joey Dance (Virginia Tech) sudden victory #1 Thomas Gilman (IA), 3-1

133 – #3 Cory Clark (IA) dec. #4 Zane Richards (Illinois), 4-2

174 – #1 Mike Evans (IA) dec. #2 Zac Brunson (Illinois), 2-1

197 – #1 Nathan Burak (IA-unat.) dec. #6 Timmy McCall (Wisconsin), 4-3

285 – #2 Bobby Telford (IA) dec. #1 Mike McMullan (Northwestern), 4-2

THIRD-PLACE RESULTS

141 – #10 Joseph McKenna (Lehigh-unat.) dec. #3 Josh Dziewa (IA), 3-1

149 – #6 Brandon Sorenson (IA) dec. #10 Sal Mastriani (Virginia Tech), 6-0

157 – #5 Mike Kelly (IA) dec. #4 Chad Walsh (Rider), 4-3

165 – #4 Jackson Morse (Illinois) dec. #2 Nick Moore (IA),5-2

174 – #10 Alex Meyer (IA) major dec. Josh Snook ( Maryland), 13-5

184 – #3 Sammy Brooks (IA) dec. #4 Hayden Zillmer (N. Dakota St.), 3-1

FIFTH-PLACE RESULTS

149 – #4 Brody Grothus (IA) forfeited to #3 Rick Durso (Franklin and Marshall- unattached)

For Immediate Release | Dec. 30, 2014 | Contact: Taylor Miller (taylor.miller11@okstate.edu)

Cowboy Wrestling to Kick Off New Year at Southern Scuffle

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State’s wrestling team travels to Chattanooga, Tenn., this week to compete at the Southern Scuffle on Jan. 1-2. The Cowboys boast three No. 1 seeds and eight other seeded wrestlers entering the tournament.

The Cowboys and Penn State’s Nittany Lions lead the way with 11 seeded wrestlers each.

“It’s good to get the team back together for this event,” coach John Smith said. “We haven’t had the team together since Bedlam in early December. This is a tournament that is going to test us, and I look forward to seeing how it’s going to work out for us. We had some good training over the holidays. I‘d like to see a lot of success at this event, but we’re going to have to earn it, that’s for sure.”

Owning top-seeded spots at their respective weight classes are 2014 NCAA finalist Josh Kindig (149), NCAA champion Alex Dieringer (165) and All-American Austin Marsden (285).

Seeded No. 5 at 184 pounds is sophomore Nolan Boyd, who is fresh off a championship and Outstanding Wrestler performance at the Reno Tournament of Champions.

Eddie Klimara will be seeded sixth at 125 pounds. The tournament will mark the first time since Dec. 7 that the junior has competed.

The Pokes have two seeded at 174 pounds in Jordan Rogers, the No. 7-seed, and Kyle Crutchmer, the No. 9 seed.

Ohio natives Dean Heil and Anthony Collica enter the tournament with the No. 8 seeds at 141 pounds and 157 pounds, respectively. Both Cowboys earned titles at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 21.

True freshmen Gary Wayne Harding (133) and Chandler Rogers (165) are the No. 12 seeds of their brackets. Rogers will compete unattached, while Harding will burn his redshirt this week.

Also competing for the Cowboys is Brian Crutchmer (133), Davey Dolan (149), Chris Koo (157), Austin Schafer and Luke Bean (197). Wrestling unattached, in addition to Rogers, is Chance Marsteller.

Competition is set to begin at 9 a.m. ET on Jan. 1. Fans can follow the action with live scoring on trackwrestling.com and live video on flowrestling.org.

Quartet of Blue Devils Among Scuffle Preseeds

December 30, 2014

DURHAM, N.C.—The preseeds for the 2015 Defense Soap and Flips Wrestling Southern Scuffle have been announced and a quartet of Blue Devils are among the 120 wrestlers seeded across the 10 weight divisions. Wrestling is Jan. 1-2 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena.

Redshirt junior Conner Hartmann leads the group as the No. 3 seed at 197 pounds. Redshirt seniors Brandon Gambucci and Immanuel Kerr-Brown are both 12th at 141 and 157, respectively, and sophomore Jacob Kasper rounds out the group at 10th at 184 pounds.

Missouri’s NCAA Champion J’Den Cox is tops at 197 pounds. Cox bested Hartmann 5-1 in the NCAA Championships a year ago. Also among the seeded wrestlers in Hartmann’s division are ACC foes Nick Bonnacorsi of Pittsburgh and Zach Nye of Virginia. Hartmann went 3-0 against Bonnarcorsi a year ago and lost to Nye in triple overtime last season.

Kasper is one of three ACC wrestlers seeded at 184 after a successful showing at the Grapple at the Garden. The Lexington, Ohio native is 12-3 overall on the year and has faced three of remaining 11 seeded wrestlers, including No. 2 Max Thomusseit of Pittsburgh.

Ranked 17th in the most recent InterMat rankings, Kerr-Brown heads into the Southern Scuffle with an 11-2 record. He will have potential rematches with NC State’s Tommy Gantt as the No. 11 seed and top-ranked James Green.

Gambucci, wrestling up at 141 pounds in his final season, also is one of three ACC wrestlers among the preseeds. He is 7-3 on the year and has faced just one of other 11 seeds this season in No. 6 Anthony Abidin of Nebraska.

The Blue Devils finished 24th of 34 teams at the 2014 Southern Scuffle. Live scoring is available from Track Wrestling and live video will be provided via Flowrestling.

#GoDuke

For Immediate Release: Dec. 30, 2014

SID Contact: Paul Hurd, C: 563.571.0118; O: 217.300.1449

Link: http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-wrestl/recaps/123014aab.html

FIGHTING ILLINI WRESTLING

#9 Illini Finish Second at Midlands Championships

Isaiah Martinez wins 157-pound title

EVANSTON, Ill. – The Fighting Illini finished second at the 2014 Midlands Championships, tallying 130.5 points, behind only Iowa and its record 189 points. Seven Illinois grapplers garnered place-winner honors, led by Isaiah Martinez who took the crown at 157 pounds. Zane Richards (133) and Zac Brunson (174) advanced to the championships bout in their respective weight classes, earning runner-up honors after falling in the finals. Jackson Morse (165) finished third, while Steven Rodrigues (141), Nikko Reyes (184) and Jeff Koepke (197) finished sixth.

Martinez started the day with 16-5 major decision over Iowa’s Mike Kelly in the semifinals. In the 157-pound championship match, Martinez faced off with South Dakota State’s Cody Pack. Martinez recorded two first-period takedowns, but Pack escaped from each, holding Martinez to a 4-2 lead. Martinez started down in the second period, escaping to earn a 5-2 lead. Pack chose down in the final period and escaped, but not before Martinez racked up the riding time. Martinez won the bout, 6-3, giving him his first Midlands Championships title of his career.

Richards’ day began with a 1-0 win over top-ranked A.J. Schopp of Edinboro to advance to the championship match. In the 133-pound final, Richards faced off with Iowa’s Cory Clark. After a scoreless first period, Clark took a 1-0 lead with an escape in the second period. Richards matched Clark’s escape with one of his own, tying the match at 1-1. Clark recorded another takedown to take a 3-1, but Richards was able to escape to make it 3-2. Richards was unable to record a takedown of his own, dropping the bout, 4-2, after Clark was awarded a point for riding time.

Brunson began the day with an 8-0 major decision over Northwestern’s Johnny Sebastian in the semifinals, advancing to the 174-pound championship bout where he faced Iowa’s Mike Evans. Brunson and Evans produced a scoreless first period in the final, but a Brunson escape in the second gave him a 1-0 lead heading into the final period. Brunson started on top of Evans in the last period, but Evans rolled into a reversal and rode out Brunson to earn the 2-1 win.

Morse began the day with a loss to eventually champion Taylor Walsh of Indiana in the 165-pound semifinals, falling to the consolation bracket. Morse battled back to take third, beating CSU Bakerfield’s Adam Fierro and Iowa’s Nick Moore in the process.

After advancing to the semifinal, Rodrigues dropped the bout to Virginia Tech’s Devan Carter, 15-6, falling to the consolation bracket. Rodrigues lost in the consolation semifinals to Joseph McKenna of Lehigh Valley Athletic Club, 8-3, before dropping the fifth-place match to Old Dominion’s Chris Mecate, 6-2.

Reyes wrestled all day in the consolation bracket after dropping a match in Monday’s second round. After the loss, Reyes won four consecutive matches, before dropping decisions in the consolation semifinals and the fifth-place match.

Koepke began his day in the championship semifinals, dropping a 5-3 decision to Wisconsin’s Timmy McCall. In the consolation semifinals, Koepke fell to Alex Polizzi of Northwestern, 4-1, before falling to Princeton’s Abe Ayala in the fifth-place match, 5-3.

The Illini will return to action at the friendly confines of Huff Hall on Jan. 9 when they welcome Big Ten newcomer Rutgers to town. Action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CT.

Midlands Results for Illinois
133 – Jered Cortez (Unattached)
Champ. Round 1 – Cortez received a bye.

Champ. Round 2 – Cortez won by decision over Alonzo Shepherd (Indiana) (Dec 6-1)

Champ. Round 3 – Cory Clark (Iowa) won by decision over Cortez (Dec 6-2)

Cons. Round 4 – Cortez won by decision over Chase Zemenak (Bloomsburg – Unattached) (Dec 9-3)

Cons. Round 5 – Caleb Richardson (Penn) won by decision over Cortez (Dec 2-1)

Cortez eliminated

133 – Zane Richards

Champ. Round 1 – Richards received a bye

Champ. Round 2 – Richards won by fall over Michael Hayes (Old Dominion) (Fall 1:53)

Champ. Round 3 – Richards won by decision over Ian Nickell (CSU Bakersfield) (Dec 8-4)

Quarterfinal – Richards won by major decision over Geoffrey Alexander (Maryland) (Maj 12-1)

Semifinal – Richards won by decision over A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) (Dec 1-0)

1st Place Match – Cory Clark (Iowa) won by decision over Richards (Dec 4-2)

Richards – 2^nd place

141 – Logan Arlis

Champ. Round 1 – Todd Preston (Harvard) won in tie breaker – 1 over Arlis (TB-1 3-2)

Cons. Round 1 – Arlis received a bye

Cons. Round 2 – Arlis won by decision over Ryan Ponte (Columbia) (Dec 6-0)

Cons. Round 3 – Arlis won by decision over Jameston Oster (Northwestern) (Dec 5-1)

Cons. Round 4 – Arlis won by decision over Nick Lawrence (Purdue) (Dec 3-2)

Cons. Round 5 – Tommy Thorn (Minnesota – Unattached) won by decision over Arlis (Dec 6-1)

Arlis eliminated

141 – Steven Rodrigues

Champ. Round 1 – Rodrigues won by fall over Carter McElhany (Air Force) (Fall 5:00)

Champ. Round 2 – Rodrigues won in sudden victory – 1 over Kyle Springer (Eastern Michigan) (SV-1 10-8)

Champ. Round 3 – Rodrigues won by major decision over Jeff Canfora (Penn) (Maj 12-3)

Quarterfinal – Rodrigues won by decision over Josh Dziewa (Iowa) (Dec 3-1)

Semifinal – Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) won by major decision over Rodrigues (Maj 15-6)
Cons. Semi – Joseph McKenna (Lehigh Valley Athletic Club) won by decision over Rodrigues (Dec 8-3)
5th Place Match – Chris Mecate (Old Dominion) won by decision over Rodrigues (Dec 6-2)

Rodrigues – 6^th place

141 – Brock Ervin (Unattached)

Champ. Round 1 – Ervin received a bye

Champ. Round 2 – Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) won by tech. fall over Ervin (TF4 25-10)

Cons. Round 2 – Ervin won by major decision over Andrew Lenzi (Penn) (Maj 12-4)

Cons. Round 3 – Ervin won by medical forfeit over Tyson Dippery (Rutgers) (MFF)

Cons. Round 4 – Ervin won by fall over Chuck Zeisloft (Rider) (Fall 4:41)

Cons. Round 5 – Ervin won by decision over Lucas Zilverberg (South Dakota State) (Dec 12-5)

Cons. Round 6 – Josh Dziewa (Iowa) won by major decision over Ervin (Maj 9-1)

Ervin eliminated

149 – Kyle Langenderfer

Champ. Round 1 – Langenderfer won by decision over Zachary Stepan (Air Force) (Dec 8-4)

Champ. Round 2 – Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) won by decision over Langenderfer (Dec 3-1)

Cons. Round 2 – Langenderfer won by decision over Kevin Laubach (Bloomsburg) (Dec 8-1)

Cons. Round 3 – Langenderfer won by fall over Tyler Cowger (Southern Oregon) (Fall 3:12)

Cons. Round 4 – Tyler Ponte (Columbia) won by fall over Langenderfer (Fall 4:22)

Langenderfer eliminated

157 – Isaiah Martinez

Champ. Round 1 – Martinez received a bye

Champ. Round 2 – Martinez won by tech fall over Luke Blanton (Indiana) (TF 18-2)

Champ. Round 3 – Martinez won by injury default over Austin Eads (Old Dominion) (Inj. 5:44)

Quarterfinal – Martinez won by major decision over Brandon Zeerip (Eastern Michigan) (Maj 24-10)

Semifinal – Martinez won by major decision over Mike Kelly (Iowa) (Maj 16-5)

1st Place Match – Martinez won by decision over Cody Pack (South Dakota State) (Dec 6-3)

Martinez – 1^st place

165 – Jackson Morse

Champ. Round 1 – Morse won by tech fall over Justin Samora (Adams State) (TF 16-0)

Champ. Round 2 – Morse won by decision over Devan Marry (Eastern Michigan) (Dec 5-0)

Champ. Round 3 – Morse won by decision over Shaun`Qae McMurtry (Northern Illinois) (Dec 7-1)

Quarterfinal – Morse won by major decision over Jimmie Schuessler (Grand View) (Maj 13-1)

Semifinal – Taylor Walsh (Indiana) won by fall over Morse (Fall 0:47)

Cons. Semi – Morse won by decision over Adam Fierro (CSU Bakersfield) (Dec 5-1)

3rd Place Match – Morse won by decision over Nick Moore (Iowa) (Dec 5-2)

Morse – 3^rd place

165 – Emery Parker

Champ. Round 1 – Parker received a bye

Champ. Round 2 – Tristan Warner (Old Dominion) won by decision over Parker (Dec 4-0)

Cons. Round 2 – Parker received a bye

Cons. Round 3 – Parker won by decision over Matt Lemanowicz (Missouri) (Dec 13-9)

Cons. Round 4 – Parker won by decision over Casey Fuller (Edinboro) (Dec 12-6)

Cons. Round 5 – Tyrel White (Columbia) won by decision over Parker (Dec 5-4)

Parker eliminated

165 – Matt Nora

Champ. Round 1 – Nora won by decision over Andrew Hoselton (Purdue) (Dec 5-0)

Champ. Round 2 – Adam Fierro (CSU Bakersfield) won by major decision over Nora (Maj 11-3)

Cons. Round 2 – Nora won by decision over John Nething II (South Dakota State) (Dec 5-4)

Cons. Round 3 – Nora won by decision over David Bergida (Virginia Tech) (Dec 3-1)

Cons. Round 4 – Shaun`Qae McMurtry (Northern Illinois) won by fall over Nora (Fall 5:00)

Nora eliminated

174 – Zac Brunson

Champ. Round 1 – Brunson received a bye

Champ. Round 2 – Brunson won by tech fall over Garett Stehley (Lehigh) (TF 19-4)

Champ. Round 3 – Brunson won by decision over Patrick Jennings (Edinboro) (Dec 3-0)

Quarterfinal – Brunson won by major decision over Frank Cousins (Wisconsin) (Maj 11-3)

Semifinal – Brunson won by major decision over Johnny Sebastian (Northwestern – Unattached) (Maj 8-0)

1st Place Match – Mike Evans (Iowa) won by decision over Brunson (Dec 2-1)

Brunson – 2^nd place

184 – Nikko Reyes

Champ. Round 1 – Reyes won by fall over Michael Curby (Eastern Michigan) (Fall 2:20)

Champ. Round 2 – Vic Avery (Edinboro) won by decision over Reyes (Dec 3-2)

Cons. Round 2 – Reyes won by decision over Scott Patrick (Davidson) (Dec 4-1)

Cons. Round 3 – Reyes won by decision over Ryan McWatters (Southern Oregon) (Dec 7-6)

Cons. Round 4 – Reyes won by fall over Ophir Bernstein (Brown) (Fall 0:34)

Cons. Round 5 – Reyes won by decision over Brett Harner (Princeton) (Dec 5-4)

Cons. Semi – Hayden Zillmer (North Dakota State) won by decision over Reyes (Dec 4-0)

5th Place Match – Vic Avery (Edinboro) won by decision over Reyes (Dec 3-2)

Reyes – 6^th place

197 – Jeff Koepke

Champ. Round 1 – Koepke received a bye

Champ. Round 2 – Koepke won by major decision over Parker Hines (Air Force) (Maj 12-4)

Champ. Round 3 – Koepke won by decision over Thomas Petersen (North Dakota State) (Dec 5-3)

Quarterfinal – Koepke won in sudden victory – 1 over Ruben Franklin (CSU Bakersfield) (SV-1 3-1)

Semifinal – Timmy McCall (Wisconsin) won by decision over Koepke (Dec 5-3)
Cons. Semi – Alex Polizzi (Northwestern) won by decision over Koepke (Dec 4-1)
5th Place Match – Abe Ayala (Princeton) won by decision over Koepke (Dec 5-3)

Koepke – 6^th place

285 – Chris Lopez

Champ. Round 1 – Lopez won in tie breaker – 1 over Conan Jennings (Northwestern – Unattached) (TB-1 6-5)

Champ. Round 2 – Garret Goldman (Indiana) won by decision over Lopez (Dec 5-2)

Cons. Round 2 – Lopez received a bye

Cons. Round 3 – Lopez won by decision over Sean Twigg (Maryland) (Dec 6-1)

Cons. Round 4 – Dan Garwood (Virginia Tech) won by decision over Lopez (Dec 3-2)

Lopez eliminated

Midlands 285 – Brooks Black

Champ. Round 1 – Black received a bye

Champ. Round 2 – Garrett Ryan (Columbia) won by decision over Black (Dec 3-1)

Cons. Round 2 – Black received a bye

Cons. Round 3 – Black won by decision over Fletcher Miller (Indiana) (Dec 3-0)

Cons. Round 4 – Black won by fall over Gage Hutchison (Eastern Michigan) (Fall 5:24)

Cons. Round 5 – Garret Goldman (Indiana) won in tie breaker – 1 over Black (TB-1 2-1)

Black eliminated

– ILLINI –

Paul Hurd
Athletic Communications Intern
Division of Intercollegiate Athletics | University of Illinois

SID Contact: XC, Track & Field, Wrestling, Swimming & Diving
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For Immediate Release
Contact: Michael Benson
Phone: (815) 753-9538

Shawn Scott Claims Eighth at Midlands Championships
Scott defeats long-time rival Kevin Beazley of Old Dominion to earn spot on the podium

EVANSTON, Ill. – Redshirt sophomore Shawn Scott (Holly, Mich./Holly) earned an eighth-place finish at 197 pounds Tuesday, as the Northern Illinois University wrestling team capped its run at the Midlands Championships.

Scott’s finish marks the 35th time that an NIU wrestler has finished on the podium in the historic tournament’s 52 years. The Holly, Michigan, native also put the Huskies on the podium for the second-straight year following Tyler Argue’s eighth-place showing at 141 pounds last year.

“Shawn came out this morning and battled,” said NIU Head Coach Ryan Ludwig. “That’s what it takes. He wrestled through some adversity in his first match and got the job done. This tournament provided him with further development of the tools he will need in his push through the postseason.”

Facing long-time rival Kevin Beazley of Old Dominion in the first bout, it was the Monarch who drew first blood with a takedown. However, Scott evened the tally late in the first period with a reversal, then got an escape and a takedown in the second en route to a 5-3 lead. In the third, the Huskie rode out Beazley for most of the period, but a penalty point, a stalling point and an escape got ODU’s 197-pounder three points to force overtime at 6-6. Scott, though, emerged victorious in sudden victory with a takedown for the 8-6 win.

In the consolation quarterfinals, Scott ran into the nation’s eighth-ranked 197-pounder in Northwestern’s Alex Polizzi. After giving up a first period takedown to the Wildcat, Scott was pinned with just under 30 seconds left in the second period to send him to the seventh-place match.

Scott’s opponent in the final bout of the day would be CSU Bakersfield’s Reuben Franklin. In a back-and-forth affair, the redshirt sophomore came out on the wrong end of a 4-3 decision to finish the tournament in eighth place.

NIU rings in the new year in one-and-a-half weeks when they return to Mid-American Conference action Jan. 9 at Northern Iowa. The dual between the Huskies and Panthers is set for a 7 p.m. start in UNI’s West Gym.

197: Shawn Scott – Eighth Place
Shawn Scott (NIU) dec. Kevin Beazley (Old Dominion), 8-6 (SV1)
#8 Alex Polizzi (Northwestern) pins Shawn Scott (NIU), 4:33
Reuben Franklin (CSU Bakersfield) dec. Shawn Scott (NIU), 4-3

—
Michael Benson
Assistant Director, Athletics Communications

Northern Illinois University
(815) 753-9538 (office)
mbenson3@niu.edu
NIUHuskies.com

North Dakota State’s Zillmer Takes Fourth, Rodriguez Fifth & Knutson Sixth at Midlands Championships, Bison Place 9th in Team Standings

EVANSTON, Ill.—North Dakota State University 184-pound Hayden Zillmer placed fourth at the 52nd annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships that concluded Tuesday, Dec. 30, at Northwestern University’s Welsh-Ryan Arena. NDSU’s 125 Josh Rodriguez placed fifth and 285 Evan Knutson sixth at the two-day event.

North Dakota State with 45.5 points placed ninth in the Midlands Championships team standings. Iowa won the tournament with 189 points, while Illinois was second at 130.5 and Northwestern was third with 106 points.

Zillmer, a junior from Crosby, Minn. (Crosby Ironton HS), lost his opening match Tuesday by the score of 7-5 to 2nd-ranked Lorenzo Thomas of Penn. He rebounded with a 4-0 decision over 20th-ranked Nikko Reyes of Illinois, but lost 3-1 to Iowa’s 8th-ranked Sam Brooks. The 10th-ranked Zillmer went 3-2 at the Midlands to improve to 21-4 overall. He is 14-6 in three trips to Evanston.

Rodriguez, a sophomore from Guadalupe, Calif. (Righetti HS), bounced back from two losses to pin a 9-2 decision on Brown’s Billy Watterson in the fifth place match. He defeated Watterson for the second time in two days and for the third time this season. Rodriguez lost his first match to Virginia Tech’s 6th-ranked Joey Dance 7-1 and fell to Dance for the third time this year. He then lost 3-1 to Kory Mines of Edinboro. The 14th-ranked Rodriguez went 4-2 at the Midlands and now stands 10-5 on the season.

Knutson, a senior from Wausau, Wis. (Wausau West HS), split in four matches coming through the consolation bracket to place sixth. He posted a 5-2 decision over Warren Bosch of Edinboro, and then outlasted 18th-ranked Jake Henderson of Old Dominion for a 3-1 overtime sudden victory-1. Knutson dropped a 5-2 decision to 5th-ranked Connor Medbery of Wisconsin, and lost 1-0 to unattached-Maryland’s Dawson Peck. He went 4-3 at the Midlands and is 15-7 on the season. The 13th-ranked Knutson was 9-9 in four trips to the tournament.

Jeff Schwartz

Director of Athletic Media Relations

NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

GEM Building

1301 39th St N
Fargo, ND 58102

Dept. 1200, PO Box 6050

Fargo, ND 58108-6050

Office: 701.231.8332

Cell: 701.793.0538

Jeff.Schwartz@ndsu.edu

www.GoBison.com

urdue’s Welch Seventh at 52nd Ken Kraft Midlands Championships

157-pounder is 34th Boilermaker in program history to place at the tournament.

Doug Welch

Dec. 30, 2014

BRACKETS // TEAM STANDINGS

EVANSTON, Ill. – Purdue 157-pounder Doug Welch captured seventh-place honors during the third session of the 52nd Ken Kraft Midlands Championships Tuesday in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The seventh-seeded Boilermaker blanked Eastern Michigan’s ninth-seeded Brandon Zeerip, 7-0, to become the 34th grappler in program history to place at the tournament.

The Boilermakers closed out with 33 points and are 16th in the team standings heading into Tuesday’s final session that features first-, third- and fifth-place matches. Iowa is first with 173 points and is followed by Illinois with 125.5 points. Northwestern is third (103 points) and Edinboro (96 points) and Virginia Tech (94.5 points) round out the top five. The final session starts at 8 p.m. ET and can be seen live on BTN.

D. Welch tallied all of points against Zeerip during the final two minutes of action. After a scoreless first period, Zeerip took bottom in the second. A solid ride out earned D. Welch 2:00 worth of riding time. Even though the match was tied 0-0 heading into the final two minutes of wrestling, Zeerip gave D. Welch an optional start to put him on the board, 1-0. The Boilermaker took advantage of the freebie by taking Zeerip down and worked the tilt for a five count. He continued to build his riding time for the rest of the match, finishing with 3:51.

The redshirt junior guaranteed his spot on the podium by doubling up Wisconsin’s Jarod Donar, 6-3, in his first match of the day thanks to a three-point nearfall in the second period, a takedown to start the third and 1:09 riding time. He was denied a shot in the consolation semifinals after falling to Louis Mascola of Maryland, 6-2.

With the seventh-place showing, D. Welch brought home the third 157-pound medal for the Boilermakers since the weight classes changed in 1998. Tommy Churchard was sixth in 2011 and Colton Salazar was eighth in 2009. His 4-2 performance at Midlands pushed his season record to 17-6.

Four of Purdue’s five contenders on Tuesday fell one match short of medaling. At 125 pounds, Aaron Assad dropped a 6-2 match to unattached Ethan Lizak. The freshman who wrestles at Minnesota took Assad down once in the first and third periods, escaped in the second and rode Assad for 2:30. The Boilermaker reversed Lizak in the third, but it wasn’t enough to pick up the win.

Assad, a redshirt freshman, posted a 2-2 mark in his first Midlands while moving to 9-10 overall in his rookie season for the Old Gold & Black.

Sixth-seeded Danny Sabatello rallied back after falling behind 5-0 in the first period to No. 12 seed Dominick Malone of Northwestern to push the match into sudden victory, but a takedown by the Wildcat with nine seconds left sealed the upset, 9-7. Malone struck quick in the first with a takedown and tilted Sabatello for a five count. Sabatello escaped and answered with a takedown of his own making it 5-3 at the end of the opening period. They each put two on the board in the second, Sabatello with a pair of escapes and a takedown by Malone. Northwestern took bottom in the third and the Boilermaker tilted him for a two-point nearfall evening the score at 7-7 to force the extra 60 seconds.

The match was the first that Sabatello needed extra time this season and was just his third loss of the season. The 17-3 redshirt junior went 2-2 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.

The feverish battle through the 149-pound wrestlebacks came to an end for 14th-seeded Brandon Nelsen with a 5-3 loss to Virginia Tech’s 10th-seeded Sal Mastriani. Heading into the second period, the match was scoreless, but an escape and a takedown by Mastriani opened the scoring. Nelsen escaped making it 3-1 after five minutes of action. The Hokie struck for two more takedowns in the final period and Nelsen escaped from both. The redshirt senior was unable to get a viable shot as time ticked away.

Nelsen put in work at Midlands. He went 5-2 and his seven matches were the most wrestled by any Boilermaker. His record stands at 16-5 midway through his final season in a Purdue singlet.

An escape by No. 10 seed Alex Meyer of Iowa proved to be the difference maker in a 3-2 decision over eighth-seededChad Welch at 174 pounds. The two were scoreless after three minutes of action and then Meyer reversed early in the second period. From there, Meyer racked up riding time and pushed it over a minute. C. Welch evened the score at 2-2 with a takedown midway through the third, flipping the riding time, running it under a minute to wipe out the Hawkeyes’ potential point. With 16 seconds left in the match and sudden victory looming, Meyer got the match-winning escape.

C. Welch bowed out with a 2-2 showing at the tournament and now stands at 15-8 during his redshirt junior campaign.

The turn of the calendar marks the opening of the B1G schedule for the Boilermakers. They will kick off their conference slate at Nebraska on Jan. 9 and then trek to Wisconsin on Jan. 11. Purdue returns to Holloway Gymnasium to entertain Northwestern in its next home dual on Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. ET.

PURDUE MATCH-BY-MATCH // SESSION 3
125 // Aaron Assad
Consolation Fourth Round: Ethan Lizak, Unattached (Minnesota) // L, D, 6-2

133 // No. 6 Danny Sabatello
Consolation Sixth Round: No. 12 Dominick Malone, Northwestern // L, D, 9-7 (SV1)

149 // No. 14 Brandon Nelsen
Consolation Sixth Round: No. 10 Sal Mastriani, Virginia Tech // L, D, 5-3

157 // No. 7 Doug Welch
Consolation Sixth Round: Jarod Donar, Wisconsin // W, D, 6-3
Consolation Quarterfinals: Louis Mascola, Maryland // L, D, 6-2
Seventh Place: No. 9 Brandon Zeerip, Eastern Michigan // W, D, 7-0

174 // No. 8 Chad Welch
Consolation Sixth Round: No. 10 Alex Meyer, Iowa // L, D, 3-2

Note: Nos. reflect tournament seeds, InterMat rankings are not included

—

Amanda C. Dahl

Purdue University

Assistant Athletics Communications Director

@PurdueWrestling, @PurdueMT, @PurdueWT

O 765.494.6235 | C 712.251.9271