The Nebraska wrestling team captured a second-place finish at the NCAA Championships Saturday in Philadelphia, Pa., the best-ever showing by the Huskers at the national tournament. The performance was highlighted by individual national championships won by Ridge Lovett at 149 pounds and Antrell Taylor at 157 pounds.
Nebraska’s previous best was third, which it achieved in 1993. The Cornhuskers had multiple individual national champions for the first time since 1984. Nebraska finished with 117 team points, trailing only Penn State, which won its 13th national championship under Cael Sanderson with a record 177 team points and the fourth title in a row.
The Huskers’ efforts were led by three national finalists and two national champions. Along with Lovett and Taylor, Brock Hardy finished second at 141 pounds.
Lovett’s national championship at 149 pounds broke a 14-year drought for Nebraska in individual national champions. The Huskers last national champion was Jordan Burroughs in 2011. Lovett, the No. 2 seed, topped No. 1 seed Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech. After two scoreless periods, Lovett notched an escape early in the third period and held off Henson to win the title.
After Nebraska had waited 14 years for a national champion, they had to wait roughly 14 minutes for their next champion. In the next match, Taylor, the No. 3 seed, faced No. 8 seed Joey Blaze of Purdue. Taylor took the lead with a takedown late in the first period. He pushed the lead to 4-0 with an escape in the second period. Blaze scored a point for an escape and earned another when Taylor was called for stalling, but Taylor held off Blaze to win the title, 4-2.
At 141 pounds, Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez topped Hardy, 12-9. Hardy took an early 5-0 lead with a takedown and a two-point near fall, but Mendez escaped and took down Hardy late in the period to cut it to 5-4. Hardy escaped early in the second period to lead 6-4. But Mendez took down Hardy, then scored a four-point near fall to lead 11-6. Hardy scored a takedown in the third period but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Of Nebraska’s nine wrestlers, eight earned All-America status with a top-eight individual finish.