B1G Recap: Huskers In Sixth After Day One

Lincoln, Neb. — Eric Schultz will wrestle for a Big Ten title on Sunday, March 6 as the Nebraska wrestling team sits in sixth place after the first day of the 2022 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. 

Session 2

Schultz continued his domination of the championship bracket, beating Michigan’s Patrick Brucki by decision, 3-2, and earning his 98th career victory. He will meet Penn State’s Max Dean in the conference title bout. 

Bubba Wilson saw success in the consolation bracket as he picked up his second and third wins of the Big Ten Championships. In the second consolation round, Wilson defeated Purdue’s Hayden Lohrey by 3-2 decision, and then advanced to the consolation quarterfinals where he matched up with Michigan State’s Caleb Fish. Wilson grabbed the early 3-0 lead and held on for the 5-2 decision. Tomorrow morning he will face Dean Hamiti of Wisconsin to compete for a spot in the third-place match.

At heavyweight, Christian Lance grabbed a 7-4 decision over Rutgers’ Boone McDermot to qualify for the consolation quarterfinals. In his fourth match of the day, Lance fell to Illinois’ Luke Luffman by decision, 4-2. He will wrestle in tomorrow morning’s seventh-place match against Ohio State’s Tate Orndorff. 

Ridge Lovett, Peyton Robb, Mikey Labriola and Taylor Venz were unable to complete the title run, as Lovett was pinned by Wisconsin’s two-seed Austin Gomez, Robb lost by 5-3 decision to the one-seed Ryan Deakin of Northwestern, Labriola was defeated by 6-5 decision to Michigan’s Logan Massa and Venz fell to the one-seed Aaron Brooks (Penn State) by decision, 7-2. The group of Huskers will wrestle in Sunday’s consolation semifinals and compete for a chance at a third-place finish. 

Dominick Serrano and Chad Red Jr. were defeated in the second consolation round of their respective weight classes and joined Reno in wrestling for ninth place. Serrano fell to Purdue’s Matt Ramos, 5-3, and Red Jr. grabbed an early lead, but ultimately was defeated by Purdue’s Parker Filius in sudden victory, 10-6. In the first round of the ninth-place matches, Jeremiah Reno lost to Indiana’s Jacob Moran before Serrano advanced with a major decision victory over Ohio State’s Dylan Koontz. 

Wrestling resumes Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) with the consolation semifinal and seventh-place matches, and championship bouts start at 3:30 p.m. (CT).  

Session 1 

The first session of the day was highlighted by five Huskers moving on to the semifinal bouts.

Lovett dominated the 149-pound bracket, taking a 2-0 decision over Rutgers’ six-seed Mike Van Brill in the quarterfinals after winning his first match against Purdue’s Alec White, 8-1. 

At 157 pounds, Robb shut out Joseph Roberts (Illinois), 4-0, in the first round to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals. In his second match of the day, Robb upset the four-seed Kendall Coleman of Purdue in sudden victory, 6-4. 

Labriola continued his regular-season success into the postseason with a 15-5 major decision victory over Nate Jimenez (Michigan State) in Saturday’s first round. In the quarterfinals, Labriola defeated Minnesota’s Bailee O’Reilly by medical forfeit to advance to the semifinals. 

At 184 pounds, Venz took down Purdue’s Max Lyon, 6-2, to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals. In his second match of the day, the senior picked up a 4-2 decision over Iowa’s Abe Assad. 

Top-seeded Schultz will make his fourth Big Ten Championships semifinal appearance Saturday afternoon after defeating Ohio State’s Gavin Hoffman in a 3-1 decision in the quarterfinals. 

At heavyweight, Lance defeated Purdue’s Michael Woulfe by decision, 7-2. The senior then met Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet in the quarterfinal bout and lost by decision, 7-1. 

Wilson grabbed his first win of the day in the first round with a 5-1 decision over Minnesota’s Cael Carlson. In the quarterfinals, Wilson battled, but lost to the one-seed Carson Kharchla of Ohio State, 7-2.

Reno, Red Jr. and Serrano fell in the first round of the championship bracket in the opening session. Reno (125) fell to four-seed Malik Heinselman (Ohio State), Red Jr. (141) dropped his matchup to Indiana’s Cayden Rooks and Serrano (133) fell to Northwestern’s Chris Cannon and all went on to the consolation bracket. In consolation, Reno fell to Jacob Moran of Indiana, Serrano received a bye and Red Jr. defeated Michigan State’s Matt Santos to advance. 

The Huskers finished the first session in fourth place with 47.5 points, 21 points behind first-place Michigan. 

Big Ten Championships 

Pinnacle Bank Arena | Lincoln, Neb. 

Sessions I & II 

March 5, 2022 

125 Pounds: No. 13 Jeremiah Reno 

First Round: No. 4 Malik Heinselman (OSU) maj. dec. Jeremiah Reno (NEB), 10-4

Cons. First Round: No. 12 Jacob Moran (IND) dec. Jeremiah Reno (NEB), SV-1 13-11 

*Ninth-Place Quarterfinal: No. 12 Jacob Moran (IND) dec. Jeremiah Reno (NEB), 9-7

133 Pounds: No. 10 Dominick Serrano 

First Round: No. 7 Chris Cannon (NU) dec. Dominick Serrano (NEB), 7-3

Cons. First Round: Bye

Cons. Second Round: No. 9 Matt Ramos (PUR) dec. Dominick Serrano (NEB), 5-3

*Ninth-Place Quarterfinal: Dominick Serrano (NEB) maj. dec. No. 14 Dylan Koontz (OSU), 14-4

141 Pounds: No. 4 Chad Red Jr.  

First Round: No. 13 Cayden Rooks (UI) dec. Chad Red Jr. (NEB), 9-8

Cons. First Round: Chad Red Jr. (NEB) pinned No. 12 Matt Santos (MSU) (6:39)

Cons. Second Round: No. 11 Parker Filius (PUR) dec. Chad Red Jr. (NEB), SV-1 10-6

149 Pounds: No. 3 Ridge Lovett  

First Round:  Ridge Lovett (NEB) dec. No. 14 Alec White (PUR), 8-1

Quarterfinals: Ridge Lovett (NEB) dec. No. 6 Mike Van Brill (RUT), 2-0

Semifinals: No. 2 Austin Gomez (WIS) pinned Ridge Lovett (NEB) (0:20)

Cons. Semifinals: Ridge Lovett (NEB) vs. No. 10 Michael Blockhus

157 Pounds: No. 5 Peyton Robb 

First Round:  Peyton Robb (NEB) dec. No. 12 Joseph Roberts (UI), 4-0

Quarterfinals: Peyton Robb (NEB) dec. No. 4 Kendall Coleman (PUR), SV-1 6-4

Semifinals: No. 1 Ryan Deakin (NU) dec. Peyton Robb (NEB), 5-3

Cons. Semifinals: Peyton Robb (NEB) vs. No. 2 Kaleb Young (IOWA)

165 Pounds: No. 8 Bubba Wilson 

First Round:  Bubba Wilson (NEB) dec. No. 9 Cael Carlson (MINN), 5-1

Quarterfinals: No. 1 Carson Kharchla (OSU) dec. Bubba Wilson (NEB), 7-2

Cons. Second Round: Bubba Wilson (NEB) dec. No. 7 Hayden Lohrey (PUR), 3-2

Cons. Quarterfinals: Bubba Wilson (NEB) dec. No. 5 Caleb Fish (MSU), 5-2

Cons. Semifinals: Bubba Wilson (NEB) vs. No. 3 Dean Hamiti (WIS)

174 Pounds: No. 3 Mikey Labriola 

First Round:  Mikey Labriola (NEB) maj. dec. No. 14 Nate Jimenez (MSU), 15-5

Quarterfinals: Mikey Labriola (NEB) dec. Bailee O’Reilly (MINN), MFF (3:27)

Semifinals: No. 2 Logan Massa (MICH) dec. Mikey Labriola (NEB), 6-5

Cons. Semifinals: Mikey Labriola (NEB) vs. No. 5 Ethan Smith (Ohio State) 

184 Pounds: No. 4 Taylor Venz 

First Round: Taylor Venz (NEB) dec. No. 13 Max Lyon (PUR), 6-2

Quarterfinals: Taylor Venz (NEB) dec. No. 1 Abe Assad (IOWA), 4-2 

Semifinals: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (PSU) dec. Taylor Venz (NEB), 7-2

Cons. Semifinals: Taylor Venz (NEB) vs. No. 12 Zac Braunagel (ILL) 

197 Pounds: No. 1 Eric Schultz

First Round:  Bye

Quarterfinals: Eric Schultz (NEB) dec. Gavin Hoffman (OSU), 3-1

Semifinals: Eric Schultz (NEB) dec. No. 5 Patrick Brucki (MICH), 3-2

285 Pounds: No. 6 Christian Lance 

First Round: Christian Lance (NEB) dec. No. 11 Michael Woulfe (PUR), 7-2

Quarterfinals: No. 3 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) dec. Christian Lance (NEB), 7-1

Cons. Second Round: Christian Lance (NEB) dec. No. 12 Boone McDermott (RUT), 7-4

Cons. Quarterfinals: No. 11 Luke Luffman (ILL) dec. Christian Lance (NEB), 4-2

Seventh-place Match: Christian Lance (NEB) vs. No. 8 Tate Orndorff (OSU)

Team Scores (Points): 

1. Michigan (116.0)

2. Penn State (111.5)

3. Iowa (109.0)

4. Ohio State (72.0)

5. Northwestern (70.5)

6. Nebraska (65.0)

7. Wisconsin (58.5)

8. Minnesota (55.5)

9. Rutgers (37.0)

10. Purdue (34.5)

11. Michigan State (33.0)

12. Illinois (26.5)

13. Maryland (14.5) 

14. Indiana (4.0)