Huskers to Host Badgers, Honor Christian Miller Sunday

The No. 6 Nebraska wrestling team closes its regular season home slate on Sunday, Jan. 31, hosting No. 26 Wisconsin at 2 p.m. (CT) at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Prior to the dual, the team will pay tribute to Christian Miller, who tragically passed away in an automobile accident on Nov. 5, 2020. 

Nebraska (3-1, 3-1 Big Ten) enters the dual after finishing undefeated in last weekend’s triangular dual against Northwestern and Maryland. Seven Huskers finished unbeaten on the day while five picked up their first victories of the season. 

Wisconsin (1-2, 1-2 Big Ten) comes to Lincoln following an upset victory over Purdue at home on Jan. 24. The Badgers defeated the Boilermakers 22-14 with Eric Barnett (125 pounds) generating the turning point in the dual with a victory by fall over then-ranked No. 2 Devin Schroder. 

The Huskers are 9-11-2 in the all-time series with the Badgers. As conference foes, NU owns a 5-4 record over Wisconsin. 

 

Sunday’s dual will be streamed live on BTN+ (subscription required). Additional matches will be wrestled following the varsity dual. 

Up Next: Nebraska hits the road for a quad meet at Indiana on Feb. 6. The Huskers will face Indiana, Rutgers and Michigan State in Bloomington, Ind. 

Projected Starters 

*Individual rankings according to InterMat, Team rankings according to TrackWrestling

HONORING CHRISTIAN MILLER

Prior to Sunday’s dual, Nebraska wrestling will pay tribute to Christian Miller, who tragically passed away in an automobile accident on November 5, 2020. In addition to the pre-dual tribute presentation, the Huskers will wear custom shirts and shoes to honor Miller. 

Miller competed for the Nebraska wrestling program for four seasons. He owned a 15-9 career record as a Husker, including a 12-3 record in 2019-20. The Plainview, Neb. native started five duals for Nebraska in the past two seasons at 133 and 141 pounds. Besides his successes on the mat, Miller was also a two-time Nebraska Student-Athlete Honor Roll recipient. 

SCOUTING WISCONSIN

• The Badgers recorded their first win of the season over Purdue, 22-14, on Jan. 24. 
• Eric Barnett (125 pounds) earned an upset fall over Purdue’s second-ranked Devin Schroder in 4:29. 
• The Badgers return nine wrestlers with starting experience induals inlcuding Barnett, Dominic Dentino (141), Garrett Model (157), Drew Scharenbrock (157), Tyler Dow (174), Anders Lantz (174), Jared Krattiger (174), Peter Christensen (197) and Trent Hillger (HWT). 
• Coached by Chris Bono (Iowa State, 1997) – Record at Wisconsin:  21-14 (3rd year)

QUICK NOTES

• Nebraska’s 36 points against Maryland (Jan. 23) is the most points scored in a dual by the Huskers since defeating Nebraska-Kearney 47-1 on Nov. 7, 2019. It is the most points scored against a Big Ten opponent since earning 36 points against the Terrapins in a 36-6 victory on Jan. 18, 2019. 
• The win over Maryland also marked the first time since meeting Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 7, 2019) that the Huskers finished undefeated in individual varsity matches. 
• The Huskers have outscored their opponents 90-55 through four duals this season. 
• Chad Red Jr. and Eric Schultz reached the 70-win mark for their careers following last week’s triangular dual. Red Jr. has earned 71 victories for his career and Schultz has earned 70. 
• Taylor Venz leads active Huskers with 76 career victories after picking up two varsity and one extra match victory last weekend. 

UNBEATEN HUSKERS
After picking up wins in their matches against Northwestern and Maryland, Mikey Labriola and Eric Schultz remain undefeated in the 2021 campaign. 

Labriola earned two major decision wins in the Nebraska Triangular, defeating Northwestern’s Troy Fisher, 19-7, and Maryland’s Philip Spadafora, 14-5. He is now 54-19 overall for his career with 27 dual victories and 16 major decisions.

Schultz extended his regular season win streak to seven matches with wins over Northwestern’s   Lucas Davison and Maryland’s Jaron Smith. The streak began last season against Purdue’s Jared Florell. His longest win streak is nine matches, starting against Chadron State’s Wade French Nov. 7, 2019. Schultz has won 37 duals for his career as a Husker, including 24 Big Ten duals. 

HUSKERS VICTORIOUS IN NEBRASKA TRIANGULAR

Seven Huskers finished undefeated on the day as the Nebraska wrestling team earned wins over Northwestern and Maryland on Jan. 23 at the Bob Devany Sport Center. 

In the first dual of the day, Nebraska topped the Wildcats 26-10. Earning bonus points for the Huskers were Liam Cronin (125), Mikey Labriola (174), Christian Lance (HWT) and Taylor Venz (184). Peyton Robb (165) and Lance picked up their first wins of the season in their respective matches. 

The Huskers won every bout against Maryland, taking the dual 36-0. Alex Thomsen (133) and Caleb Licking (157) both earned their first wins of the season while Cronin and Lance earned their first victories by fall in varsity matches on the year. 

    

HUSKERS FALL TO TOP-RANKED HAWKEYES

Mikey Labriola and Eric Schultz won their individual matches for the Huskers, but the No. 6 Nebraska wrestling team ultimately fell to No. 1 Iowa, 6-31, on Friday, Jan. 15 in Iowa City, Iowa. 

No. 4 Labriola put the Huskers (1-1, 1-1 Big Ten) on the board, earning a 7-4 decision over Patrick Kennedy in the 174-pound match. The junior landed his first shot, taking an early 2-0 lead that he would not surrender for the remainder of the match. Labriola scored three takedowns and an escape to pick up his second win of the season and second win over Iowa for his career. 

No. 2 Schultz earned himself a top-10 win and added to the Huskers’ team total with a 3-2 decision over No. 4 Jacob Warner. In his second win over Warner in as many years, Schultz scored the lone takedown late in the third period to come away victorious in the 197-pound match.

Prior to the dual, the teams wrestled six extra matches. Nebraska finished 5-1 in the extra bouts, with Tucker Sjomeling, Ridge Lovett, Jevon Parrish, Silas Allred and Cale Davidson picking up victories.

NEBRASKA TOPS MINNESOTA IN 2021 OPENER

The Nebraska wrestling team kicked off the 2020-21 season on a high note, defeating then-ranked No. 12 Minnesota 22-14 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Jan. 8. The Huskers wrestled in two top-20 matchups and won six bouts on their way to the first victory of the season.  

 

Liam Cronin started the night with a win for the Huskers at 125 pounds, defeating Patrick McKee by decision, 8-1. Cronin earned the upset victory in his first dual for Nebraska. 

Minnesota’s Boo Dryden put the Golden Gophers on the board, defeating Alex Thomsen in a 9-2 decision at 133 pounds. 

Nebraska won the next two matches as Chad Red Jr. (141 pounds) opened his senior season with a win over Marcos Polanco by decision, 4-1. Brock Hardy (149 pounds) started his Husker career off with a 9-2 decision win  over Michael Blockhus. 

Minnesota took the next two matches as Brayton Lee defeated Caleb Licking in a 10-5 decision at 157 pounds and Andrew Sparks won the 165 pound match against Peyton Robb by 7-6 decision. 

Mikey Labriola (174 pounds) picked up the team’s first pin of the season, defeating Jake Allar by fall in 6:17. 

Rounding out the group of newcomers in the lineup for Nebraska, Nathan Haas won the 184-pound match against Owen Webster by decision, 5-2. 

Eric Schultz added bonus points for the Huskers, defeating Garret Joles at 197 pounds by major decision, 14-3. 

Closing out the night was a top-20 matchup as Minnesota’s top-ranked Gable Steveson wrestled Christian Lance at heavyweight. Lance ultimately fell to Steveson by 14-3 major decision.