Early Line-up Look: Nebraska Cornhuskers
Early Line-up Look: Nebraska Cornhuskers
An early breakdown of the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the upcoming 2023-24 NCAA season.
Overview
Head coach: Mark Manning
Assistants: Bryan Snyder, Robert Kokesh, Tervel Dlagnev
2023 NCAA tournament finish: 8th
2023 NCAA tournament points: 54
2023 NCAA tournament record: 19-15
2023 Big Ten tournament finish: 3rd
2023 dual record: 12-3 (7-1)
Returning national qualifiers: (8) Caleb Smith, Kyle Burwick, Brock Hardy, Ridge Lovett, Peyton Robb, Bubba Wilson, Lenny Pinto, Silas Allred
Returning All-Americans: (3) Brock Hardy, Ridge Lovett, Peyton Robb
Last NCAA champion: Jordan Burroughs (2011)
Highest NCAA team finish: 3rd (1993)
Highest NCAA team finish under Manning: 4th (2008, 2009)
Most place winners under Manning: 5 (2008, 2022)
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Summary
Nebraska started last season with a 20-16 loss to North Dakota State on November 4, 2022, but rebounded for a 12-3 season dual season. The Huskers won the Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational, placed third at the Big Ten Championships, and eighth at the NCAA tournament.
Mark Manning has built one of the most consistent and reliable programs in the country during his 23 seasons as head coach. His teams have placed in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships during seven of the past eight contested tournaments. Nebraska is always formidable and is always in the conversation.
That won’t change during the 2023-24 season. Nebraska loses All-Americans Liam Cronin (5th) and Mikey Labriola (2nd) to graduation but returns 2022 national finalist Ridge Lovett following a redshirt year. Two-time national qualifier Caleb Smith replaces Cronin after four seasons at Appalachian State.
The Huskers return eight national qualifiers and could realistically have two wrestlers in the finals and five All-Americans, which would tie Manning’s career high in both categories. Robb placed sixth at the NCAA Championships but only had one loss during the season prior to that. Lovett reached the finals in 2022, so both will be early-season title contenders. Sprinkle in another high placer or two, and this team has promise.
Nebraska’s Projected 2023-24 Line-up
125: Caleb Smith, JR (NQ)
133: Kyle Burwick, JR (NQ)
141: Brock Hardy, SO (AA)
149: Ridge Lovett, JR (AA)
157: Peyton Robb, SR (AA)
165: Bubba Wilson, JR (NQ)
174: Elise Brown Ton, JR
184: Lenny Pinto, SO (NQ)
197: Silas Allred, JR (NQ)
285: Harley Andrews, FR
125: Caleb Smith, JR
2023 record: 26-7
2023 NCAA tournament record: 0-2
Smith is a welcome addition after losing Cronin to graduation. The 125-pound field cleared out a bit, so there’s no reason that Smith can’t make a push for the podium. The former Appalachian State standout is 1-4 over two NCAA Championships but picked up a signature win over Minnesota’s two-time All-American during the first round in 2022. The Big Ten grind is different, so we’ll see how he adapts to a new schedule. Manning is certainly happy to have a high-caliber wrestler like Smith in the line-up.
133: Kyle Burwick, JR
2023 record: 13-10
Burwick, a two-time 133-pound NCAA qualifier for Wisconsin, was at the center of a transfer dispute after leaving the Badgers for Nebraska in June. The Hettinger, North Dakota, native finished the season 13-10 after everything was resolved, but went 0-3 at the 2023 Big Ten Championships and didn’t qualify for nationals. He started the season 10-0 but lost 10 of his final 13 matches. Of his 10 losses, only one was by major decision. Burwick can be a factor if he turns a few of those tight setbacks into wins.
Jacob Van Dee is moving up from 125 and will challenge Burwick at this weight. Van Dee was 10-4 as a true freshman and lost 5-3 to Purdue's Matt Ramos during the dual.
141: Brock Hardy, SO
2023 record: 30-8
2023 NCAA tournament record: 3-3 (6th)
Hardy is the type of wrestler Nebraska likes: tough, hard-nosed, and gritty. The Brigham City, Utah, native won CKLV, finished second at Big Tens, and took sixth at the NCAAs. The 141-pound class is still deep, so Hardy needs another key win or two at nationals to climb higher on the podium. He will be an important piece of Manning’s line-up next season and in the future. A top-three finish is realistic.
149: Ridge Lovett
2023 record: 4-0
Lovett returns to the line-up after reaching the 2022 national finals, where he fell 11-5 to Cornell’s Yianni Diakomihalis. His 18 team points at the NCAA Championships were the most of any Husker wrestler at the tournament. Nebraska would have placed in the top four had he scored those points this season.
That’s a testament to Lovett’s impact. The Huskers need him to place high for a trophy shot. He dominated the Cowboy Open during his only folkstyle tournament of the season. The 149-pound class is still deep, so don’t expect a run to the finals to be easy.
Ridge Lovett pinned Tariq Wilson during his quarterfinal match at the 2022 NCAA Championships
157: Peyton Robb, SR
2023 record: 28-4
2023 NCAA tournament record: 3-3 (6th)
Robb was perfect on the season prior to a 3-1 sudden victory setback to Penn State’s Levi Haines during the Big Ten finals. He lost to Haines again during the NCAA Championship semifinals before losing in sudden victory to NDSU’s Jared Franek and defaulting to sixth after that.
This is where Nebraska can make its mark. Robb is better than his sixth-place showing and will be in title contention at 157 pounds. He’s already a four-time national qualifier and a two-time national place winner. An appearance in the finals would be an ideal way to cap his career.
Peyton Robb won his quarterfinal match at the 2023 NCAA Championships over Stanford's Daniel Cardenas
165: Bubba Wilson, JR
2023 record: 17-15
2023 NCAA tournament record: 2-2 (R16)
Wilson finished the season around the .500 mark but reached the Round of 16 at the NCAA Championships. The 165-pound weight class is tough but a move into the Round of 12 — or even the podium — is possible with the right tournament. A breakthrough from Wilson will help solidify the Husker line-up. Don't count out Antrell Taylor here.
174: Elise Brown Ton
2023 record: 19-2
Brown Ton is the predicted starter after losing national finalist Mikey Labriola to graduation. The Allen, Texas, native had his first taste of the varsity line-up with a 6-3 win over Purdue’s Macartney Parkinson. Besides that, he went 19-2 during his redshirt season with appearances at the Grand View Open, Navy Classic, Hasting Open, Roger Denker Open, and Worthington Open. Adam Thebeau will also contend.
184: Lenny Pinto, SO
2023 record: 24-11
2023 NCAA tournament record: 1-2
Pinto reach the NCAA Championships as a freshman and will likely be the starter moving forward. He is a solid spot on a team that needs balance and consistency. There’s no reason he can’t pick up an additional win or two at nationals and exceed his output of half a team point.
197: Silas Allred, JR
2023 record: 28-7
2023 NCAA tournament record: 2-2 (R12)
Allred reached the quarterfinals with a win over 2022 NCAA champion Max Dean, but fell to eventual NCAA champion Nino Bonaccorsi, 5-3, and returning national finalist Jacob Warner, 1-0. This is where Nebraska can make gains next season. The Husker junior scored two points at nationals but his ceiling is much higher. There’s no reason Allred can’t score 10 points or more at nationals. This weight is still chaotic and unpredictable, but several of the best wrestlers cleared out.
Silas Allred defeated 2022 NCAA champion Max Dean during the second round of the 2023 NCAA Championships
285: Harley Andrews, FR
2023 record: 22-2
Andrews enters the line-up following a 22-2 redshirt freshman season but was pinned by Matt Wrobleski of Illinois when he was used during the dual. A full season in the Big Ten will reveal how good Andrews is.