The 15th-ranked Nebraska wrestling squad concluded the Big Ten dual season with an impressive 24-10 victory against No. 20 Wisconsin Friday night in Madison, finishing the conference season with a 7-2 record.
The Huskers, 9-4 overall, won seven of 10 matches, including two of the three battles between top-20 wrestlers.
Nebraska sophomore Isaiah White, ranked No. 12 at 165 pounds by InterMat, kicked off the dual with an upset in the first marquee bout. White defeated No. 6 Evan Wick by decision, 6-3.
White’s victory Friday night was his seventh against a ranked foe this season.
After the Badgers tied the team score with a decision of their own at 174 pounds, redshirt freshman No. 7 Taylor Venz of Nebraska earned his first win against a ranked opponent since Dec. 17.
Trailing 6-3 at the start of the final period against No. 9 Ricky Robertson, Venz scored a takedown and two nearfalls to win 12-7 and put the Huskers back on top.
This was Venz’ second victory against Robertson this season.
Wisconsin tied the team score, again, with a decision at 197, but Nebraska sophomore David Jensen picked up an important bonus-point victory before intermission.
In just his second match after missing the previous four duals with an ankle injury, Jensen earned his third pin fall of the season.
The Mobridge, South Dakota, native needed just 1:33 to put his opponent, Ben Stone, to his back.
At halftime, Nebraska led 12-6.
The Huskers doubled their score after the break with four straight decisions.
Nebraska senior Mitchell Maginnis (125) earned his second career dual victory with a 5-2 defeat of two-time NCAA qualifier Johnny Jimenez.
At 133 pounds, true freshman No. 19 Jason Renteria of Nebraska used three first-period takedowns to jump-start an 11-4 win against Jens Lantz.
The third and fourth wins for the Huskers following intermission came from redshirt freshman No. 13 Chad Red Jr. (141) and senior No. 10 Colton McCrystal (149). Red defeated Eli Stickley by a score of 6-3, while McCrystal pulled away in the third period to defeat Cole Martin 7-4.
With the dual out of reach, the Badgers picked up an upset victory in the night’s final match.
Wisconsin senior Andrew Crone, ranked No. 19 at 157 pounds, knocked of Nebraska junior and returning All-American Tyler Berger, ranked No. 8, by major decision 11-3.
Regardless, the Huskers finished the Big Ten dual season winning seven of their last eight and four against ranked opponents.
Friday’s victory was also the 700th win in program history since the team began in 1910.
Nebraska concludes the dual season on the road against Stanford on Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. CT.
Match Results
165: #12 Isaiah White (NEB) dec. #6 Evan Wick (WIS), 6-3 (NEB 3, WIS 0)
174: Ryan Christensen (WIS) dec. Beau Breske (NEB), 3-2 (NEB 3, WIS 3)
184: #7 Taylor Venz (NEB) dec. #9 Ricky Robertson (WIS), 12-7 (NEB 6, WIS 3)
197: Hunter Ritter (WIS) dec. Eric Schultz (NEB), 9-6 (NEB 6, WIS 6)
HWT: David Jensen (NEB) pin Ben Stone (WIS), 1:33 (NEB 12, WIS 6)
125: Mitchell Maginnis (NEB) dec. Johnny Jimenez (WIS), 5-2 (NEB 15, WIS 6)
133: #19 Jason Renteria (NEB) dec. Jens Lantz (WIS), 11-4 (NEB 18, WIS 6)
141: #13 Chad Red Jr. (NEB) dec. Eli Stickley (WIS), 6-3 (NEB 21, WIS 6)
149: #10 Colton McCrystal (NEB) dec. Cole Martin (WIS), 7-4 (NEB 24, WIS 6)
157: #19 Andrew Crone (WIS) major dec. #8 Tyler Berger (NEB), 11-3 (NEB 24, WIS 10)
