The Nebraska wrestling team is ranked sixth in the nation. The preseason coaches’ was released on Tuesday by USA Today/InterMat/NWCA. The Huskers finished fourth at the NCAA Championships last year.
The Huskers get their highest ranking in four seasons trailing Missouri at 5, Ohio State at 4, Cornell at 3, Iowa State 2, and defending national champ Iowa.
NU returns five starters, including four All-Americans, this season and has five wrestlers ranked in top-20 preseason poll.
Showing the way for Nebraska will be senior Brandon Browne and junior Jordan Burroughs. Both are ranked No. 3 in their weight classes after earning their first career All-America honors last season. Browne, a native of Plattsmouth, Neb., finished with a 35-4 record in 2007-08, including a 14-1 dual mark, before claiming the Big 12 title at 174 pounds. Browne earned fourth place at the NCAA Championships.
Burroughs is the third-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds. He went 34-6 overall last season and notched a 14-3 dual record, while being named the Big 12 Championships Outstanding Wrestler of the Meet after claiming two bonus-point victories and first place. Burroughs’ only loss at the NCAA Championships was to eventual champion Brent Metcalf of Iowa, as Burroughs finished third.
Fellow returning All-American Craig Brester is ranked fourth at 197 pounds. The junior from Howells, Neb., claimed fourth at last year’s NCAA Championships after a 26-7 regular season. Brester could also contend for All-American honors in the classroom this season. He is a two-time academic All-Big 12 honoree and has been named to the NWCA All-Academic Team twice.
Nebraska’s fourth returning All-American, Stephen Dwyer, earned the fifth spot at 165 pounds behind his eighth-place showing at last season’s national tournament. Dwyer also topped the 30-win season mark with a 32-10 record in 2007-08. He was the only Husker to go 4-0 at the National Duals, as he led the team to a second-place team finish.
Senior Vince Jones is seventh at 184 pounds. Jones upset third-seeded Tyrel Todd of Michigan at last year’s NCAA Championships, but finished just one second away from All-America honors. Jones led the Huskers in pins with 10 on the season to go with his 23-15 record.
Nebraska‘s ranked wrestlers:
149: Jordan Burroughs, Jr. – 3
165: Stephen Dwyer, Jr. – 5
174: Brandon Browne, Sr. – 3
184: Vince Jones, Sr. – 7
197: Craig Brester, Jr. – 4