Huskers Take Down Campbell, No. 25 UNC

Behind 12 bonus-point victories, the No. 4 Nebraska (3-0-0) wrestling team took on a Friday double header in North Carolina, defeating Campbell (1-3-0), 40-6, and No. 25 North Carolina (2-1-0), 34-3, earning the first road wins and ranked victory of the year. Heavyweight Harley Andrews led the Big Red in dual points, claiming a combined 11 points for the team.

The Huskers started in Buies Creek, N.C., at Jim Perry Stadium, for the program’s first ever outdoor dual, at Campbell’s baseball field.

The “Dual on the Diamond” started at 125 lbs. Redshirt freshman Alan Koehler took on Campbell’s No. 29 Anthony Molton. Molton defeated the Husker with an 8-0 decision powered by two takedowns, an escape and the riding time point. At 133, No. 23 Domenic Zaccone pulled off an overtime upset over No. 11 Jacob Van Dee after wrapping three periods tied at 1-1. Zaccone got the takedown to claim the 4-1 decision and push the Camels’ lead to 6-0.

No. 4 Brock Hardy got the Big Red on the board with a tech. fall over Michael Trujillo in 6:37 time. Hardy’s 17-0 victory at 141 put the Huskers within one of Campbell after three matches. Due to conditions on the mat, the dual was moved indoors to the Carter Gym, between the 141 and 149 bouts.

After relocating, No. 5 Ridge Lovett went 2-2 in wins by fall to open his senior season, pinning Oliver Fairchild in just 2:16. At 157, No. 4 Antrell Taylor made quick work of Seth Larson pinning the Camel in just 10 seconds. Taylor’s win pushed the Husker lead to 17-6. In the sixth match of the afternoon, No. 18 Bubba Wilson at 165 notched his first dual win of the season with a statement major decision, 16-3, over Kendrick Hodge. 

At 174, No. 6 Lenny Pinto put up a 19-4, 4:18 tech. fall against Brant Cracraft before No. 6 Silas Allred pushed the Big Red to the 31-6 lead with another 19-4 tech. fall, in 2:43 time at 184. At 197, freshman No. 28 Camden McDanel claimed his first collegiate major decision, 17-5, defeating Mike Slade. To wrap up the Husker win, heavyweight Harley Andrews had an action-packed 5:10 bout with Landon Sarget, defeating the Camel by a 22-6 tech. fall. The Big Red took the dual, 40-6, to improve to 2-0-0.

The Huskers then hit the road, heading for Chapel Hill and a top-25 matchup. The dual started at 125, in a top-25 bout featuring No. 3 Caleb Smith and No. 25 Spencer Moore. With an 8-2 decision over Moore, Smith improved to 2-0-0 head-to-head against the Camel, and put the Big Red on the board. At 133, Van Dee had his second ranked matchup of the day, this time against No. 16 Ethan Oakley. Oakley got the best of Van Dee with a last second escape, to claim the 10-9 decision and even the team score.

Hardy claimed an 11-1 major decision over Jayden Scott at 141. The fourth match of the night was a top-10 bout, with No. 5 Lovett and No. 6 Lachlan McNeil. Through three periods, Lovett kept McNeil scoreless and defeated his first ranked opponent of the 2024-25 season with a 4-0 decision. At 157, Taylor faced No. 26 Sonny Santiago and took down the Tar Heel with a 4-2 decision, extending the Husker lead to 10. Wilson took a 9-3 decision over Nicholas Fea at 165. Pinto claimed the first tech. fall in Chapel Hill against Isaias Estrada in the third period.

Allred faced another ranked Tar Heel in No. 22 Gavin Kane, but the Husker notched another three team points with his 8-6 decision. At 197, McDanel tallied his second major decision of the day, 13-4 over Cade Lautt. At heavyweight, Andrews sealed the deal, pinning No. 31 Aydin Guttridge in 1:30 time for the 34-3 Husker victory.

Up next, the Big Red head to Annapolic, Md., for the Navy Classic on Nov. 23 to defend its first-place 2023-24 finish. Bouts are slated to start at 9 a.m. (CT) and will be streamed via FloWrestling.

No. 4 Nebraska 40, Campbell 6
125: No. 29 Anthony Molton (CAM) dec. Alan Koehler 8-0 (NEB 0, CAM 3)
133: No. 23 Domenic Zaccone (CAM) dec. No. 11 Jacob Van Dee 4-1 SV-1 (NEB 0, CAM 6)
141: No. 4 Brock Hardy tech. fall Michael Trujillo (CAM) 17-0 6:37 (NEB 5, CAM 6)
149: No. 5 Ridge Lovett pinned Oliver Fairchild (CAM) 2:16 (NEB 11, CAM 6)
157: No. 4 Antrell Taylor pinned Seth Larson (CAM) 0:10 (NEB 17, CAM 6)
165: No. 18 Bubba Wilson major dec. Kendrick Hodge (CAM) 16-3 (NEB 21, CAM 6)
174: No. 6 Lenny Pinto tech. fall Brant Cracraft (CAM) 19-4 4:18 (NEB 26, CAM 6)
184: No. 6 Silas Allred tech. fall Conor Maslanet (CAM) 19-4 2:43 (NEB 31, CAM 6)
197: No. 28 Camden McDanel major dec. Mike Slade (CAM) 17-5 (NEB 35, CAM 6)
HWT: Harley Andrews tech. fall Landon Sargent (CAM) 22-6 5:10 (NEB 40, CAM 6)

No. 4 Nebraska 34, No. 25 North Carolina 3
125: No. 3 Caleb Smith dec. No. 25 Spencer Moore (UNC) 8-2 (NEB 3, UNC 0)
133: No. 16 Ethan Oakley (UNC) dec. No. 11 Jacob Van Dee 10-9 (NEB 3, UNC 3)
141: No. 4 Brock Hardy major dec. Jayden Scott (UNC) 11-1 (NEB 7, UNC 3)
149: No. 5 Ridge Lovett dec. No. 6 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) 4-0 (NEB 10, UNC 3)
157: No. 4 Antrell Taylor dec. No. 26 Sonny Santiago (UNC) 4-2 (NEB 13, UNC 3)
165: No. 18 Bubba Wilson dec. Nicholas Fea (UNC) 9-3 (NEB 16, UNC 3)
174: No. 6 Lenny Pinto tech. fall Isaias Estrada (UNC) 24-9 7:00 (NEB 21, UNC 3)
184: No. 6 Silas Allred dec. No. 22 Gavin Kane (UNC) 8-6 (NEB 24, UNC 3)
197: No. 28 Camden McDanel major dec. Cade Lautt (UNC) 13-4 (NEB 28, UNC 3)
HWT: Harley Andrews pinned No. 31 Aydin Guttridge (UNC) 1:30 (NEB 34, UNC 3)