Huskers Earn Seven Top Three Preliminary Seeds

Seven Nebraska wrestlers received top-three seeds in the preliminary seeding for the 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, the Big Ten conference announced Wednesday afternoon. The two-day championship event is set to begin Saturday, March 8 in Evanston, Ill., and will be carried on the Big Ten Network.

Pre-seeds are determined by a vote from conference coaches as they rank 14 wrestlers in all 10 weight classes. Nine Huskers received top-10 preliminary seeds, matching Iowa. Penn State leads the conference pack with all 10 of their wrestlers in the top five, and eight in the top three.

After wrapping up the regular season ranked No. 5 in dual competition, Caleb Smith grabs the highest pre-seed for Nebraska as the No. 2 at 125. Six Huskers are seeded as No. 3, including Brock Hardy (141), Ridge Lovett (149), Antrell Taylor (157), Christopher Minto (165), Lenny Pinto (174) and Silas Allred (184). Jacob Van Dee (133) also comes in as a top-10 seed at No. 6.

Three Huskers are making their Big Ten Tournament debuts, as Minto (165) received a third-place seed, Camden McDanel (197) at No. 6 and Harley Andrews (HWT) seeded No. 11.

The results of the Big Ten Championships help decide the field for the NCAA Tournament, March 20-22 in Philadelphia, Pa. Each conference qualifying tournament was awarded pre-allocations and the amount per weight class for the Big Ten is as follows: 125 (nine), 133 (10), 141 (seven), 149 (eight), 157 (eight), 165 (nine), 174 (eight), 184 (eight), 197 (10) and HWT (10). 

Last season, the Huskers finished third with 118 team points. Ridge Lovett highlighted the tournament, winning the 149-pound Big Ten title, marking back-to-back Big Ten Champions for Nebraska after Silas Allred won in 2023. NU had seven top-five finishes and clinched nine automatic bids to the NCAA Championships.

The Big Ten Network will offer live linear and streaming coverage of the championships. Session I begins Saturday, March 8 at 10 a.m. (CT) and Session II semifinals start at 7 p.m. (CT). The championship coverage continues Sunday at noon (CT) with consolation matches on B1G+ and returns to BTN at 4:30 p.m. (CT) for the final bouts. Additional mat coverage can be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required) for every session.

125 lbs
1. Matt Ramos (PU)
2. Caleb Smith (NEB)
3. Dean Peterson (RU)
4. Luke Lilledahl (PSU)
5. Joey Cruz (IA)
6. Jacob Moran (IN)
7. Brendan McCrone (OSU)
8. Nicolar Rivera (WIS)
9. Cooper Flynn (MN)
10. Dedrick Navarro (NU)
11. Caleb Weiand (MSU)
12. Christian Tanefu (MI)
13. Caelan Riley (IL)
14. Tyler Garvin (MD)

133 lbs
1. Drake Ayala (IA)
2. Lucas Byrd (IL)
3. Braxton Brown (MD)
4. Braeden Davis (PSU)
5. Dylan Shawver (RU)
6. Jacob Van Dee (NEB)
7. Zan Fugitt (WI)
8. Angelo Rini (IN)
9. Nic Bouzakis (OSU)
10. Tyler Wells (MN)
11. Dustin Norris (PU)
12. Massey Odiotti (NU)
13. Andrew Hampton (MSU)
14. Nolan Wertanen (MI)

141 lbs
1. Beau Bartlett (PSU)
2. Jesse Mendez (OSU)
3. Brock Hardy (NEB)
4. Vance Vombaur (MN)
5. Sergio Lemley (MI)
6. Joseph Olivieri (RU)
7. Danny Pucino (IL)
8. Henry Porter (IN)
9. Greyson Clark (PU)
10. Christopher Cannon (NU)
11. Cullan Schriever (IA)
12. Dario Lemus (MD)
13. Brock Bobzien (WI)
14. Jaden Crumpler (MSU)

149 lbs
1. Shayne Van Ness (PSU)
2. Kyle Parco (IA)
3. Ridge Lovett (NEB)
4. Dylan D’Emilio (OSU)
5. Kannon Webster (IL)
6. Andrew Clark (RU)
7. Sam Cartella (NU)
8. Kal Miller (MD)
9. Dylan Gilcher (MI)
10. Drew Roberts (MN)
11. Isaac Ruble (PU)
12. Clayton Jones (MSU)
13. Joey Butler (IN)
14. Royce Nilo (WI)

157 lbs
1. Ethen Miller (MD)
2. Tyler Kasak (PSU)
3. Antrell Taylor (NEB)
4. Jacori Teemer (IA)
5. Tommy Askey (MN)
6. Joey Blaze (PU)
7. Trevor Chumbley (NU)
8. Chase Saldate (MI)
8. Brandon Cannon (OSU)
10. Conner Harer (RU)
11. Jason Kraisser (IL)
12. Ryan Garvick (IN)
13. Luke Mechler (WI)
14. Braden Stauffenberg (MSU)

165 lbs
1. Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU)
2. Mike Caliendo (IA)
3. Christopher Minto (NEB)
4. Beau Mantanona (MI)
5. Andrew Sparks (MN)
6. Braeden Scoles (IL)
7. Tyler Lillard (IN)
7. Maxx Mayfield (NU)
9. Paddy Gallagher (OSU)
10. Anthony White (RU)
11. Stoney Buell (PU)
12. Alex Uryniak (MD)
13. Cody Goebel (WI)
14. Jay Nivison (MSU)

174 lbs
1. Levi Haines (PSU)
2. Carson Kharcla (OSU)
3. Lenny Pinto (NEB)
4. Patrick Kennedy (IA)
5. Clayton Whiting (MN)
6. Jackson Turley (RU)
7. Danny Braunagel (IL)
8. Brody Baumann (PU)
9. Lucas Condon (WI)
10. Derek Gilcher (IN)
11. Joseph Walker (MI)
12. Branson John (MD)
13. Ceasar Garza (MSU)
14. Aiden Vandenbush (NU)

184 lbs
1. Carter Starocci (PSU)
2. Max McEnelly (MN)
3. Silas Allred (NEB)
4. Gabe Arnold (IA)
5. Jaxon Smith (MD)
6. Edmond Ruth (ILL)
7. Shane Cartagena-Walsh (RU)
8. Ryder Rogotzke (OSU)
9. DJ Washington (IN)
10. Jaden Bullock (MI)
11. Jon Halvorsen (NU)
12. Lucas Daly (MSU)
13. Orlando Cruz (PU)
14. Dylan Russo (WI)

197 lbs
1. Stephen Buchanan (IA)
2. Josh Barr (PSU)
3. Jacob Cardenas (MI)
4. Isaiah Salazar (MN)
5. Zac Braunagel (IL)
6. Camden McDanel (NEB)
7. Evan Bates (NU)
8. Gabe Sollars (IN)
9. Seth Shumate (OSU)
10. Remy Cotton (MSU)
11. Ben Vanadia (PU)
12. Chase Mielnik (MD)
13. PJ Casale (RU)
14. Niccolo Colluci (WI) 

285 lbs
1. Gable Steveson (MN)
2. Greg Kerkvliet (PSU)
3. Joshua Heindselman (MI)
4. Nick Feldman (OSU)
5. Luke Luffman (IL)
5. Yaraslau Slavikouski (RU)
7. Ben Kueter (IA)
8. Jacob Bullock (IN)
9. Seth Nevills (MD)
10. Hayden Filipovich (PU)
11. Harley Andrews (NEB)
12. Max Vanadia (MSU)
13. Dirk Morley (NU)
14. Gannon Rosenfeld (WI)