NU wrestlers bring home 4th at NCAA Championships
Dave Houfek
Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: Sports
ST. LOUIS - The Nebraska wrestling team finished the 2007-08 season with a tough fourth-place showing at the NCAA Championships Saturday at the Scottrade Center.
Cornhuskers' Paul Donahoe and Jordan Burroughs brought home third-place finishes at 125 and 149 pounds, respectively, while 174-pounder Brandon Browne and 197-pounder Craig Brester placed fourth in their respective weight classes. Academic All-Big 12 Conference wrestler Stephen Dwyer was able to work his way to eighth place at 165 pounds giving Nebraska its fifth All-American.
The five NU All-Americans mark the most the Huskers have produced since 1995, and the team's fourth-place finish is its best since 1993.
After a strong 14-2 opening performance on Thursday, Nebraska held a 1.5-point advantage over Iowa State for second place and was only three points behind leader Iowa.
Nebraska went on to win three of its six quarterfinal matches Friday morning, but Nebraska's hold over second place was lost as its three semifinalists in Donahoe, Burroughs and Browne all fell in close matches Friday night.
Fighting through a wild weekend of momentum swings, the Huskers were left without a finalist in any weight class by the end of Friday. But with the possibility of gaining four third-place finishes, the mood of the team was optimistic about finishing well heading into the last day of competition.
"No team went undefeated (Friday)," Head Coach Mark Manning said. "It's just the ups and downs of wrestling, there are ups and downs in this sport, and that's what makes it a great sport."
Heading into the final day on Saturday, Nebraska trailed second-place Ohio State by 13 points. But after winning six matches in the consolation bracket, Nebraska took over second place with 74 team points, two ahead of Iowa State.
Donahoe started off Nebraska's Saturday morning run with a 5-3 victory over Stanford's Tanner Gardner and then finished his tournament with a 6-3 decision over Penn State's Mark McKnight.
Cornhuskers' Paul Donahoe and Jordan Burroughs brought home third-place finishes at 125 and 149 pounds, respectively, while 174-pounder Brandon Browne and 197-pounder Craig Brester placed fourth in their respective weight classes. Academic All-Big 12 Conference wrestler Stephen Dwyer was able to work his way to eighth place at 165 pounds giving Nebraska its fifth All-American.
The five NU All-Americans mark the most the Huskers have produced since 1995, and the team's fourth-place finish is its best since 1993.
After a strong 14-2 opening performance on Thursday, Nebraska held a 1.5-point advantage over Iowa State for second place and was only three points behind leader Iowa.
Nebraska went on to win three of its six quarterfinal matches Friday morning, but Nebraska's hold over second place was lost as its three semifinalists in Donahoe, Burroughs and Browne all fell in close matches Friday night.
Fighting through a wild weekend of momentum swings, the Huskers were left without a finalist in any weight class by the end of Friday. But with the possibility of gaining four third-place finishes, the mood of the team was optimistic about finishing well heading into the last day of competition.
"No team went undefeated (Friday)," Head Coach Mark Manning said. "It's just the ups and downs of wrestling, there are ups and downs in this sport, and that's what makes it a great sport."
Heading into the final day on Saturday, Nebraska trailed second-place Ohio State by 13 points. But after winning six matches in the consolation bracket, Nebraska took over second place with 74 team points, two ahead of Iowa State.
Donahoe started off Nebraska's Saturday morning run with a 5-3 victory over Stanford's Tanner Gardner and then finished his tournament with a 6-3 decision over Penn State's Mark McKnight.
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