Friday, January 26
Evanston, Ill.
7 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Nebraska
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Open Home Slate Against No. 6 Nebraska, No. 3 Iowa This Weekend
1/25/2024 6:15:00 PM | Wrestling
Northwestern to return to action after 12-day hiatus from head-to-head competition
EVANSTON, Ill. (January 25, 2024) – Northwestern wrestling lifts the lid on its 2023-24 home slate this weekend, welcoming a pair of top-10 opponents to Welsh-Ryan Arena.
No. 6 Nebraska will provide the opposition in the home opener on Friday evening at 7 p.m. ahead of a showdown with No. 3 Iowa at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
LAST TIME OUT
Four Wildcats tallied victories as Northwestern fell to Maryland, 29-15, back on January 14 inside the XFINITY Center Pavilion in College Park, Md.
Massey Odiotti was dominant in his Big Ten debut at 125 pounds, racking up five takedowns in a 21-4 win by technical fall. Maxx Mayfield also put bonus points on the board for the 'Cats at 165 pounds, cruising to a 16-3 major decision. Troy Fisher (184 pounds), 4-2, and Jon Halvorsen (285 pounds), 6-5, added decision victories.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Nebraska enters the weekend at 7-1 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten Conference play. Currently sitting at No. 6 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division I Coaches Poll, the Cornhuskers scored wins over No. 9 Minnesota, 19-14, and Purdue, 27-14, last weekend.
Veteran head coach Mark Manning's team features nine wrestlers currently ranked by InterMat, a group highlighted by a quartet in the top 10. Ridge Lovett leads the way for that group. The top-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds, Lovett boasts a spotless 17-0 record this season, a ledger that includes four wins by fall. No. 3 Lenny Pinto (184 pounds), No. 7 Brock Hardy (141 pounds), and No. 9 Peyton Robb (157 pounds) also reside in the top 10.
SCOUTING IOWA
Ranked third in the NWCA poll, Iowa, which visits Illinois on Friday, sports an 8-0 record in dual action that includes a 3-0 ledger against Big Ten foes. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 34-6 rout of Purdue this past Friday in Iowa City, Iowa.
Under the leadership of five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year Tom Brands, seven of Iowa's probable starters for Sunday's weekend finale sit inside the top 15 of the InterMat rankings. Top-ranked Real Woods highlights the Hawkeye lineup at 141 pounds. Fresh off a 2022-23 campaign in which he took home a Big Ten title and was the NCAA runner-up, Woods has raced out to a 12-0 start, with five victories by technical fall.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's home opener will mark the 20th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Nebraska on the mat. The Cornhuskers have prevailed in all nine meetings since the two teams between conference rivals prior to the 2011-12, extending their lead in the series to 19-2 (.905), a margin bolstered by a 22-15 triumph last season at the Devaney Center in Lincoln, Neb.
Iowa owns an impressive 75-7-1 (.910) advantage in 84 previous clashes with the Wildcats. The Hawkeyes pushed their win streak in the series to 14 last season, dealing Northwestern a 24-9 setback at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
Northwestern
125: Massey Odiotti
133: Patrick Adams
141: Joel VanderVere -OR- Luis Bazan
149: Aiden Vandenbush -OR- Sam Cartella
157: #19 Trevor Chumbley
165: #15 Maxx Mayfield
174: David Ferrante -OR- Joseph Martin
184: #24 Troy Fisher
197: Evan Bates
285: Jack Jessen -OR- Jon Halvorsen
No. 6 Nebraska
125: #12 Caleb Smith -OR- Alan Koehler
133: #19 Jake Van Dee
141: #7 Brock Hardy -OR- Blake Cushing
149: #1 Ridge Lovett
157: #9 Peyton Robb -OR- Josh Licking
165: #18 Antrell Taylor
174: #33 Bubba Wilson -OR- Christopher Minto
184: #3 Lenny Pinto
197: #15 Silas Allred
285: Harley Andrews -OR- Nash Hutmacher
No. 3 Iowa
125: #5 Drake Ayala
133: Cullan Schriever
141: #1 Real Woods
149: #11 Caleb Rathjen
157: #2 Jared Franek
165: #6 Michael Caliendo
174: #9 Patrick Kennedy
184: Aiden Riggins
197: #14 Zach Glazier
285: #28 Bradley Hill -OR- Ben Kueter
* All individual rankings courtesy of InterMat (January 23)
UP NEXT
Northwestern heads back out on the road next weekend, visiting No. 21 Wisconsin (February 2) and No. 9 Minnesota (February 4). The matchup against the Golden Gophers will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
No. 6 Nebraska will provide the opposition in the home opener on Friday evening at 7 p.m. ahead of a showdown with No. 3 Iowa at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
LAST TIME OUT
Four Wildcats tallied victories as Northwestern fell to Maryland, 29-15, back on January 14 inside the XFINITY Center Pavilion in College Park, Md.
Massey Odiotti was dominant in his Big Ten debut at 125 pounds, racking up five takedowns in a 21-4 win by technical fall. Maxx Mayfield also put bonus points on the board for the 'Cats at 165 pounds, cruising to a 16-3 major decision. Troy Fisher (184 pounds), 4-2, and Jon Halvorsen (285 pounds), 6-5, added decision victories.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Nebraska enters the weekend at 7-1 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten Conference play. Currently sitting at No. 6 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division I Coaches Poll, the Cornhuskers scored wins over No. 9 Minnesota, 19-14, and Purdue, 27-14, last weekend.
Veteran head coach Mark Manning's team features nine wrestlers currently ranked by InterMat, a group highlighted by a quartet in the top 10. Ridge Lovett leads the way for that group. The top-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds, Lovett boasts a spotless 17-0 record this season, a ledger that includes four wins by fall. No. 3 Lenny Pinto (184 pounds), No. 7 Brock Hardy (141 pounds), and No. 9 Peyton Robb (157 pounds) also reside in the top 10.
SCOUTING IOWA
Ranked third in the NWCA poll, Iowa, which visits Illinois on Friday, sports an 8-0 record in dual action that includes a 3-0 ledger against Big Ten foes. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 34-6 rout of Purdue this past Friday in Iowa City, Iowa.
Under the leadership of five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year Tom Brands, seven of Iowa's probable starters for Sunday's weekend finale sit inside the top 15 of the InterMat rankings. Top-ranked Real Woods highlights the Hawkeye lineup at 141 pounds. Fresh off a 2022-23 campaign in which he took home a Big Ten title and was the NCAA runner-up, Woods has raced out to a 12-0 start, with five victories by technical fall.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's home opener will mark the 20th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Nebraska on the mat. The Cornhuskers have prevailed in all nine meetings since the two teams between conference rivals prior to the 2011-12, extending their lead in the series to 19-2 (.905), a margin bolstered by a 22-15 triumph last season at the Devaney Center in Lincoln, Neb.
Iowa owns an impressive 75-7-1 (.910) advantage in 84 previous clashes with the Wildcats. The Hawkeyes pushed their win streak in the series to 14 last season, dealing Northwestern a 24-9 setback at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
Northwestern
125: Massey Odiotti
133: Patrick Adams
141: Joel VanderVere -OR- Luis Bazan
149: Aiden Vandenbush -OR- Sam Cartella
157: #19 Trevor Chumbley
165: #15 Maxx Mayfield
174: David Ferrante -OR- Joseph Martin
184: #24 Troy Fisher
197: Evan Bates
285: Jack Jessen -OR- Jon Halvorsen
No. 6 Nebraska
125: #12 Caleb Smith -OR- Alan Koehler
133: #19 Jake Van Dee
141: #7 Brock Hardy -OR- Blake Cushing
149: #1 Ridge Lovett
157: #9 Peyton Robb -OR- Josh Licking
165: #18 Antrell Taylor
174: #33 Bubba Wilson -OR- Christopher Minto
184: #3 Lenny Pinto
197: #15 Silas Allred
285: Harley Andrews -OR- Nash Hutmacher
No. 3 Iowa
125: #5 Drake Ayala
133: Cullan Schriever
141: #1 Real Woods
149: #11 Caleb Rathjen
157: #2 Jared Franek
165: #6 Michael Caliendo
174: #9 Patrick Kennedy
184: Aiden Riggins
197: #14 Zach Glazier
285: #28 Bradley Hill -OR- Ben Kueter
* All individual rankings courtesy of InterMat (January 23)
UP NEXT
Northwestern heads back out on the road next weekend, visiting No. 21 Wisconsin (February 2) and No. 9 Minnesota (February 4). The matchup against the Golden Gophers will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
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