The Nebraska wrestling team captured a second-place finish at the NCAA Championships Saturday in Philadelphia, Pa., the best-ever showing by the Huskers at the national tournament. The performance was highlighted by individual national championships won by Ridge Lovett at 149 pounds and Antrell Taylor at 157 pounds.
Nebraska’s previous best was third, which it achieved in 1993. The Cornhuskers had multiple individual national champions for the first time since 1984. Nebraska finished with 117 team points, trailing only Penn State, which won its 13th national championship under Cael Sanderson with a record 177 team points and the fourth title in a row.
The Huskers’ efforts were led by three national finalists and two national champions. Along with Lovett and Taylor, Brock Hardy finished second at 141 pounds.
Lovett’s national championship at 149 pounds broke a 14-year drought for Nebraska in individual national champions. The Huskers last national champion was Jordan Burroughs in 2011. Lovett, the No. 2 seed, topped No. 1 seed Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech. After two scoreless periods, Lovett notched an escape early in the third period and held off Henson to win the title.
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After Nebraska had waited 14 years for a national champion, they had to wait roughly 14 minutes for their next champion. In the next match, Taylor, the No. 3 seed, faced No. 8 seed Joey Blaze of Purdue. Taylor took the lead with a takedown late in the first period. He pushed the lead to 4-0 with an escape in the second period. Blaze scored a point for an escape and earned another when Taylor was called for stalling, but Taylor held off Blaze to win the title, 4-2.
At 141 pounds, Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez topped Hardy, 12-9. Hardy took an early 5-0 lead with a takedown and a two-point near fall, but Mendez escaped and took down Hardy late in the period to cut it to 5-4. Hardy escaped early in the second period to lead 6-4. But Mendez took down Hardy, then scored a four-point near fall to lead 11-6. Hardy scored a takedown in the third period but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Of Nebraska’s nine wrestlers, eight earned All-America status with a top-eight individual finish.
(KMAland) — A big Tuesday for baseball in Missouri and Nebraska to go with other golf, soccer, tennis and track and field on the KMAland Sports Schedule for today.
Check out the full slate below.
KMALAND BASEBALL SCHEDULE
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Area Missouri
St. Joseph Christian at East Atchison
South Holt at Faith Christian Academy
North Nodaway at Plattsburg
Platte Valley at East Buchanan
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Nodaway Valley at Osborn/Stewartsville
Benton at Savannah
West Platte at King City
North Platte at North Andrew
Area Nebraska
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Roncalli Catholic at Nebraska City
Elkhorn at Platte Valley
Omaha North, Louisville at Auburn
KMALAND GOLF SCHEDULE
Boys: Falls City, Humboldt-TRS at Auburn
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KMALAND SOCCER SCHEDULE
Area Missouri
Girls: Savannah at Maryville
Area Nebraska
Girls: Crete at Auburn
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Girls: Seward at Conestoga
KMALAND TENNIS SCHEDULE
Boys: Maryville at Bishop LeBlond
KMALAND INDOOR TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE
Girls/Boys: Simpson High School Classic (Harlan, Treynor, Wayne)
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LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Big Ten Conference honored Nebraska softball pitcher Jordyn Bahl on Monday as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week.
This is Bahl’s second weekly honor of the season after winning Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 17.
SEE ALSO:Jordyn Bahl, Ava Kuszak take home Big Ten weekly awards
Bahl pitched 8.1 innings in the series against Minnesota and had an ERA of 0.00 over the course of the weekend, which ended in a sweep for NU.
She limited her opponents to a .077% batting average and only allowed one hit out of the infield.
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Overall, Bahl allowed no runs and only two hits while striking out nine batters.
SEE ALSO: No. 21 Nebraska softball sweeps Minnesota
The junior pitcher claimed the win in the Huskers’ first game against the Gophers and recorded a save in game two of the series.
The Papillion native pitched every inning in Friday’s 8-0, six-inning win.
In that matchup, she threw a complete game, allowing no runs and only one hit while fanning seven.
Ohio State’s Morgan Frye was named Big Ten Player of the Week, while Michigan’s Lauren Putz was the Freshman of the Week.
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Categories: Husker Sports, Sports
Tags: Big Ten, Big ten conference, big ten pitcher of the week, college softball, freshman of the week, gophers, Huskers, Jordyn Bahl, Minnesota, Nebraska, pitcher of the week, player of the week, softball
The struggles continue for the Nebraska baseball team.
Despite high expectations and a top-25 preseason ranking going into 2025, the Huskers have fallen flat so far with three-straight series losses to begin conference play. The latest having NU drop two of three to USC over the weekend to cap off a long west coast road trip that ended with a 3-5 record.
Four runs allowed in the first three innings by starter Will Walsh proved to be enough for USC to take down Nebraska in the opening game by a score of 5-3 as NU could only muster five hits. Game two was the most dramatic of the season. Dylan Carey and Josh Overbeek each ripped two-run doubles to put the Huskers up 4-2, but a three-run sixth inning pushed the Trojans ahead 5-4 going into the ninth inning. With the bases loaded, Devin Nunez sent a full count pitch up the middle for a game-winning, two-run double to give Nebraska a 6-5 victory. Unfortunately for the Huskers, that momentum didn’t carry over to Sunday as Trojan starter Grant Govel blanked the NU offense for five innings. The bullpen followed suit until a sac fly by Cayden Brumbaugh in the eighth inning ended the shutout in a 7-1 series finale defeat.
A nine-game road trip finally comes to an end for the Huskers who head down to Manhattan to face old Big 12 foe Kansas State in a midweek one off.
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Here’s all you need to know as NU takes on the Wildcats.
How to Follow Along
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday
Nebraska: TBD | Kansas State: TBD
Series History
Texas Longhorns catcher Garrett Guillemette (35) catches the ball as it goes by Kansas State infielder Brady Day (7) during the second inning in the Longhorns’ game against the Kansas State Wildcats at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, April 7, 2023.
Texas Baseball V Kansas State Sed 16 / SARA DIGGINS/AMERICAN-STATESMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
Kansas State Scout
Last Season: 35-26 (15-15 Big 12); Eliminated in Charlottesville Super Regional
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Head Coach: Pete Hughes (183-150, 7th Season at KSU)
Key Transfers: Keegan O’Connor, C, Gr. (Quinnipiac) | Dee Kennedy, INF, Soph. (Texas) | Seth Dardar, INF, Gr. (Columbia) | Maximus Martin, INF, Jr. (Georgia State) | Bear Madliak, C, R-Jr. (Jacksonville State) | Shintaro Inque, INF, Jr. (Western Nebraska CC) | Michael Quevedo, LHP, Sr. (Nicholls State) | Lincoln Sheffield, LHP, Jr. (Hinds CC) | Tazwell Butler, RHP, R-Jr. (Walters State CC).
Program Outlook: The two teams have gone in opposite directions since they last faced one another at the Frisco College Classic in early March. Kansas State has rolled off victories in 10 of the 13 games since while the Huskers have gone 6-8.
The Wildcats victory over NU in the Frisco Classic is only KSU win over a Nebraska school this season as they’ve lost to both Creighton and UNO this season. It’s been a very positive start to conference play for Kansas State taking down Utah in a three-game sweep before winning two of three against Baylor last weekend on the road. Overall, the Wildcats are on a roll winning six of their last seven games, but left the Baylor series on a sour note with a 19-4 loss to the Bears.
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Georgia State infield transfer Maximus Martin has been a hit for head coach Pete Hughes with the junior hitting a team-leading .408 with a 1.351 OPS while pacing the offense with nine home runs and 33 RBIs. He’s backed up by a lineup that has four other hitters batting over .300 including A.J. Evasco with a .400 average and 25 RBIs. Quinnipiac transfer Keegan O’Connor brings plenty of pop from the catcher positions swatting six home runs, which is second on the team while hitting .359 on the season.
Sophomore reliever Blake Dean has been wicked out of the bullpen for KSU with a 3.86 ERA in 21 innings and 10 appearances. Donte Lewis (2.31 ERA) and Brody Roe (2.57 ERA) have also been effective, but have seen limited innings.
The Wildcats have always been a tough out under Hughes, who’s in the midst of his seventh season in Manhattan, and that hasn’t changed in 2025. I expect a close battle for this single midweek contest, but with Kansas State’s offense and recent string of strong performances, give me the Wildcats in this one.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
