Nebraska
No. 1 Penn State Wrestling Glides Over No. 6 Nebraska 26-12
The top-ranked Nittany Lions defeated the No. 6-ranked Cornhuskers 26-12 on Friday night in the Bryce Jordan Center, picking up their 83rd consecutive dual win. Although the closest dual the Nittany Lions have had thus far, they secured 30 takedowns compared to Nebraska’s four.
Penn State won all but three matchups, picking up four bonus-point victories including, two technical falls and two major decisions.
The match was highlighted by multiple top-10 matchups, five of which were won by Penn State wrestlers.
How It Happened
125 Pounds
To start the event, No. 1 Luke Lilledahl faced off against Alan Koehler. The Nittany Lion struck quickly with a single-leg takedown within the first 20 seconds to take a 3-0 lead. Koehler escaped to get on the board, but Lilledahl got back to his offense and secured a second takedown. The Cornhusker escaped but was once again put to the mat in a third takedown attempt of the period by the Nittany Lion.
To start the second period, Koehler escaped, but was taken down a fourth time as Lilledahl made it 12-3 with 1:30 left in the frame. The Nittany Lion put Koehler in a devastating bow-and-arrow pinning combination but was only awarded two back points before the two landed out of bounds.
Lilledahl elected to start the period in neutral position, taking the Cornhusker down for a fifth and then eventually a sixth time to secure the 21-4 technical fall.
133 Pounds
At 133 pounds, No. 4 Marcus Blaze took on No. 10 Jacob Van Dee. After a slow start to the match, the Nittany Lion drew blood first with a 3-point takedown with 20 seconds remaining.
To start the second, Van Dee escaped quickly to cut the deficit to two. Blaze was awarded a point for his headgear being pulled, but there were no other points scored.
In the third period, Blaze escaped to make it 5-1 which ended up being the difference in the match. The Nittany Lion remains unbeaten after knocking off the former All-American.
141 Pounds
Next, No. 12 Braeden Davis wrestled No. 4 Brock Hardy at 141 pounds. The Nittany Lion came out on fire, taking the Cornhusker down within the first 10 seconds of the match. Hardy escaped but was taken down a second time to make it 6-1. Hardy escaped before the end of the period to make it 6-2.
In the second frame, Davis escaped after 30 seconds to add to his lead. The Nittany Lion was given a stall warning before a stoppage for an injury. The two wrestlers went back forth before Hardy hit a takedown to make it 7-5 as time expired in the period.
To start the third, Hardy escaped to cut the deficit to one. The Cornhusker would takedown Davis and eventually cradle him into a pin. The two would scuffle afterwards, leading to a Penn State team point being docked from the total.
149 Pounds
At 149 pounds, No. 1 Shayne Van Ness faced off against No. 18 Chance Lamer. The Cornhusker took down Van Ness to start the match; however, the Nittany Lion escaped after 20 seconds to get on the board. The two wrestlers would hand fight for the remaining time in the period.
Although Lamer escaped to start the period, Van Ness countered with a takedown to even the score.
In the third period, Van Ness escaped and hit a massive takedown to go up 8-4 with a minute remaining. Lamer escaped but was taken down a third time. The Nittany Lion won with a 12-5 decision to extend Penn State’s lead.
157 Pounds
In the final match before the intermission, No. 3 PJ Duke faced off against No. 5 Antrell Taylor. The Nittany Lion narrowly missed out on a takedown, but no points were scored for the first period.
In the second, Taylor escaped instantly to take the lead. The match went to the third period with just a one-point difference.
In the third, Duke escaped to tie the match, but no other points were scored as it went to sudden victory.
After no points were scored in sudden victory, the two wrestlers went to the rideout periods. Taylor escaped in the first to go up 2-1. Duke was unable to return the favor in the second overtime as the Nittany Lion dropped the 2-1 decision.
165 Pounds
After the break, No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink took on No. 7 LJ Araujo. Mesenbrink got to a leg instantly, finishing the takedown just a few seconds later. Araujo escaped but was taken down a second time shortly thereafter. The Nittany Lion would connect on one more takedown before the end of the first period to go up 9-3 after the first.
The two started in neutral, where Mesenbrink would capitalize with another takedown to go up 13-4.
In the third period, Mesenbrink was awarded a point for Araujo’s stalling before reversing the Cornhusker from bottom position to go up 16-4. After an escape, Mesenbrink took his opponent down once more to collect the 20-5 technical fall.
174 Pounds
Next, No. 1 Levi Haines faced off against No. 4 Christopher Minto. The Cornhusker was awarded a point after Haines pushed his opponent off the mat. The Nittany Lion was close to a takedown but was unsuccessful as the buzzer sounded.
Haines escaped to start the second but was taken down to go down 4-2. The Nittany Lion answered with a takedown of his own to take the lead 5-4 before the third period.
Minto escaped to tie the match in the third, but Haines rolled back for a second takedown, enough for an 8-6 decision victory.
184 Pounds
At 184 pounds, No. 1 Rocco Welsh wrestled No. 6 Silas Allred. The Nittany Lion got to his offense quickly with two takedowns midway through the first period.
In the second, Welsh got to a third takedown, making the match 9-3 after a minute in the second period. The Cornhusker was able to escape to cut the deficit to five before the third period.
Welsh escaped and took Allred down for the fourth time to stretch the lead to a 14-5 major decision.
197 Pounds
Next, No. 1 Josh Barr faced off against No. 9 Camden McDanel. Barr started strong with a takedown within the first minute. The Nittany Lion hit three more takedowns before the end of the first frame to take a commanding lead heading into the second.
Barr escaped and took the Cornhusker down for the fifth time in the second period.
In the third, McDanel escaped but was taken down for a sixth time along the edge of the mat. McDanel was allowed up and then took Barr down for his first takedown. Barr responded with a takedown of his own to take home the 21-9 major decision.
Heavyweight
In the final matchup of the night, No. 12 Cole Mirasola took on No. 4 AJ Ferrari. There was only hand fighting in the first period as the two wrestlers headed into the second period tied 0-0.
Ferrari escaped to take the lead after just eight seconds. Mirasola was close to a takedown but was unable to reach Ferrari’s second ankle.
In the third, Ferrari kept the Nittany Lion down for nearly the entire period, winning the match 2-1.
Whats Next?
Penn State wrestling will be back on the mat when the Nittany Lions travel to face No. 10 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Friday, February 6, at 6 p.m. The dual will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
Nebraska
No. 24 Nebraska wins slugfest over Indiana
A windy day led to a wild slugfest at Hawks Field Saturday, but No. 24 Nebraska baseball knocked off Indiana, 12-7, clinching the conference series for the Cornhuskers while running Nebraska’s home record to 11-0.
The Huskers scored three runs in the first and two in the fourth to build a 5-0 lead. The Hoosiers answered with three in the sixth and one in the seventh to cut the NU lead to 5-4. Nebraska took control of the game with seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to grow the lead to 12-4. IU scored one in the eighth, but drew no closer.
Drew Grego was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Dylan Carey drove in five runs and hit a home run, while always drawing a pair of walks. Case Sanderson was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of walks. Jeter Worthley added a 2-for-4 showing with an RBI and a walk. Carson Jasa (5-1) earned the win, throwing 5.2 innings for NU. He allowed four hits while striking out 10 and walking five. For Indiana, Owen ten Oever was 1-for-3 with three RBI. Cooper Malamazian was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The Huskers aim for the sweep Sunday at Hawks Field against Indiana. First pitch is slated for noon with pregame coverage at 11:30 a.m. on KLIN.
Nebraska
No Kings protests return to Nebraska, draw hundreds and thousands
LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – Hundreds of Nebraskans protested against the Trump administration Saturday along Nebraska Parkway in Lincoln, and thousands protested near Northwest Radial Highway in Omaha as part of No Kings demonstrations statewide.
The third iteration of No Kings protests organized border to border gatherings to vent displeasure at President Donald Trump and his administration’s policy decisions. The Lincoln protest was held on the Helen Boosalis Trail between North 27th Street and North 56th Street.
“I don’t like what’s going on … I know it’s not the world I want to live in,” said Ford Kloepper, a 17-year-old Lincoln resident.
Kloepper said people his age are going to take the “brunt” of Trump’s “mistakes.” He pointed to the recent U.S. conflict in Iran as a motivator to protest for him, as he doesn’t want to get “drafted into a war in the Middle East for no reason at all.”
Many of the protesters, much like previous demonstrations, held anti-Trump signs with slogans like, “Trump lies” and “Stop Trump, save democracy.” Others held American flags and wore costumes. Volunteers from different groups gathered signatures for ballot initiatives and at least one candidate. One of the petitions sought to let voters decide on a state constitutional amendment requiring larger majorities to repeal or change any law passed by voters. Volunteers for nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn collected signatures to get him on the November ballot.
Organizers planned 18 protests across Nebraska. In Omaha, the rally was held at Gallagher Park, with thousands of protesters filling the sidewalks and grassy areas near the intersection of Maple Street and the Northwest Radial.
Organizers said the spot let protesters draw attention to historic Benson and all of the restaurants, galleries and coffee shops that have made the neighborhood a cultural destination since 1887. Among the crowd filled with a variety of ages and races was Lorin and Elwin Moseman, waving signs that said, “End Wars Before Wars End Us” and “No Kings No ICE.”
It was the Mosemans’ third anti-Kings rally, and despite the chill of the day, they said they wouldn’t have missed it.
“It could have been an ice storm,” said Elwin, who was motivated in particular by “the Epstein files and Trump being in them, this stupid war we’ve got involved with Iran.”
His wife, Lorin, said she came to “stand up for democracy.”
“I want to show up, stand up and speak out about our country,” she said, decrying “leadership incompetency from the very beginning.”
She said the nation needs a presidential job description and interview, and she was not short on words to describe her disgust and disappointment about current leadership: “Shameful, disgusting, exhausting.”
“We’re in a broken world,” she said.
Nearby, a bundled up woman in a wheelchair held onto a sign that said, “I’m mad about everything.”
Sara Peterson led buses carrying about 75 protesters from First United Methodist Church of Omaha. She said people felt a sense of unity and joy seeing the chanting crowd, which she said reflected her group’s makeup — diverse in age, ethnicity and political party.
“We’re not alone,” she said “It’s an exciting day to be a part of.”
Peterson called the rally a “tangible sign of people coming together … for democracy.” Her group included church members and their friends — some of whom never participated in such a protest or rally before but felt the urge and were nudged “out of their comfort zone to take back our country and democracy.
Since the return of Trump for a second term, the anti-Trump group has organized national protests. Nebraska, much like the rest of the nation, saw multiple demonstrations throughout 2025.
The group also bought ads in local newspapers ahead of the Saturday protests. Nebraska Republican Party chair Mary Jane Truemper had no immediate comment on the protests.
As Election Day gets closer, political observers have wondered how organizers might harness the political energy, whether the demonstrations might signal a coming wave of change at the polls, or whether momentum will fizzle after the crowds go home. Some have argued Democrats and progressives are good at mobilizing people for large-scale protests but have lagged conservatives in building local infrastructure to affect sweeping policy changes.
Back in Lincoln, Erik Betts, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student, said the political winds are in Democrats’ favor, and he feels the possibilities are endless, even in a reliably red state. He said he thinks Osborn could beat Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, and he hopes the “blue” wave might be large enough to beat Nebraska 1st Congressional District Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, a former speaker of the Legislature.
“We need to really show up this time …We’ve got to take this motivation … and make a difference,” Betts said.
Betts said events like these help him stay hopeful because it reminds him that he is not alone.
“When you are in your own house and just scrolling on social media, it’s easy to feel just defeated,” Betts said. “So I come out as much to show support for everyone else, to feel that maybe a bunch of people agree with [me] and things can change.”
Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Aaron Sanderford for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
Omaha woman fighting for medical debt relief in Nebraska
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – For many families, beating a cancer diagnosis isn’t just about physical recovery. One Omaha cancer survivor is now using her voice to fight for medical debt relief across Nebraska.
Diana Gleisberg Meredith thought she had an upper respiratory infection in January 2024.
“In January of 2024, I felt like I had some kind of upper respiratory – maybe Pneumonia, RSV…” Meredith said.
She was sent from her primary care doctor to the emergency room to a hospital by ambulance in a five-hour span.
“The ER doctor identified that it was cancer, likely lymphoma,” Meredith said.
Diagnosis came as new mother started treatment
The diagnosis came as Meredith became a new mom. She knew she had to immediately start treatment.
“It’s life changing. You go from not having a care in the world to thinking you’re going to die and how is that going to affect my baby. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through emotionally, physically and mentally,” Meredith said.
Meredith said there’s an invisible burden that comes with the diagnosis.
“Not everybody is lucky to have the financial support or the human support to help them,” Meredith said.
Treatment costs could add up to millions
Meredith had 12 chemo treatments. Each used four medications, with one of those costing more than $130,000. For one family, this could add up to millions.
After Meredith entered remission, she began fighting for medical debt relief for other Nebraskans.
“Nebraskans all throughout the state and right here in Omaha – they’re having to make those decisions about should they save their life, or how do they care for their family,” Meredith said.
Advocacy group plans Washington trip
She works with Blood Cancer United alongside other Omaha mothers whose children are cancer survivors. They hold fundraisers like “Light the Night,” collecting thousands of dollars and supporters.
In May, they’ll travel to Washington, D.C., for training on how to push for change at the federal level.
“Our office of public policy gets together to help train these volunteers, help them get to know each other better and develop familiarity with what it means to go to a lawmakers office in Washington DC,” said Dana Bacon, senior director of government affairs for Blood Cancer United.
Meredith is fighting for lower interest rates on medical debt, no foreclosures on homes over medical debt and paused interest rates.
“It’s probably the most stressful thing that you’re going to go through, and then having to add medical debt on top of it? To be honest it’s hell,” Meredith said.
Other states are already protecting families from medical debt. Meredith said Nebraska should be next. Iowa is one of the states that limits liens and foreclosures when a family is drowning in medical debt.
Copyright 2026 WOWT. All rights reserved.
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