Story by NU Athletic Communications
The Nebraska wrestling team begins its postseason push this weekend as it travels to Maryland for the 2024 Big Ten Championships. The two-day event kicks off Saturday, March 9 at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Md.
The Big Ten Network will offer live linear and streaming coverage of the championships. Session I begins Saturday at 9 a.m. (CT) and Session II semifinals start at 6 p.m. (CT). The championship coverage continues Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) with consolation matches on B1G+ and returns to BTN at 3:30 p.m. (CT) for the final bouts. Additional mat coverage can be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required) for every session.
The Huskers have nine wrestlers seeded 10th or higher in their conference championship lineup. After wrapping up the regular season with only one loss, Ridge Lovett grabs the top spot at 149. Lenny Pinto is seeded second at 184, followed by Jacob Van Dee (133), Brock Hardy (141) and Silas Allred (197) all in fourth. Caleb Smith (125), Peyton Robb (157) and Antrell Taylor (165) sit in fifth. Making his Big Ten Tournament debut is Nash Hutmacher (HWT) in 10th, and two-time NCAA Qualifier Bubba Wilson (174) received a 12th-place seed.
Live stats and brackets will be available on trackwrestling.com. Updates will also be posted to the Nebraska wrestling twitter throughout the weekend.
Last Time Out: Five-straight bout wins helped the Huskers secure the 26-9 victory over No. 19 Arizona State on Sunday afternoon in the Huskers’ regular-season finale.
Up Next: NU will set its focus on the 2024 NCAA Championships, which will be held March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Nebraska's Big Ten Championship Lineup
With preliminary seeding
125: #5 Caleb Smith • High Point, N.C. (18-6)
133: #4 Jacob Van Dee • Union City, Pa. (18-6)
141: #4 Brock Hardy • Brigham City, Utah (15-6)
149: #1 Ridge Lovett • Post Falls, Idaho (21-1)
157: #5 Peyton Robb • Owatonna, Minn. (16-5)
165: #5 Antrell Taylor • Millard, Neb. (17-5)
174: #12 Bubba Wilson • Manhattan, Kan. (12-10)
184: #2 Lenny Pinto • Stroudsburg, Pa. (19-3)
197: #4 Silas Allred • Muncie, Ind. (20-5)
HWT: #10 Nash Hutmacher • Oacoma, S.D. (5-3)
Quick Notes:• Two Huskers claimed individual titles as the Huskers finished second at the 2023 Cliff Keen Invitational earlier this year. Lovett and Robb finished atop their weight classes as NU amassed 125.5 team points. • Lovett earned the Big Ten Championship top seed at 149 pounds for the first time. He is just the third one-seed at the tournament since Robert Kokesh was seeded first at 174 pounds for the 2015 Big Ten Championships. • Stat leaders among starters: Team Points: Lovett (52) Pins: Lovett (6) Major Decisions: Smith, Lovett, Taylor (4)