Huskers went 15-3 on the first day of NCAAs, putting them in great position to earn a team trophy

The first day of the 2024 NCAA Championships is in the books, and the Huskers are in prime position in their search for a team trophy.

Nebraska started Thursday’s action on fire as it amassed an 8-1 record in the opening round and was close behind Penn State in the team race. The Nittany Lions led the field after Session I with 15.5 points while Nebraska had 14.

In Thursday’s night session, the Huskers kept their momentum going, going 7-1 in Round 2 to set themselves up for a big Friday.

In the team race, Nebraska currently sits in sixth place with 21 points. Penn State leads the field with 34.5 points, while Iowa and Iowa State are tied for second with 24.5 points. Michigan and NC State are tied for fourth with 22 points each.

After the first day, the real prize is placement points which start getting awarded Saturday, so the real prize right now is spots in the quarters. Nebraska is second to only Penn State in the number of quarterfinalists — Penn State has eight, while Nebraska has seven. Iowa State, Michigan and NC St. each have five quarterfinalists, while Iowa, Virginia Tech and Arizona State have four each.

Despite its current 6th-place standing, Nebraska is in a great spot with its 15-3 record on the first day.

Weight-By-Weight Breakdown

125 pounds

15-seed Caleb Smith

In the first round, Smith got things rolling for an impressive first round when he took out 18-Seed Michael DeAugustino of Michigan. After a scoreless first period, the two traded escapes in the second and third periods, sending the match to sudden victory tied at 1-1. In overtime, Smith caught DeAugustino sleeping as the period was closing and ducked under and around for a last-second takedown. The call was reviewed and confirmed a takedown, giving Smith the 4-1 win.

And here’s another shot of it, showing a nice contingent of Husker fans in Kansas City.

In Thursday night’s second round, Smith took on 2-seed Luke Stanich of Lehigh, a true freshman who’s 20-3 on the year after winning an EIWA title.

After a scoreless first period, Smith and Stanich traded escapes in the next two periods, pushing the match to sudden victory tied at 1-1. In overtime, Smith quickly hit a blast double-leg takedown for the big-time 4-1 decision win.

With his upset win over the 2-seed, Smith will take on 10-seed Eric Barnett of Wisconsin in the quarters. Barnett is 2-0 against Smith, beating him via 17-2 tech fall at Big Tens, so this will be a tough matchup for the Husker junior.

133 pounds

14-seed Jacob Van Dee

Facing an opponent who beat him twice earlier in the season, Van Dee took on UNI’s 19-seed Julian Farber in the first round. Van Dee collected a first-period takedown before riding out Farber for the entire second period. In the third, Van Dee scored an escape and moved on with a 5-1 decision win.

During Thursday night’s Session II, Van Dee took on 3-seed Kai Orine of NC State in the second round. The two-time ACC Champion Orine proved to be too much for the redshirt freshman Van Dee in a 2-0 decision win where he rode Van Dee out for the entire second period.

Moving on to Friday’s consolation bracket, Van Dee will take on Minnesota’s 20-seed Tyler Wells with the winner moving on to the bloodround where winners earn All-American status.

141 pounds

9-seed Brock Hardy

In his first match of the day, Hardy took on Illinois’ Danny Pucino after the bracket was redrawn slightly in the morning. Hardy was a man on a mission in this one, collecting five takedowns and four near-fall points en route to a 20-4 tech fall win, earning crucial bonus team points.

In the second round, Hardy took on Michigan’s 8-seed Sergio Lemley for the third time this season. Hardy started off fast with a pair of first-period takedowns before scoring another takedown in the second to go up 9-4. In the third, Hardy got an escape and got the 10-4 decision win.

With the win, Hardy moves on to face 1-seed Jesse Mendez of Ohio State in Friday morning’s quarterfinal round.

149 pounds

1-seed Ridge Lovett

Back at nationals after missing last year while taking a redshirt, Lovett showed why he’s the 1-seed when he made quick work of Rutgers’ Michael Cetta in the first round. Lovett took Cetta down quickly and it didn’t take long before he pinned him with an arm bar then a figure four to the head. Check it out, it’s impressive.

Lovett moved on to face 17-seed Graham Rooks of Indiana in the second round. Lovett scored a takedown in both the first and second rounds but gave one up late in the third, earning the 8-4 decision win.

With the win, Lovett moves on to face 8-seed Casey Swiderski of Iowa State in Friday’s quarters.

157 pounds

8-seed Peyton Robb

In the first round, Robb faced Northwestern’s Trevor Chumbley. The two wrestled a scoreless first period before Robb scored on an escape to start the second period. Chumbley chose neutral in the third to avoid going underneath Robb, and the Husker senior held off Chumbley for the tight 1-0 decision win.

Moving on to the second round, Robb took on 9-seed Will Lewan of Michigan for the third time this season. After a scoreless first period, Robb was able to catch Lewan with a sigle-leg before putting him in a cradle on the edge, gaining four near-fall points to go up 7-1. Robb added another takedown in the second on the way to the 11-6 decision win.

With the win, Robb moves onto the quarters where he’ll face 1-seed Levi Haines of Penn State.

165 pounds

8-seed Antrell Taylor

In his first NCAA tournament match, Taylor looked about as good as I’ve seen him when he took on Pittsburgh’s 25-seed Holden Heller in the first round. Taylor scored a takedown in each period and never gave up an escape, riding each period out. In his championship debut, Taylor earned the 11-0 major decision win.

In the second round, Taylor took on West Virginia’s 9-seed Peyton Hall. Taylor started the match off strong with a takedown and back points to go up 5-0. Taylor then showed off some impressive leg defense when Hall was able to get to his leg and get it elevated.

In the second period, Taylor scored an escape before giving up a takedown, cutting the Husker’s lead to 6-4. Taylor and Hall each scored takedowns in the third, but it was Taylor’s stellar leg defense that won him the match via 11-9 decision.

With the win, Taylor moves onto Friday’s quarters against 1-seed Keegan O’Toole of Missouri who is looking for his third straight NCAA title.

184 pounds

5-seed Lenny Pinto

For Nebraska’s Pinto, he started his tournament with a first-round match against Campbell’s 28-seed Caleb Hopkins. Pinto shot out early with three takedowns in the first period to go up 9-2. He then added a reversal in the second but gave up a takedown, taking an 11-6 lead into the third. Pinto then got an escape, three takedowns and four near-fall points in the final period to get the 25-8 tech fall win.

In Thursday night’s second round, Pinto took on Michigan’s 12-seed Jaden Bullock for the third time this year. In that match, Pinto and Bullock wrestled a scoreless first period before Bullock took a 1-0 lead with a second-period escape.

In the third, Pinto hit a low shot late and held on for the 4-2 decision win.

In Friday’s quarters, Pinto will take on 4-seed Trey Munoz of Oregon State.

197 pounds

10-seed Silas Allred

Facing Ohio State’s 23-seed Luke Geog, Allred fell behind early when Geog got a takedown, but Allred escaped and was in on a takedown of his own shortly after before riding the period out. In the second, Allred scored an escape and a takedown, taking a 9-3 lead into the third. With Geog choosing neutral to start the third, the two battled on their feet. In the end, Allred got the 10-3 win.

Moving on to the second round, Allred took on 26-seed Andy Smith of Virginia Tech after he upset 7-seed Zach Glazier of Iowa in the first round. After trading escapes in the second and third periods, Allred hit a low shot on Smith for a takedown in the third and held on for the 4-2 decision win.

In the quarters, Allred will take on the undefeated 2-seed Trent Hidlay of NC State.

285 pounds

29-seed Nash Hutmacher

In the first round, Hutmacher faced a tall task in facing a world class Greco-Roman specialist in Arizona State’s 4-seed Cohlton Schultz. After a scoreless first period, Schultz scored an escape and a takedown in the second. Hutmacher notched an escape to cut the deficit to 4-1 late in the period. In the third, Hutmacher got another escape to cut it to 4-2. Schultz was then able to counter Hutmacher for a takedown before letting him up and getting one more before time expired, dropping the Polar Bear via 10-3 decision.

With the loss, Hutmacher dropped to the consolations where he took on Cleveland State’s 20-seed Daniel Bucknavich. After a scoreless first period, Hutmacher gave up a second-period reversal. He then scored two escapes to tie the match at 2-2, sending things to overtime.

In sudden victory, Bucknavich hit a double-leg on Hutmacher as they went out of bounds and collected the takedown for the win.

Hutmacher ended his NCAA tournament with an 0-2 record but has been a valuable asset to the team ever since joining the team in December.