The Nebraska Cornhuskers wrestling team competes as part of NCAA Division I, representing the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the Big Ten Conference. Nebraska primarily hosted meets at the NU Coliseum from 1926 until moving to the larger Bob Devaney Sports Center in 2013.
Since its inception in 1911, the program has won seven conference tournament titles and produced eleven individual NCAA champions with 136 All-America selections. Rulon Gardner and Jordan Burroughs became Olympic gold medalists after their collegiate careers; Burroughs is the most decorated American wrestler of all-time and is considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers ever.
The team has been coached by Mark Manning since 2000.
Conference affiliations Independent (1911–1915) Western Intercollegiate Gymnastics and Fencing Association (1911 and 1915, postseason invitational only) Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association / Big Eight (1916–1996) Big 12 (1996–2011) Big Ten (2011–present)
Coaches Coaching history 1 Raymond G. Clapp 1911–1927 17–17–1 8–7 2 John Kellogg 1928–1931 13–15–1 9–10–1 3 R. G. Lehman 1932 2–3 4 Harold Ecklund C. E. Thomas 1933 0–2 5 Jerry Adam 1934–1947 16–72–4 5–26–2 6 B. R. Patterson 1948–1950 13–18–1 8–5–1 7 Al Partin 1951–1954 15–24–4 4–12 8 Don Strasheim 1955–1957 3–25–0 0–9 9 Bill Smith 1958–1960 2–31–1 0–11 10 Mickey Sparano 1960–1961 5–3–1 1–2 11 Robert Mancuso 1961–1964 15–23–1 4–8 12 Orval Borgialli 1964–1978 72–106–6 15–43–3 13 Bob Fehrs 1978–1985 95–51–2 6–24 14 Tim Neumann 1985–2000 199–77–6 15 Mark Manning 2000–present 104–66
Coaching staff Mark Manning Head coach 2000 Omaha Bryan Snyder Associate head coach 2011 Nebraska Tervel Dlagnev Assistant coach 2021 Nebraska at Kearney Robert Kokesh Assistant coach 2026 Nebraska
Venues
The University of Nebraska broke ground on the NU Coliseum in 1924, adjacent to the recently completed Memorial Stadium. Initially intended to be a part of the stadium complex, the Coliseum was funded as a standalone project using gate receipts from 1923 football games. It was designed by architects Ellery L. Davis and Walter Wilson, both university alumni who had worked on several buildings around NU's campus, including Memorial Stadium. Upon its completion in 1926, the Coliseum hosted most of the university's indoor athletic events.
Nebraska's basketball programs moved to the NU Sports Complex (later the Bob Denavey Sports Center) in 1976. Volleyball and wrestling remained at the Coliseum, though the Devaney Center was often used for larger wrestling events. The West Haymarket Arena (known as Pinnacle Bank Arena for sponsorship purposes) was built in 2013 to host basketball, and Nebraska permanently moved its wrestling program a renovated Devaney Center. The Devaney Center's listed capacity is 8,309, though Nebraska has never sold out the venue for a wrestling meet. A program-record crowd of 6,736 watched top-ranked Penn State defeat No. 7 Nebraska on January 17, 2025.
The program practices and trains at the Hendricks Training Complex, a workout facility attached to the Devaney Center.
Championships and awards Team conference championships WIGFA: 1911, 1915 MVIAA / Big Eight: 1924, 1949, 1993, 1995 Big 12: 2009
Individual awards Dan Hodge Trophy: Jordan Burroughs (2011) Gorriaran Award: Gary Albright (1982, 1986), Jason Kelber (1989), Tolly Thompson (1997), Jason Powell (2003)
NCAA champions 1963 Mike Nissen 123 lbs 1984 Jim Scherr 177 lbs Bill Scherr 190 lbs 1991 Jason Kelber 126 lbs 1993 Tony Purler 126 lbs 1995 Tolly Thompson HWT 2000 Brad Vering 197 lbs 2004 Jason Powell 125 lbs 2007 Paul Donahoe 125 lbs 2009 Jordan Burroughs 157 lbs 2011 165 lbs 2025 Ridge Lovett 149 lbs Antrell Taylor 157 lbs
Conference champions
All-Americans
Seasons
1911 Raymond G. Clapp 0–0 1st 1912 Did not compete 1913 1914 1915 Raymond G. Clapp 1–0 0–0 1st 1916 Raymond G. Clapp 0–1–1 Not available 1917 Did not compete 1918 1919 Raymond G. Clapp 0–1 Not available 1920 Did not compete 1921 1922 Raymond G. Clapp 2–1 0–0 Not available 1923 4–1 1–1 1924 2–3 1–1 1st 1925 1–4 0–2 5th 1926 4–2 3–1 3rd 1927 3–4 3–2 4th 1928 John Kellogg 3–4 2–3 5th NCAA 5th 1929 3–3–1 2–2–1 3rd 1930 5–3 3–2 3rd 1931 2–5 2–3 4th 1932 R. G. Lehman 2–3 4th 1933 Harold Ecklund C. E. Thomas 0–2 5th 1934 Jerry Adam 1–4–1 1–3–1 T–5th 1935 1–7 0–5 5th 1936 2–6 2–2 6th 1937 4–4–1 1–1–1 5th 1938 1–7–1 0–3 4th 1939 3–6–1 1–1 4th 1940 1–7 0–2 4th 1941 0–9 0–2 4th 1942 0–8 0–2 Canceled NCAA T–12th 1943 Did not compete 1944 1945 1946 Jerry Adam 0–8 0–2 Canceled NCAA T–9th 1947 3–7 0–3 3rd 1948 B. R. Patterson 2–8 2–3 2nd 1949 6–4–1 3–0–1 1st NCAA T–7th 1950 5–6 3–2 2nd 1951 Al Partin 4–6–1 2–3 T–4th 1952 0–9–1 0–5 4th 1953 9–1 2–1 T–4th 1953–54 2–8 0–3 5th NCAA T–14th 1955 Don Strasheim 0–12 0–3 5th 1956 2–6 0–3 5th 1957 1–7 0–3 5th 1958 Bill Smith 1–9 0–3 6th NCAA T–17th 1–9–1 0–5 6th NCAA T–39th 1959–60 0–13 0–3 6th 1960–61 Mickey Sparano 5–3–1 1–2 6th NCAA T–21st 1961–62 Robert Mancuso 9–2–1 4–1 4th NCAA 9th 1962–63 2–14 0–4 6th NCAA University Division 13th 1963–64 4–7 0–3 7th 1964–65 Orval Borgialli 5–11–1 3–4–1 6th 1965–66 2–13 1–5 5th 1966–67 3–10 0–5 6th 1967–68 4–12–1 1–4 7th 1968–69 4–9 0–3 7th 1970 6–5–2 1–1–2 5th 1970–71 8–5 2–2 4th 1971–72 9–5–1 2–2 4th 1972–73 4–10 0–4 4th NCAA University Division 21st 1973–74 7–6 1–4 6th 1974–75 8–3 3–2 4th NCAA Division I T–45th 1975–76 6–6 2–2 5th 1976–77 2–6 0–2 6th 1977–78 4–6–1 0–3 6th NCAA Division I T–55th 1978–79 Bob Fehrs 9–10 1–4 6th 1979–80 1–4 6th NCAA Division I 39th 1980–81 16–4 0–4 4th NCAA Division I 32nd 1981–82 14–5 1–3 4th NCAA Division I 6th 16 1982–83 17–4 1–3 3rd NCAA Division I 6th 6 1983–84 15–5 1–3 4th NCAA Division I 4th 14 1984–85 8–14 1–3 4th NCAA Division I 41st 1985–86 Tim Neumann 16–5 1–3 4th NCAA Division I 12th 13 1986–87 12–6 2–2 4th NCAA Division I 14th 1987–88 8–9–1 0–3–1 4th NCAA Division I 39th 1988–89 12–6–2 1–3–1 4th NCAA Division I 17th 9 1989–90 21–2–1 4–1 2nd NCAA Division I 5th 4 1990–91 11–6 2–3 3rd NCAA Division I 10th 9 1991–92 13–4 1–3 3rd NCAA Division I 11th 8 1992–93 10–2 3–1 1st NCAA Division I 3rd 2 1993–94 12–6 3–3 3rd NCAA Division I 29th 7 1994–95 17–3 3–3 1st NCAA Division I 6th 3 1995–96 15–3–1 2–2–1 2nd NCAA Division I 5th 3 1996–97 Tim Neumann 15–6 3–2 4th NCAA Division I 12th 10 1997–98 10–6 2–3 3rd NCAA Division I 21st 10 1998–99 17–6 3–1 4th NCAA Division I 15th 4 1999–00 10–7–1 1–3 4th NCAA Division I 8th 11 2000–01 Mark Manning 11–6 1–3 4th NCAA Division I 8th 9 2001–02 8–9 0–4 4th NCAA Division I 8th 9 2002–03 16–7 1–3 4th NCAA Division I 13th 17 2003–04 19–3 2–2 2nd NCAA Division I 5th 2 2004–05 19–2–1 3–1 3rd NCAA Division I 19th 3 2005–06 12–5 2–2 3rd NCAA Division I 16th 5 2006–07 10–7–1 1–3 4th NCAA Division I 16th 18 2007–08 14–3 3–1 2nd NCAA Division I 4th 4 2008–09 17–3–1 3–1 1st NCAA Division I 4th 4 2009–10 9–11 0–4 5th NCAA Division I T–12th 2010–11 14–5 2–2 4th NCAA Division I 12th 13 2011–12 Mark Manning 15–4 5–3 8th NCAA Division I T–21st 8 2012–13 11–6 4–4 7th NCAA Division I 13th 12 2013–14 12–2 6–2 5th NCAA Division I 11th 8 2014–15 14–1 8–1 7th NCAA Division I 9th 11 2015–16 11–6 5–4 4th NCAA Division I 8th 12 2016–17 12–4 6–3 4th NCAA Division I 9th 5 2017–18 10–4 7–2 5th NCAA Division I 9th 13 2018–19 12–5 5–4 5th NCAA Division I 10th 8 2019–20 11–3 6–3 2nd Canceled 4 2021 7–1 3rd NCAA Division I 12th 3 2021–22 6–5 3–5 7th NCAA Division I 5th 11 2022–23 12–3 7–1 3rd NCAA Division I 8th 4 2023–24 12–2 6–2 3rd NCAA Division I 9th 3 2024–25 11–3 6–2 T–3rd NCAA Division I runner-up 5 2025–26 13–6 5–3 T–3rd NCAA Division I 3rd 5
International competition Olympics
Nine Nebraska wrestlers have combined to compete in thirteen Summer Olympiads, each representing the United States. The earliest of these was Adrian Brian, a featherweight freestyle wrestler who competed in the Greco-Roman division in Antwerp in 1920. Nebraska does not include Brian in its published records, but an Omaha World-Herald report prior to the 2016 Summer Olympics concluded Brian competed in at least one match in Antwerp.
Twin brothers Bill and Jim Scherr, both former NCAA champions, competed in the freestyle division in Seoul in 1988. Rulon Gardner won NU's first Olympic wrestling gold medal in Sydney in 2000, upsetting three-time defending gold medalist Aleksandr Karelin. It was one of just two losses Karelin suffered in his 889-match senior career, and is considered one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Jordan Burroughs won gold in London in 2012 but was upset while attempting to repeat as champion in Rio de Janeiro four years later and failed to medal.
Olympiad City Wrestler Country Event Place1920 (VII) Antwerp Adrian Brian United States Greco-Roman Did not place 1960 (XVII) Rome Daniel Brand United States Freestyle 5th 1964 (XVIII) Tokyo United States Freestyle Bronze Bob Pickens Greco-Roman 6th 1988 (XXIV) Seoul Bill Scherr United States Freestyle 100 kg Bronze Jim Scherr Freestyle 90 kg 5th 2000 (XXVII) Sydney Rulon Gardner United States Greco-Roman 130 kg Gold Matt Lindland Greco-Roman 76 kg Silver 2004 (XXVIII) Athens Rulon Gardner United States Greco-Roman 120 kg Bronze Brad Vering Greco-Roman 84 kg 11th 2008 (XXIX) Beijing United States Greco-Roman 84 kg 12th 2012 (XXX) London Jordan Burroughs United States Freestyle 74 kg Gold 2016 (XXXI) Rio de Janeiro United States Freestyle 74 kg 9th
World Championships
Twelve Nebraska wrestlers have combined to compete in forty-seven events at the World Wrestling Championships, winning twenty-five medals. Burroughs's six gold medals are more than any other American in the competition's history.
+ Nebraska's World Wrestling Championship medalists Wrestler Championship Event Medal Daniel Brand 1962 Toledo Freestyle Bronze James Raschke 1963 Sofia Greco-Roman Bronze Bill Scherr 1985 Budapest Freestyle 90 kg Gold 1986 Budapest Freestyle 100 kg Silver 1987 Clermont-Ferrand Freestyle 100 kg Bronze 1989 Martigny Freestyle 100 kg Silver Jim Scherr 1986 Budapest Freestyle 90 kg Bronze 1987 Clermont-Ferrand Freestyle 90 kg Silver 1989 Martigny Freestyle 90 kg Silver Rulon Gardner 2001 Sofia Greco-Roman 130 kg Gold Matt Lindland Greco-Roman 85 kg Silver Justin Ruiz 2005 Budapest Greco-Roman 96 kg Bronze Tolly Thompson Freestyle 120 kg Bronze Brad Vering 2007 Baku Greco-Roman 84 kg Silver Jordan Burroughs 2011 Istanbul Freestyle 74 kg Gold 2013 Budapest Freestyle 74 kg Gold 2014 Tashkent Freestyle 74 kg Bronze 2015 Las Vegas Freestyle 74 kg Gold 2017 Paris Freestyle 74 kg Gold 2018 Budapest Freestyle 74 kg Bronze 2019 Astana Freestyle 74 kg Bronze 2021 Oslo Freestyle 79 kg Gold 2022 Belgrade Freestyle 79 kg Gold James Green 2015 Las Vegas Freestyle 70 kg Bronze 2017 Paris Freestyle 70 kg Silver
Professional wrestling Mike DiBiase won three heavyweight conference championships during his collegiate career. Following a brief amateur boxing career, "Iron Mike" entered professional wrestling. He participated in the American Wrestling Association until his death in 1969. He was the adoptive father of famed WWE performer Ted DiBiase, known as "the Million Dollar Man."
James Raschke wrestled and played left tackle during his time at Nebraska. He gave himself the title "Baron" upon entering professional wrestling and became famous for his violent takedown nicknamed "the claw."
Gary Albright medaled in the Big Eight Championship in 1984 and 1986, and began his professional wrestling career with Stampede Wrestling in 1988 using the stage name "Vokhan Singh." He became popular after signing with All Japan Pro Wrestling, winning two AJPW World Tag Team Championships. He returned to the United States in 1996, dying of a heart attack during a performance in 2000 at age thirty-six.
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