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Lincoln -- The Nebraska wrestling team will travel to Kansas City, Mo., this week for the 2003 NCAA Championships at Kemper Arena. The opening round of the national championships begins at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, with the championship finals slated for a 2:30 p.m. start on Saturday, March 22. The finals will be aired on ESPN at 6 p.m. All times are central.
Four Huskers qualified by finishing in the top-three at their weight classes at the March 8, Big 12 Championships. Two other Huskers received wild cards from the Big 12 coaches. Sophomore Justin Ruiz earned a third seed and he will face off against Lee Kraemer of Wisconsin in the first round. Travis Shufelt was awarded a eighth seed and will face off against Karl Nadolsky of Michigan State. Shufelt dropped a 12-7 decision to Nadolsky at last season's NCAA Championships. Junior Jason Powell enters with a ninth-seed and will face off against Bobbe Lowe of Minnesota. This will be the second match up against Lowe as Powell defeated Lowe, 10-5 in overtime on Jan. 7 in Lincoln. Redshirt freshman Jacob Klein earned an 11th-seed and will face Nick Frost of Arizona State. Klein lost to Frost in the season opener on Nov. 22, 8-5. Junior Joey Malia enters the championships unseeded and will face Anthony Carrizales of Ohio. Sophomore Travis Pascoe also enters the Championships unseeded and will face off against Curtis Owen of Arizona State. On Nov. 22, Pascoe defeated Owen, 13-6 in Lincoln.
Last Time Out (Big 12 Championships)
Nebraska finished fourth with a team score of 39.5 points, as two Huskers, 149-pounder Travis Shufelt and 197-pounder Justin Ruiz placed second in their respective weight classes, and four other Huskers (junior Jason Powell, 125; junior Joey Malia, 133; redshirt freshman Jacob Klein, 165 pounds; sophomore Travis Pascoe, 174) qualified for the NCAA Championships
Top-ranked and undefeated Oklahoma State captured the Big 12 title with 101.5 points, easily placing ahead of runner-up Missouri