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Stillwater, Okla. ? The Nebraska wrestling team claimed 62.5 points and second place at the 2008 Big 12 Championships, thanks in large part to the Outstanding Wrestler of the Meet performance of sophomore Jordan Burroughs. The Huskers earned three individual championships and two second-place finishes, but the spotlight shone the brightest on Burroughs at the Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla.
Burroughs entered the tournament seeded first and lived up to his billing with two bonus-point victories on his way to the title. Burroughs earned 10 takedowns in his first match, a 24-9 technical fall over Oklahoma’s Will Rowe, and followed up with a 15-6 major decision over IowaState’s Mitch Mueller. Burroughs was one of only two Huskers to score a bonus-point victory.
Two juniors joined Burroughs atop the awards stand as Paul Donahoe captured the title at 125 pounds and Brandon Browne earned first at 174 pounds. Donahoe gave up a takedown 30 seconds into his finals match against Tyler Shinn of OklahomaState, but held Shinn to two escapes the rest of the way to win 7-4 and earn his first Big 12 crown. Browne entered the third period of his finals match down by two, but scored a takedown with nine seconds left to come from behind for the win.
Sophomores Stephen Dwyer and Craig Brester opened the day with upsets of higher seeds in their respective classes, but both were unable to capitalize on the momentum as both lost their finals match to finish second. Dwyer dropped a tight 3-2 decision to Missouri’s Nick Marable while Missouri’s Max Askren defeated NU’s Craig Brester 8-3.
The five Husker wrestlers in the finals earned automatic bids to the NCAA Championships, while Jon May (285), Vince Jones (184) and Kenny Jordan (133) earned wild card selections to allow NU to send eight wrestlers to St. Louis.
Iowa State claimed the team title for a second consecutive year, but Nebraska’s 62.5 team points are the most the Huskers have ever accrued at the Big 12 Championships. NU matches its best finish ever as a team, as the Huskers also claimed runner-up honors in 2004 and went on to place fifth at the NCAA Championships. Nebraska’s three individual champions are the most since 1995.
2008 Big 12 Championships Results
Gallagher-Iba Arena, Stillwater, Okla.
March 8, 2008
Oustanding Wrestler of the Meet-Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska
Team Results
1-Iowa State-75.5
2-Nebraska-62.5
3-Oklahoma State-52.5
4-Missouri-49.5
5-Oklahoma-24
Nebraska Results
125 Pounds
Semifinals: Paul Donahoe (NU) by dec. over Tyler Clark (ISU), 2-1
Finals: Paul Donahoe (NU) by dec. over Tyler Shinn (OSU), 7-4
Paul Donahoe (NU) finishes first.
133 Pounds
Semifinals: Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) by dec. over Kenny Jordan (NU), 4-1 TB
Consolation: Kenny Jordan (NU) by maj. dec. over Brian Shelton (OU), 8-0
Third: Coleman Scott (OSU) by dec. over Kenny Jordan (NU), 3-0
Kenny Jordan (NU) finishes fourth.
141 Pounds
Semifinals: Nick Gallick (ISU) by dec. over Mike Rowe (NU), 2-0
Consolation: Mike Rowe (NU) by dec. over Marcus Hoehn (MU), 6-1
Third: Zach Bailey (OU) by dec. over Mike Rowe (NU), 3-2
Mike Rowe (NU) finishes fourth.
149 Pounds
Semifinals: Jordan Burroughs (NU) by tech. fall over Will Rowe (OU), 24-9
Finals: Jordan Burroughs (NU) by major dec. over Mitch Mueller (ISU), 15-6
Jordan Burroughs (NU) finishes first.
157 Pounds
Pigtail: Newly McSpadden (OSU) by fall over Chris Oliver (NU), 1:32
Consoloation: Chris Oliver (NU) by dec. over Chad Terry (OU), 7-6
Third: Newly McSpadden (OSU) by dec. over Chris Oliver (NU), 7-1
Chris Oliver (NU) finishes fourth.
165 Pounds
Semifinals: Stephen Dwyer (NU) by dec. over Jake Dieffenbach (OSU), 3-1 SV
Finals: Nick Marable (MU) by dec. over Stephen Dwyer (NU), 3-2.
Stephen Dwyer (NU) finishes second.
174 Pounds
Semifinals: Brandon Browne (NU) by dec. over Emanuel Brooks (MU), 7-6 TB
Finals: Brandon Browne (NU) by dec. over Brandon Mason (OSU), 7-6
Brandon Browne (NU) finishes first.
184 Pounds
Pigtail: Jack Jensen (OSU) by dec. over Vince Jones (NU), 3-2
Consolation: Raymond Jordan (MU) by dec over Vince Jones (NU), 8-3
Vince Jones (NU) finishes fifth.
197 Pounds
Semifinal: Craig Brester (NU) by dec. over Joel Flaggert (OU), 6-2
Final: Max Askren (MU) by dec. over Craig Brester (NU), 8-3
Craig Brester (NU) finishes second.
Heavyweight
Semifinal: Jared Rosholt (OSU) by fall over Jon May (NU), 6:06
Consolation: Jon May (NU) by dec. over Nathan Fernandez (OU), 5-2
Third: Mark Ellis (MU) by dec. over Jon May (NU), 3-1 SV
Jon May (NU) finishes fourth.