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Looking to defend its Big 12 championship and claim another top-five finish at the NCAA Championships, the Nebraska wrestling team is ranked No. 7 in InterMat's 2009-10 NCAA Division I preseason team rankings.
The Huskers return four NCAA Championship qualifiers and two All-Americans from last year's team that went 17-3-1, won a share of the Big 12 title and placed fourth at the NCAA Championships.
Each of the five Big 12 wrestling teams are ranked in the top 25, as the Huskers face a challenging schedule that includes nine dual opponents in the poll. Four of those are in top 10, led by No. 2 Iowa State. Nebraska's highest-rated non-conference opponent is fifth-ranked Minnesota.
InterMat also ranked the top 20 individual wresters in every weight class, where each of Nebraska's returning NCAA Championship qualifiers are ranked. Senior Jordan Burroughs aims to defend his 2009 NCAA title as he is preseason No. 1 at 157 pounds, while senior Craig Brester is ranked No. 2 at 197 pounds following his runner-up finish in 2009. A 2008 All-American, senior Stephen Dwyer is sixth at 165 pounds and sophomore Tucker Lane is No. 9 at heavyweight.
Burroughs is one of six 2009 NCAA champions back to defend their titles, joining Troy Nickerson of Cornell (125), Franklin Gomez of Michigan State (133), Jarrod King of Edinboro (165), Jake Varner of Iowa State (197) and Mark Ellis of Missouri (HWT).
The Iowa Hawkeyes start the season ranked No. 1 following back-to-back national championships in 2008 and 2009.
The Huskers open the 2009-10 season when they host the Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday, Nov. 15 at the NU Coliseum at 1 p.m. Nebraska holds its annual Red-White Intrasquad on Friday, Nov. 6 at the Devaney Center at 6 p.m.
InterMat Team Rankings
1. Iowa
2. Iowa State
3. Ohio State
4. Cornell
5. Minnesota
6. Oklahoma State
7. Nebraska
8. Missouri
9. Boise State
10. Maryland
11. Wisconsin
12. Edinboro
13. Central Michigan
14. Penn State
15. Indiana
16. American
17. Arizona State
18. Oklahoma
19. Lehigh
20. Virginia
21. Michigan State
22. Harvard
23. Cal Poly
24. Penn
25. Duke
*Bold indicates 2009-10 dual opponent