NWCA Preseason Poll Places Huskers at No. 15

After a top-15 finish at last season's NCAA Championships, the Nebraska wrestling team will begin the 2010-11 wrestling season ranked at No. 15, according to the NWCA Division I preseason poll which was released Tuesday.

The Huskers return four NCAA Championship qualifiers and one All-American from last year's team that went 9-11, and collected a 12th-place finish at the 2010 NCAA Championships in Omaha, Neb. The Huskers' lone returning All-American is Jordan Burroughs, who is back for a fifth year of eligibility after missing much of last season with a knee injury. Burroughs, now a 165-pounder, owns a 92-20 career record and is the only undefeated national champion in school history after going 35-0 during the 2008-09 season.

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. 3 Oklahoma State. Nebraska will also face two non-conference opponents that will start the season ranked inside the top five, including No. 4 Minnesota and No. 5 Wisconsin, both future Big Ten foes.

The Huskers open the 2010-11 season when they face off against the Ohio Bobcats at the Buckeye Duals in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday, Nov. 21. Nebraska holds its annual Red-White Intrasquad on Friday, Nov. 5 at the Devaney Center at 7 p.m..

NWCA Preseason Top 25
1. Cornell
2. Boise State
3. Oklahoma State
4. Minnesota
5. Wisconsin
6. Penn State
7. Iowa
8. Oklahoma
9. Central Michigan
10. Illinois
11. Missouri
12. Ohio State
13. Virginia Tech
14. Pittsburgh
15. Nebraska
16. Arizona State
17. Lehigh
18. Michigan
19. Northwestern
20. Purdue
21. Rutgers
22. Oregon State
23. Virginia
24. Cal Poly
25. Iowa State
*Bold indicates 20010-11 dual opponent