Wrestling

My All-American Journey

N Our Voice

My All-American Journey

No one in my family had ever been a wrestler before.

So, when my skinny seventh-grade self proudly told my parents I wanted to start wrestling, they weren't quite sure what to make of it.

All of my friends and the toughest guys I knew were on the wrestling team, and I wanted to get that same experience for myself. 

Almost immediately, I quit playing football and riding BMX because I knew I wanted to be known as Christian Lance, the wrestler.

As it turns out, that's the best decision I've ever made.

Going all in

 

I've gone from being a 120-pound kid when I started wrestling to a 285-pound heavyweight in my final season at Nebraska, so yeah, you could say I've grown a lot.

I don't want to pat myself on the back too much, but none of my accomplishments would have been possible without the hard work I put in. 

In the past 10-plus years, I've never taken more than a week off from training. If there was a workout opportunity, I was there.

Even if I didn't feel great on that day and somebody asked me to work out, I wouldn't even hesitate for a second – I was all in.

That attitude first helped me become a successful high school wrestler in my hometown of Nixa, Missouri. After my first taste of what it feels like to be a championship wrestler, I was even more committed to achieving it again.

I'm very grateful to Fort Hays State for giving me the chance to wrestle collegiately immediately, and I grew a lot during my three years with the Tigers. I always had a dream of wrestling at the Division I level, and it was only when my training partner Dom Bradley put in a good word for me to Nebraska's coaches that I got on their radar.

I have to believe that Coach Manning and the other coaches saw my hard-working attitude, and that convinced them I'd be a good fit at Nebraska. 

However, it wasn't always smooth sailing for me to find my role with the Huskers.

B1G_10_Wrestling_Championship_Session_3034Nebraska Cornhusker Wrestler Christian Lance B1G 10 Wrestling Championships Session 3
B1G_10_Wrestling_Championship_Session_3027Nebraska Cornhusker Wrestler Christian Lance B1G 10 Wrestling Championships Session 3

"It's a little bittersweet for me to realize that my wrestling journey with Nebraska has come to an end, but I'm so thankful for everything this place has given me."

Christian Lance

Turned belief into reality 

 

When I first signed with Nebraska, my main emotion wasn't excitement or joy – it was fear.

I mean, I had just qualified for the Division II national championships and suddenly I'm here at Nebraska where there's no guarantee I'd even be a starter. 

At the Division II level, I knew I could win multiple national titles and occasionally go into a wrestling match, knowing I'd crush my opposition.

That was never going to be the case at Nebraska. As I soon learned, every match and dual in the Big Ten is like going to war — time and time again.

I wasn't sure that it would work out, particularly given Nebraska's history in the sport. I mean, some of the world's best wrestlers were Huskers — it was a bit nerve-wracking.

But at the same time, let's be real, it was also a massive opportunity. If I wanted to be the best version of myself, there was no better place for me. After all, surrounding myself with athletes like this would surely help me in my own development. 

When I first came to Nebraska, I wrote down on a piece of paper that I'd become a Division I All-American. 

In order to achieve it, I first had to believe in it

For a long time, that goal seemed so far away. I wanted it, but how would I attain it?

In my first two years with the Huskers, I wasn't even a starter and last year I didn't make it to the round of 12 at NCAAs. 

However, I kept telling myself I could do it.

Achieving my dreams

 

It was only when I picked up a key overtime win last season that I knew I'd truly made it as a Division I wrestler.

My big moment came in a dual against Wisconsin, in what was a very emotional day honoring my late teammate Christian Miller. We were tied with Wisconsin heading into the heavyweight match, and my opponent was one of the best wrestlers in the entire country.

Wisconsin's Trent Hillger was already a two-time All-American and had beaten me several times before. 

With the chance to win the dual, the emotion of the day and my personal goals all swimming through my head, it was like the weight of the world was on my shoulders.

We battled throughout the match and even went into overtime before I finally got a takedown. After that, I knew I had made it to the level I wanted to be at. 

And this last season with Nebraska was proof of that.

It was also vindication for all the hours of hard work I put in to get there.

The emotion I felt when I finally achieved that All-American status at the NCAA Championships was truly unbelievable. Even a couple weeks later, it hasn't quite sunk in yet.

It's a little bittersweet for me to realize that my wrestling journey with Nebraska has come to an end, but I'm so thankful for everything this place has given me.

The dreams and goals I had for myself years ago are now a reality, and I've reached a level that would make any iteration of my past self proud.

As I move into my professional and international wrestling journey, there's still one more thing I'd love to accomplish at Nebraska – to become a legend.

Thanks to the confidence I've gained here, I'll never count myself out from achieving that.