Athletics

Giving It My All

N Our Voice by Antrell Taylor

Scott Bruhn

I’ve never been one to feel overly satisfied, at least when it comes to my athletic career as a wrestler.

When I won a gold medal at the 2023 U20 Pan-Am Championships last year in Chile, it was a cool moment and something I’ll always remember and be proud of.

To be honest with you, it’s been my greatest accomplishment so far in my wrestling career, but I’m still not satisfied

For those that don’t know, the Pan-Ams are one step down from the World Championships.

When I was qualifying last year, I finished second in the bracket that sent me to the Pan-Ams.

If I would’ve won, I would’ve competed against the best of the best at the World Championships

While I was disappointed in just missing out on the chance to compete at Worlds, it gave me a chip on my shoulder that motivates me to work harder than I did yesterday.

Throughout my entire life, I’ve always had a mindset of being the hardest worker in the room. I’m of the belief that if you’re the hardest worker in the room, the results will come if you trust and respect the process.

My dad and older brother are sadly no longer here to see me live out my dreams as a collegiate wrestler at Nebraska, but they always taught me to be the best at whatever it is I pursued.

Whenever I take the mat, whether it be for Team USA or Nebraska, I know they’re always with me and guiding me to put in the work and do my best to have my hand raised high.

70 kg Men's Freestyle Champion | 2023 U20 Pan-American Championships

A championship shift

I won state wrestling when I was a sophomore in high school, and that’s when my love for football started to quickly shift to wrestling.

That became a defining moment for me because I recognized my talent in this sport and believed I could take it a long way if I continued to put in the work.

I still played football throughout the entirety of my high school career, but I realized I wasn’t going to grow anymore.

I had a ceiling in football, whereas wrestling seemed like there were limitless possibilities.

After my sophomore year, I ended up winning state the next two years to cap off my high school career at Millard South as a three-time state champ.

I actually went to the finals during my freshman year, so to say I competed in the Nebraska State Finals in each of my four years is pretty cool and will forever be memorable to me.

When it came time to choose a college, it certainly wasn’t as suspenseful as it is for a lot of college athletes out there, but I was excited to take my skills to the next level and see how I stacked up against some of the best wrestlers in the country.

A season of learning

Growing up in Millard, I think I always knew I was going to go to Nebraska to wrestle.

During recruiting, I’d joke with my friends that I’m keeping my options open and nothing’s a certainty, but there was never a doubt that I was going to be a Cornhusker.

I redshirted last year during my first season, which is something Coach Manning and the rest of the coaching staff mandate for incoming freshmen.

That’s a strategy that not every young wrestler is going to enjoy. I certainly understand wanting to come in and hit the mat full throttle, but for me, I loved redshirting.

Had I not redshirted last year, I probably would’ve come in with unrealistic goals and expectations and wouldn’t have gotten the results.

But sitting back and having the chance to learn about being a wrestler in the Big 10 and what’s required to excel at this level was a great experience for me.

Redshirting last season made me hungry and more determined than ever to prove myself on the mat for the 23-24 season.

Be calm and present

While I was excited for the season, I wasn’t really sure what to expect given the fact that it’s my first year actively competing at Nebraska in such a competitive conference.

It’s been another year where I’ve learned quite a bit, and I’ve enjoyed performing to the best of my ability and just taking it day by day.

This is also my favorite time of the season because it’s a great time to get on a roll. We have nationals coming up at the end of March, so if I can continue to improve leading into conference and nationals in March, that’ll be huge for both myself and the team.

Now that I’ve gotten my feet wet, I like where I’m at in my first season and feel the most comfortable I’ve been on the mat since arriving in Lincoln.

In addition to being a gym rat and watching as much film as I can, what’s helped contribute to my success so far is I’m very strong-minded.

It’s normal for all of us to have negative thoughts that float around in our heads, but you can’t let those thoughts get to you before a match.

I stay as calm as I can and level-headed any time I go out there, and no matter who I’m facing or how big of a match it is, I never let the moment get too big.

I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, if I’m remaining calm and present when I compete, I can live with whatever results come my way because I did everything I could both mentally and physically to prepare for the match.

"When I was younger and getting put in headlocks by my dad and brother when we’d wrestle, there was no sympathy for me just because I was little. They made me better, stronger, and tougher, and I don’t know where I’d be without their influence and determination to be the best at everything they did."

Antrell Taylor

Honoring their legacies

For the remainder of my career at Nebraska, I have goals of being a national finalist and winning a national title.

I’d love nothing more than to stand on the podium each year I compete at nationals, and I’m going to work as hard as I can to make that a reality.

Talent can only get you so far, so you have to continue to put in the work and almost act like you have a target on your back to continue to improve and achieve your goals.

I’m thankful I learned this at an early age.

When I was younger and getting put in headlocks by my dad and brother when we’d wrestle, there was no sympathy for me just because I was little.

They made me better, stronger, and tougher, and I don’t know where I’d be without their influence and determination to be the best at everything they did.

I want to honor their legacies, both in and out of wrestling, by giving everything I have for these next several years as a student-athlete.

I can’t promise I’ll win a national title for them, but I can promise that I’m going to do my best and never be satisfied as I continue to grow and improve in a sport I love.

I know for certain that will make them proud.