Huskers Close Regular Season at Utah Valley

After closing out Big Ten competition with a double-dual weekend sweep, the No. 5 Nebraska wrestling team looks to finish the regular season with a non-conference dual. The Huskers (12-6, 5-3 Big Ten) travel to Orem, Utah, to face Utah Valley (5-7, 3-4 Big 12) on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 8 p.m. (CT). 

The dual will be streamed on FloWrestling, with live stats available on Trackwrestling. NU brings eight top-10 wrestlers to Utah, featuring three potential top-30 matchups. Utah Valley's lineup is highlighted by No. 11 David Evans at 149. The senior is 14-4 overall and 8-1 in dual competition. 

The regular season finale could feature one rematch. At 141, No. 4 Brock Hardy and No. 19 Haiden Drury met in November 2024, where Hardy won by decision and leads the series 1-0. 

HISTORY
Utah Valley Series: Nebraska leads 4-0-0
Last Meeting: Nov. 8, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. (Nebraska won 32-7)

HUSKERS TO WATCH

• No. 3 AJ Ferrari (HWT) moves up in the rankings after sitting at No. 4 throughout the season. Ferrari is 12-2 and has collected six bonus-point wins, including four major decisions. 
• At 141, Brock Hardy recorded his 100th career win against Iowa on Jan. 23 and now sits at 104 career victories, including 45 in dual competition. With five more wins, Hardy would tie for No. 17 on Nebraska’s career wins list. Hardy also leads the team with 42 dual takedowns, 13 dual-point wins and six tech. falls. The senior earned two tech. falls last weekend to close conference action.  
• Antrell Taylor (157) remains at No. 3 in the rankings. The junior has won 13 consecutive duals and went 8-0 in conference competition. He is 15-2 in duals this season, has 11 bonus-point victories and leads the team with 64 dual points. The Omaha native sits at 69 career wins, one shy of 70. 
• LJ Araujo is 13-6 in his redshirt freshman season. He comes off two ranked wins last weekend, defeating the No. 8 and No. 18 wrestlers at 165.
• No. 4 Christopher Minto is 17-4 on the season, with all but six of his opponents ranked in the top 30. With wins last weekend, Minto now has 20 career dual victories and 41 career wins. 
• No. 6 Silas Allred is 15-6 this season and earned a bonus-point win against Indiana last weekend. The senior sits at 93 career victories. 
• Four Huskers have surpassed 30 takedowns this season: Hardy (42), McDanel (37), Minto (36) and Taylor (34). 

UP NEXT
After closing its regular season in Orem, Utah,  the Huskers will begin its postseason at the Big Ten Championships in University Park, Pa. The two-day tournament begins with Session I on Saturday, March 7 at 9 a.m. (CT). Session II is slated for 4 p.m. (CT) Saturday with Sessions III and IV set for Sunday, March 8. All sessions will be televised on Big Ten Network and Big Ten Plus. 

No. 5 Nebraska (12-6, 5-3 Big Ten)
125: Alan Koehler or Kael Lauridsen
133: #10 Jacob Van Dee
141: #4 Brock Hardy
149: #19 Chance Lamer or Scott Robertson
157: #3 Antrell Taylor
165: #7 LJ Araujo
174: #4 Christopher Minto
184: #6 Silas Allred or Tyler Eise
197: #9 Camden McDanel
HWT: #3 AJ Ferrari 

Utah Valley (5-7, 3-4 Big 12)
125: Bridger Ricks 
133: Geronimo Rivera or Jake Castagneto
141: #19 Haiden Drury
149: #11 David Evans or Kayd Craig
157: Ian Fritz or Mark Takara
165: Zyon Trujillo
174: Hudson Rogers or Trevor Frank
184: Caleb Uhlenhopp or Christian Smoot
197: Kael Bennie
HWT: #30 Jack Forbes