Huskers Send Five to Big Ten Finals

State College, Pa. - Five Huskers advanced to the Big Ten finals as the Nebraska wrestling team sits tied for second in the team standings after the first day of the 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. 

Brock Hardy (141), Antrell Taylor (157), Christopher Minto (174), Camden McDanel (197) and AJ Ferrari (285) will compete for Big Ten titles on Sunday, with the championship bouts starting at 3:30 p.m. (CT) on Big Ten Network. 

Nebraska trails Penn State, who leads the team race with eight finalists. The Huskers follow with five, while Ohio State has three finalists. All 10 Huskers remain alive in the tournament heading into the final day.

Five Huskers competed in the opening round, while the remaining five received first-round byes. At 125,  No. 11 Kael Lauridsen opened the day against sixth-seeded Jore Volk (MIN), falling by 16-0 tech. fall. At 133, No. 6 Jacob Van Dee was up next, scoring two reversals and a takedown to earn a 9-3 decision over No. 3 Caleb Weiand (MSU). 

At 149, No. 6 Chance Lamer recorded a first-period takedown and four-point nearfall to secure a 9-1 major decision over No. 11 Joey Buttler (IND). Making his Big Ten tournament debut at 165, No. 4 LJ Araujo pinned No. 13 AJ Rodrigues (MD) in 6:18. No. 3 Silas Allred closed the opening round at 184, tallying five takedowns and a four-point nearfall to earn a 20-2 tech. fall over No. 14 Cale Anderson (WIS). 

After his opening loss, Lauridsen moved into the consolation bracket where he edged No. 14 Abram Cline (MD) 1-0  to advance. 

Nine Huskers competed in the quarterfinals, beginning with Van Dee. The junior trailed early and managed an escape, but No. 3 Ben Davino (OSU) secured the 5-1 decision with riding time. No. 2 Brock Hardy opened his tournament at 141 with an 8-0 major decision over No. 10 Joey Olivieri (RUT). At 149, Lamer held an early lead against No. 3 Joseph Zargo (WIS), but Zargo used three late takedowns to claim a 9-6 decision. 

Top-seeded Antrell Taylor began his tournament with an 8-1 decision over No. 8 Luke Mechler (WIS). At 165, Araujo dropped a tight 3-1 decision to No. 5 Andrew Sparks (MIN). NU closed the quarterfinal round with four straight victories. At 174, No. 2 Christopher Minto scored three takedowns to secure an 11-1 major decision over No. 7 Ethan Riddle (MIN). No. 3 Silas Allred followed with a SV takedown to defeat No. 6 Dylan Fishback (OSU), 4-1. 

No. 2 Camden McDanel dominated his quarterfinal bout at 197, recording a 18-2 tech. fall over No. 7 Kael Wisler (MSU). At heavyweight, No. 2 AJ Ferrari secured a 5-2 decision over No. 10 Ben Kueter of Iowa. 

In the consolation rounds, Lauridsen continued his run with a 3-2 win over No. 12 Nick Corday (MSU), before falling 4-3 to No. 8 Dean Peterson (IOWA). The Nebraska native will compete in the seventh-place match Sunday morning. 

Van Dee responded with a dominant consolation victory, recording three first-period takedowns on the way to a 19-4 tech. fall over No.12 Blaine Frazier (IND). Van Dee later medically forfeited during his match but remains in the seventh-place bracket. 

Lamer fell by pin to No. 13 Clayton Jones (MSU) in the second round of consolations but will continue wrestling in the ninth-place bracket. Araujo picked up his second pin of the tournament, defeating No. 14 Jack Conley (MSU) in 2:17 before adding a 2-0 decision over No. 8 Paddy Gallagher (OSU) to continue his run through the backside of the bracket. 

Semifinal action began with Hardy at 141 against No. 3 Vance Vombaur (MIN). After a scoreless first period, Hardy scored a takedown and three-point nearfall to pull away for a 9-2 decision. The senior advances to the Big Ten finals for the second consecutive season. 

At 157, No. 1 Taylor faced Michigan’s No. 4 Cameron Catrabone. Taylor secured an early takedown and controlled the match for a 7-1 decision to earn a spot in the championship bout. 

No. 2 Minto followed at 174, defeating No. 3 Patrick Kennedy (IOWA) with a 5-1 decision. At 184, No. 3 Allred medically forfeited his semifinal match against No. 2 Max McEnelly (MIN). 

At 197, No. 2 McDanel used three late takedowns to secure the 10-3 decision over No. 6 Wyatt Ingham (WIS). No. 2 Ferrari closed the semifinal round with a 2-1 decision over No. 3 Nick Feldman (OSU). 

Nebraska closed the day with five finalists and sits tied for second in the team standings, with Ohio State at 112 points. 

The 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships resume Sunday with consolation semifinals and seventh-place matches at 11 a.m. (CT) on B1G+. Championship bouts begin at 3:30 p.m. (CT) on Big Ten Network. 

Sunday, March 8 (Coverage on Big Ten Network/FOX Sports app and B1G+)

Time	Session	Broadcast
11 a.m.	Session III (Consolation Semifinals, 7th-Place Matches)	B1G+
3:30 p.m.	Session IV (1st-, 3rd- and 5th- Place Matches)	Big Ten Network

Team Score (Points)

1. Penn State (146.5)
2. Nebraska (112) 
3. Ohio State (112)
4. Iowa (70) 
5. Illinois (69.5) 
6. Minnesota (69.5)
7. Michigan (68.5)
8. Rutgers (56.5)
9. Wisconsin (43.5)
10. Indiana (33)
11. Maryland (28)
12. Purdue (23)
13. Northwestern (14.5)
14. Michigan State (10.5)

Weight-by-Weight Matchups

125: No. 11 Kael Lauridsen (2-2)
Round 1: No. 6 Jore Volk (MINN) tech. fall No. 11 Kael Lauridsen (NEB) (5:32) 16-0
Cons. Round 1: No. 11 Kael Lauridsen (NEB) dec. No. 14 Abram Cline (MD) 1-0
Cons. Round 2: No. 11 Kael Lauridsen dec. (NEB) No. 12 Nick Corday (MSU) 3-2
Cons. Round 3: No. 8 Dean Peterson (IOWA) dec. No. 11 Kael Lauridsen (NEB) 4-3 

133: No. 6 Jacob Van Dee (2-2)
Round 1: No. 6 Jacob Van Dee (NEB) dec. No. 11 Caleb Weiand (MSU) 9-3
Quarterfinals: No. 3 Ben Davino (OSU) dec. No. 6 Jacob Van Dee (NEB) 5-1
Cons. Round 2: No. 6 Jacob Van Dee (NEB) tech. fall No.12 Blaine Frazier (IND) (5:22) 19-4
Cons. Round 3: No. 2 Lucas Byrd (ILL) med. forfeit No. 6 Jacob Van Dee (NEB) 1-0

141: No. 2 Brock Hardy (2-0)
Round 1: Bye
Quarterfinals: No. 2 Brock Hardy (NEB) major dec. No. 10 Joey Olivieri (RUT) 8-0
Semifinals: No. 2 Brock Hardy (NEB) dec. No. 3 Vance Vombaur (MIN) 9-2

149: No. 6 Chance Lamer (1-2)
Round 1: No. 6 Chance Lamer (NEB) major dec. No. 11 Joey Buttler (IND) 9-1
Quarterfinals: No. 3 Joseph Zargo (WIS) dec. No. 6 Chance Lamer (NEB) 9-6
Cons. Round 2: No. 13 Clayton Jones (MSU) pinned No. 6 Chance Lamer (NEB) 0:35

157: No. 1 Antrell Taylor (2-0)
Round 1: Bye
Quarterfinals: No. 1 Antrell Taylor (NEB) dec. No. 8 Luke Mechler (WIS) 8-1
Semifinals: No. 1 Antrell Taylor (NEB) dec. No. 4 Cameron Catrabone (MICH) 7-1

165: No. 4 LJ Araujo (3-1)
Round 1: No. 4 LJ Araujo (NEB) pinned No. 13 AJ Rodrigues (MD) 6:18
Quarterfinals: No. 5 Andrew Sparks (MIN) dec. No. 4 LJ Araujo (NEB) 3-1
Cons. Round 2: No. 4 LJ Araujo (NEB) pinned No. 14 Jack Conley (MSU) 2:17
Cons. Round 3: No. 4 LJ Araujo (NEB) dec. No. 8 Paddy Gallagher (OSU) 2-0

174: No. 2 Christopher Minto (2-0)
Round 1: Bye
Quarterfinals: No. 2 Christopher Minto (NEB) major dec. No. 7 Ethan Riddle (MIN) 11-1
Semifinals: No. 2 Christopher Minto (NEB) dec. No. 3 Patrick Kennedy (IOWA) 5-1

184: No. 3 Silas Allred (2-1)
Round 1: No. 3 Silas Allred tech. fall No. 14 Cale Anderson (WIS) (6:44) 20-2
Quarterfinals: No. 3 Silas Allred dec. No. 6 Dylan Fishback (OSU) SV-1 4-1 
Semifinals: No. 2 Max McEnelly (MIN) med. forfeit No. 3 Silas Allred (NEB) 

197: No. 2 Camden McDanel (2-0)
Round 1: Bye
Quarterfinals: No. 2 Camden McDanel (NEB) tech. fall No. 7 Kael Wisler (MSU) (6:22) 18-2
Semifinals: No. 2 Camden McDanel (NEB) dec. No. 6 Wyatt Ingham (WIS) 10-3

285: No. 2 AJ Ferrari (2-0)
Round 1: Bye
Quarterfinals: No. 2 AJ Ferrari (NEB) dec. No. 10 Ben Kueter (IOWA) 5-2
Semifinals: No. 2 AJ Ferrari (NEB) dec. No. 3 Nick Feldman (OSU) 2-1