Eric Schultz

Honors & Awards

• Seventh-place 2022 NCAA Championships (March 19)
• Second-place 2022 Big Ten Championships (March 6)
• Five-Time NCAA Qualifier (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• Nebraska Lifter of the Year (2021-22)
• Nebraska Redshirt of the Year (2016-17)
• Four-Time Academic All-Big Ten (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
• Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020; Spring 2020, 2021)
• Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2018, 2019)
• Most Outstanding Wrestler (2020)
• NWCA First-Team All-America (2020)
• NWCA Scholar All-American (2020, 2022)

2021-22 (Senior)

NCAA Championships – 7th (4-2) – 197 pounds

• Champ. Round 1 - Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 20-4 won by major decision over Cole Urbas (Pennsylvania) 24-11 (MD 15-6)
• Champ. Round 2 - Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 20-4 won by decision over Greg Bulsak (Rutgers) 26-9 (Dec 4-3)
• Quarterfinal - Jacob Warner (Iowa) 21-6 won by decision over Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 20-4 (Dec 2-0)
• Cons. Round 4 - Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 20-4 won by decision over Jay Aiello (Virginia) 16-5 (Dec 4-2)
• Cons. Round 5 - Rocky Elam (Missouri) 24-7 won by decision over Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 20-4 (Dec 3-2)
• 7th Place Match - Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 20-4 won by decision over Greg Bulsak (Rutgers) 26-9 (Dec 3-2)

Big Ten Championships – 2nd (2-1) – 197 pounds

• Champ. Round 1 - Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 12-1 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal - Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 12-1 won by decision over Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) 10-10 (Dec 3-1)
• Semifinal - Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 12-1 won by decision over Patrick Brucki (Michigan) 17-5 (Dec 3-2)
• 1st Place Match - Max Dean (Penn State) 18-1 won by decision over Eric Schultz (Nebraska) 12-1 (Dec 4-2)

Regular Season - 197 pounds

• 20-4 overall (10-0 dual record)
• Bonus points: Two pins, one technical fall, one major decision 
• Finished second at the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 4)

2020-21 (Senior)

NCAA Championships – DNP (2-2) – 197 pounds

• First Round: #31 Owen Pentz (NDSU) pinned #2 Eric Schultz (NEB), 4:51
• Cons. First Round: #2 Eric Schultz (NEB) dec. #18 Jacob Koser (NAVY), 4-2
• Cons. Second Round: #2 Eric Schultz (NEB) major dec. #16 Jake Jakobsen (LEH), 10-2
• Cons. Third Round: #7 Rocky Elam (MIZZ) major dec. #2 Eric Schultz (NEB), 12-3

Big Ten Championships – 2nd (2-1) – 197 pounds

• First Round:  BYE
• Quarterfinals: Eric Schultz (NEB) dec. No. 9 Gavin Hoffman (OSU), 2-0
• Semifinals: Eric Schultz (NEB) dec. No. 4 Cam Caffey (MSU), 2-1
• Finals: No. 2 Myles Amine (MICH) dec. Eric Schultz (NEB), 7-3

Regular Season - 197 pounds

• 8-0 overall (8-0 dual record)
• Bonus points: Two major decisions, one technical fall
• Tied for team-high dual points with 31 on the season
• Defeated Garret Joles (Minnesota) by major decision, 14-3, on Jan. 8 to continue his regular-season win streak into 2021.
• His regular season dual win streak improved to 12 matches after finishing the 2020-21 season undefeated.  

2019-20 (Junior)

Big Ten Championships – 2nd (2-1) – 197 pounds

• First Round: BYE
• Quarterfinals: Eric Schultz (NEB) pinned #10 Hunter Ritter (MINN) (2:52) 
• Semifinals: Eric Schultz dec. #6 Shakur Rasheed (PSU), 4-3
• Championship: #1 Kollin Moore (OSU) dec. Eric Schultz (NEB), 4-1

Regular Season – 197 pounds

• 21-3 overall record (13-1 dual record)
• Bonus Points: Two pins, five technical falls, three major decisions 
• Took home 197A title at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic (Nov. 10)
• Fifth-place finish at the Cliff Keen Invitational (Dec. 7) with 5-2 mark
• 8-1 record in Big Ten duals
• Led team in: 
  • Dual Record (13-1) 
  • Dual Points (52 -- yielded only three dual points)
  • Dual Takedowns (73 -- yielded only five dual takedowns)

2018-19 (Sophomore)

NCAA Championships – DNP (2-2) – 197 pounds

• First Round: Defeated #24 Tanner Harvey (American) by decision, 7-4
• Second Round: Lost to #3 Preston Weigel (Oklahoma State) by decision, 7-2
• Cons. Second Round: Defeated #20 Noah Adams (West Virginia) by decision, 7-2
• Cons. Third Round: Lost to #6 Willie Micklus (Iowa State) by decision, 3-2

Big Ten Championships – 4th (3-2) – 197 pounds

• First Round: Defeated Niko Capello (Maryland) by tech. fall, 27-11
• Quarterfinals: Defeated #11 Christian Brunner (Purdue) by decision, 3-2
• Semifinals: Lost to #1 Bo Nickal (Penn State) by major decision, 10-2
• Cons. Semifinals: Defeated Beau Breske (Wisconsin) by decision, 3-2
• 3rd Place: Lost to #5 Jacob Warner (Iowa) in SV-1, 7-5

Regular Season – 197 pounds

• 21-11 overall record (10-7 dual record)
• 6-3 record in Big Ten duals (two wins by tech. fall)
• Bonus points: three victories by major decision, two by tech. fall and one by fall
• 3-9 record against top 20 ranked opponents
• Finished third at the Daktronics Open (Nov. 4)

2017-18 (Redshirt Freshman)
NCAA Championships – DNP (2-2) – 197 pounds

• First Round: Lost to #14 Cash Wilcke (Iowa) by decision, 4-3
• Cons. First Round: Defeated Jacob Seely (Northern Colorado) by decision, 3-2
• Cons. Second Round: Defeated #13 Jeric Kasunic (American) by decision, 3-2
• Cons. Third Round: Lost to Jacob Holschlag (Northern Iowa) by decision, 3-2

Big Ten Championships – 7th (3-2) – 197 pounds

• First Round: Defeated Nick May (Michigan State) by decision, 3-2
• Quarterfinals: Lost to #4 Kollin Moore (Ohio State) by decision, 10-4
• Cons. Second Round: Defeated Jake Kleimola (Indiana) by major decision, 18-4
• Cons. Quarterfinals: Lost to Hunter Ritter (Wisconsin) by pin, 2:09
• Seventh-Place Match: Defeated Zack Chakonis (Northwestern) in sudden victory-1, 3-1

Regular Season – 197 pounds

• 20-11 record overall (10-4 in duals)
• Bonus Points: one pin, one technical fall and two major decisions
• Tied for second with 10 dual wins; was second on the team with 39 takedowns in dual matches
• Defeated a ranked opponent with an 8-6 win over No. 11 Kevin Beazley of Michigan (Feb. 2)
• Placed second at the Daktronics Open (Nov. 5)
• DNP at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 1-2)

2016-17 (Redshirt)
Regular Season – 197 pounds

• 27-3 record overall
• Bonus points: four pins, four technical falls and two major decisions
• Named Nebraska Redshirt of the Year
• Won the Bob Smith Open title (Dec. 3)
• Won the Hastings Cusatis Open title (Jan. 7)
• Won the Roger Denker Open (Jan. 22)
• Placed second at the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open (Nov. 13)
• Finished third at the Daktronics Open (Nov. 6)
• Took third at the UNK Holiday Inn Open (Nov. 19)
• Competed at 96 kg at the USA Wrestling Junior Freestyle World Team Trials following the season

Before Nebraska

• Wrestled at Tinley Park High School in Tinley Park, Ill., under Coach Jon Pfeffer
• Won the 2016 state title
• Ranked fourth at 197 pounds by FloRankings (No. 26 in overall class ranking)
• Won the 2015 Illinois Freestyle title (195)
• Won the 2015 Illinois Greco-Roman title (195)
• Won the 2015 TOA Dominate in the Dells (195)
• All-state football team member

Personal

• Born: Sept. 14, 1997
• Parents: Eric and Barb Schultz
• Sisters: Hannah, Jillian, Riley, Maddie, Ava
• Bachelor's degree from Nebraska as a management major (May 2021)

Career Statistics

Year	Overall	Dual	Pins	TF	MD	NCAA	Big Ten
2016-17*	27-3	0-0	4	4	2	--	--
2017-18	20-11	10-4	1	1	2	DNP (2-2)	7th (3-2)
2018-19	23-13	10-7	1	3	4	DNP (2-2)	4th (3-2)
2019-20	21-3	13-1	2	5	3	--	2nd (2-1)
2020-21	12-3	8-0	0	1	3	DNP (2-2)	2nd (2-1)
2021-22	20-4	10-0	2	1	1	7th (4-2)	2nd (2-1)
Career	96-34	51-12	6	11	13	10-8	12-7

*Redshirt season does not count in career totals