Bryan Snyder Season 2001-02

NCAA Championships
2002-Snyder reached the finals of the NCAA Championship for a second consecutive year in 2002, this time with a perfect 33-0 record, but lost a 5-4 decision in the tiebreaker. Snyder opend with a 25-10 technical fall over Lehigh's Warren Stout and notched the same score against Oregon's Tony Overstake in the second round. Snyder pinned ninth-seeded Gray Maynard of Michigan State in 5:07 in the quarterfinals, and won his semifinal match over Oklahoma State's Shane Roller, 5-2.

Snyder nearly opened the final match against third-seeded Luke Becker of Minnesota with a double-leg takedown, but the move was ruled out of bounds. Becker scored his own takedown with 48 seconds left in the first period, but Snyder quickly escaped and earned a takedown of his own with 24 seconds left to take a 3-2 lead. Becker escaped to end the first period tied at three, and each wrestler notched an escape in the second and third period to tie the match at four. Neither wrestler could score in the overtime period, so the match went to the tiebreaker. Since Becker scored the first offensive points, he chose down and escaped seven seconds into the period to win the national title, 5-4.

2001-A year after suffering a first-round upset, Snyder was on a mission at the 2001 NCAA Championships. He fell just one win short of the 157-pound national title. The second-seeded Snyder opened the tournament with a pair of pins on the first day. First he took Sulieman Mumin of Coppin State to his back at the four-minute mark, then in the second round, he showed Gray Maynard of Michigan State the lights at 6:42. Not only did Snyder's win over Mumin in the first round advance him on to the second round, it also marked his 100th career victory. In the quarterfinals, Snyder met Iowa State's Cole Sanderson for the third time in the 2000-01 season, and as he did in the previous two matches, Snyder defeated the seventh-seeded Sanderson, 7-2.

Minnesota's Luke Becker, the only wrestler to defeat Snyder during the season, awaited in the semifinals. Snyder scored a takedown just 15 seconds into the match, but after a Becker escape, the first period ended with Snyder leading, 2-1. The two exchanged escapes at the start of the second and third periods, putting the score to 3-2 in favor of Snyder. With 35 seconds remaining, Becker got in on a single leg, but Snyder was able to counter and hold on for the 3-2 victory. The championship final proved to be a defensive battle. After a scoreless first period, Snyder took a 1-0 lead on Iowa's T.J. Williams with an escape at the start of the second period. At the beginning of the third period, Williams reversed Snyder's hold to take a 2-1 advantage before Snyder escaped to tie the match at two.

The two top seeds at the weight took the 2-2 tie into a one-minute sudden victory overtime, in which Snyder took numerous shots while Williams avoided any offensive advances. After the scoreless extra frame, Williams had his choice of starting position in the 30-second tiebreaker since he scored the match's only offensive point. Williams, who ended his college career with a 78-1 record, chose the down position, meaning Snyder would have to ride Williams for the entire 30 seconds. But Williams escaped just seven seconds into the tiebreaker to come away with his second NCAA title.

2000-Snyder earned fifth-place honors, but not before he traveled a winding road. Entering the championships with a 19-match win streak, Snyder was a favorite to win the 157-pound national title, but in the first round, his title hopes came crashing down. In the biggest upset of the tournament, Snyder was upended by Edinboro's Shaun Shapert, 5-4. Snyder trailed 3-2 in the third period, but earned a two-point takedown with 1:25 on the clock to take a 4-3 lead. Shapert then escaped at the 1:15 mark to put the score at 4-4. Shapert avoided all of Snyder's attempts for a takedown in the last minute, winning the match on the riding time point, 5-4. Snyder's loss to 15th-ranked Shapert was his first career loss to an opponent ranked outside the top five.

After the loss, Snyder faced the task of winning five consecutive matches to earn All-America status. In his pig-tail match, Snyder suffered another scare, but prevailed in double-overtime, 4-3, over Kevin Stanely of Indiana. Three seconds into the second overtime, Stanley was called for an illegal hand hold, giving Snyder the victory. Snyder then defeated Ray Stofko of Drexel, 10-3, in the first round of wrestlebacks. On day two, Snyder bounced back with two more victories over ninth-seeded Ed Hockenberry of Bloomsburg and Warren McPherson from Stanford. In the evening session of day two, Snyder earned his second All-America honor with a 10-3 win over Iowa State's Cody Sanderson.

Snyder's victory over Sanderson moved him on to a rematch with Shapert, in which Snyder came out firing and earned a 7-2 decision. In the consolation semifinals, Snyder was pitted against top-seeded and previously undefeated T.J. Williams of Iowa. Williams, the defending 149-pound champion, controlled the match, picking up the 7-5 victory over Snyder. With the loss, Snyder was moved to the fifth-place match where he defeated Luke Becker of Minnesota, 6-2.

1999-Snyder became the second-highest finishing freshman in school history at the national championships and the third Husker freshman to earn All-America honors with a fourth-place finish and a 4-2 record at the 1999 NCAA Championships. Entering the meet as a fifth-seeded freshman with a 28-3 record, Snyder won his first three matches to guarantee All-America status. In the first round, Snyder downed Oregon State's Eric Jorgenson, 6-2, and followed that with a 4-2 overtime win over Edinboro's Ben Boozer. In the quarterfinal match, Snyder held off a comeback staged by Mike Ziska of Pittsburgh to win 6-5.

In the semifinal match, an escape by Central Michigan's Casey Cunningham would prove to be the difference. In a match that featured no other scoring, Cunningham earned an escape in the middle of the second period and held on for a 1-0 victory. In the consolation semifinal, Snyder edged Lehigh's 11th-seeded Chris Ayres, 4-3, with the help of an escape late in the third period. Larry Quisel of Boise State defeated Snyder in the consolation final, 8-2. Quisel lost his first match of the tournament, but won eight straight to finish third.

Big 12 Championships
2002-Top-seeded Snyder collected his fourth consecutive Big 12 title with a 15-4 major decision over Missouri's Kenny Burleson in the semifinals and topped Oklahoma State's Shane Roller, 6-2, in the finals. Snyder was Nebraska's first four-time Big 12 Champion.

2001-Snyder took home his third Big 12 title in as many tries at the 2001 championships, becoming only the second Husker to win three conference crowns (Tolly Thompson 1995, 1996, 1997). Oklahoma's Brian Burrows provided little challenge to Snyder in the first round, as Snyder recorded a 19-7 major decision. In the 157-pound final, Snyder defeated Iowa State's seventh-ranked Cole Sanderson, 9-5, to claim one of Nebraska's two Big 12 titles in Stillwater, Okla.

2000-Snyder earned the only Big 12 title for the Huskers and his second consecutive 157-pound title by wrestling just one match at the 2000 Big 12 Championships. In the first round, Snyder defeated Oklahoma State's Shane Roller, 13-6, before winning the championship by forfeit over sixth-ranked David Kjeldgaard of Oklahoma.

1999-At the 1999 Big 12 Championships, Snyder became just the fourth Husker freshman in school history to win a conference title with a 3-1 overtime win over Iowa State's eighth-ranked David Maldonado in Ames, Iowa. Despite battling a rib injury and not knowing whether he could even compete entering the meet, Snyder defeated Missouri's Matt Webster, 12-4, in the first-round match, before beating Maldonado in the final. In the championship match, Maldonado struck first with an escape early in the second period. In the third, Snyder answered with an escape of his own at the 1:55 mark. In the extra period, Snyder recorded a takedown with 28 seconds remaining to earn the conference crown in a pressure-filled and fan-frenzied atmosphere. Snyder finished his first conference championships with a 2-0 record and a Big 12 title.

Career Notes
2002-Arguably the best wrestler in Nebraska history, Snyder closed his collegiate career with his name all over the Nebraska record books. His career winning percentage of .925 (136-11) tops NU's career charts, while his career dual win-loss percentage of .945 (69-4) places second all-time. Snyder entered the 2001-02 season as the top-ranked 157-pounder in the nation and didn't disappoint, as he finished with a 33-1 overall record, including a perfect 17-0 in duals, during his senior season. Snyder led the team in overall wins (33), dual wins (17), dual points (68), dual takedowns (68) and technical falls (12). He also had 10 pins and seven major decisions. Along the way, he became Nebraska first four-time Big 12 champion and four-time All-American.

2001-Snyder continued to make his mark on the NU record books in 2001. He earned his third All-America honor after a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships, and became only the second Husker to win three conference titles. He won his 100th career match and was the team-leader in wins with a 28-2 record. Snyder, who for the second time in his career was named an NWCA All-Star, also led the team in dual victories (16) and dual takedowns (97). Snyder opened the season with a 15-match winning streak before falling to fifth-ranked Luke Becker on a takedown by Becker with seconds remaining. Snyder avenged the loss nine days later at National Duals with a 3-1 double overtime victory.

At the Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 2, Snyder defeated third-ranked Kirk White of Boise State, 6-5, to take the individual title. Before falling in the NCAA final to Iowa's T.J. Williams in overtime, Snyder had won 13 matches in a row. On the year, he was 13-2 against ranked opponents. Snyder tallied at least a major decision or better in half (15 of 30) of his matches in 2000-01.Snyder earned first-team Academic Big 12 honors and first-team NWCA Academic All-America honors.

2000-Snyder earned fifth-place honors at the NCAA Championships after being shocked in the first round. He won his second consecutive Big 12 title and finished with an overall record of 43-3 and a dual mark of 18-0. Snyder's 43 victories put him in a tie for second on the NU single-season win chart. His 18-0 dual record tied him for the best single-season dual winning percentage with Gil Sanchez (1986-87). Snyder opened the season winning 17 consecutive matches, before picking up his first loss against eventual NCAA champion Brett Matter of Pennsylvania in the third-place match of the Midlands Tournament.

Snyder's biggest win came in the finals of the Reno Challenge where he avenged an 8-2 loss to Larry Quisel of Boise State in the consolation final of the 1999 NCAA Tournament. Snyder defeated Quisel at Reno in a 1-1 tiebreaker, in which he rode Quisel for 30 seconds to earn the victory. At National Duals, Snyder posted a 6-0 mark, including four wins over ranked opponents. On the year, Snyder posted an 18-3 mark against ranked opponents. He participated in the NWCA 2000 All-Star Classic at Michigan State, where he defeated fourth-ranked Eric Jorgensen of Oregon State, 7-6. Before Snyder fell in the first round of the NCAA Championships, he had won 19 consecutive matches. He was the team leader in wins (43), dual wins (18), dual takedowns (69) and technical falls (6). He also earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 and second-team NWCA Academic All-America honors.

1999-Snyder earned a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, won the 157-pound title at the Big 12 Championships, finished with an overall record of 32-5 and a dual mark of 18-3. Snyder became the second-highest finishing freshman in school history at the NCAA meet and the third Husker freshman to earn All-America honors. He also became the fourth freshman in school history to win a conference title. With 32 wins, Snyder was NU's lone 30-match winner and became the sixth Husker in history to record at least 30 wins in a freshman season, joining Tolly Thompson (38 in 1993-94), Corey Olson (35 in 1989-90), Brad Vering (33 in 1997-98), Brad Canoyer (32 in 1994-95) and J.R. Plienis (31 in 1997-98). Snyder led the team in overall wins (32), dual wins (18), dual points (69 - team co-leader with Paul Gomez), dual takedowns (63) and major decisions (7), and tied for second in total falls with five (four pins and a technical fall).

In dual competition, Snyder outscored opponents 66-9 and recorded 55 takedowns to 10 for opponents. Snyder won six matches against ranked opponents, including an upset of over Oklahoma State's sixth-ranked Jimmy Arias at the National Duals. Snyder's five losses were to wrestlers ranked in the top five and were by a combined 12 points, including a 6-5 overtime loss to Minnesota's No. 1 Chad Kraft and a 1-0 loss to top-seeded Casey Cunningham of Central Michigan at the NCAA Championships. One of three Huskers to earn Big 12 Wrestler-of-the-Week honors during the season, Snyder won 27 of his last 30 matches, including a 16-match win streak that ended with the 6-5 overtime loss to Minnesota's Kraft.

1998-Snyder redshirted, competing in open tournaments at 142 and 150 pounds. Wrestling unattached, Snyder compiled a 6-2 record and finished first at the UNK Hardees Open.

Before Nebraska-Snyder was a three-time state place-winner and a 1997 state champion at Easton High School. He finished with a 112-12 record for Coach Steve Powell, who earned National High School Coach-of-the-Year honors in 1997. Snyder was one of the nation's top 10 prep wrestlers at 125 pounds in 1997, and was regarded by many college coaches as the nation's No. 1 recruit at 134 pounds.

Personal-The son of Barry and Charlotte Snyder, Bryan has a brother, Joe, and a sister, Jill. Bryan was born June 15, 1979. Bryan is a sociology and communication studies major.