Higgins, Herrington & Eldredge to Lead #7 UNK in Iowa
Kearney, Neb. – The brackets have been released for the 2023 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships and the seventh-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team has three top seeds among six qualifiers. The two-meet will be held March 10-11 in Cedar Rapids, Ia., at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse. Go to Trackwrestling.com for live results and live video (paid subscription). UNK is defending national champions and has placed in the top eight for 20 straight seasons. Omaha redshirt junior Billy Higgins is the top-seed at 184 pounds, Kearney redshirt senior Lee Herrington is second at 285 lbs. with Kansas redshirt senior Austin Eldredge third at 174 lbs. Also headed to Iowa are Kearney redshirt junior Nick James (141 lbs.), New Jersey senior John Burger (149 lbs.) and St. Louis redshirt freshman Kaden Hart (165 lbs.) Higgins (24-2) also lost only two matches all season, both coming in Las Vegas to wrestlers from Michigan and Ohio State. He's on a 15-match win streak and is 19-0 vs. D2 competition. Next, Herrington (24-4) is 18-1 vs. D2 competition with the only setback coming to top-ranked and top-seed Shawn Streck of Central Oklahoma, 7-3. Finally, Eldredge (24-4) is among D2 tech fall leaders with 12 and like Higgins, Herrington and James, is trying to repeat as an All-American (top eight finish). Below are the Loper qualifiers and their and their opponents records for the first two rounds. 141 lbs. – James (18-4) First Round – Jake Niffenegger (Mercyhurst, Pa.; 21-7) Second Round – 7th-seed Hunter Burnett (Augustana; 4-2), 5th-seed Peter Kuster (Drury, Mo.; 18-3) or Dean Noble (Western Colorado; 9-4) 149 lbs. – Burger (12-8) First Round – 4th-seed Joey Bianchini (St. Cloud State; 15-1) Second Round – 5th-seed Jason Hanenberg (Western Colorado, 12-2) or Phillip Sims (Quincy, Ill.; 11-7) 165 lbs. – Hart (14-10) First Round – 3rd-seed Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa; 28-3) Second Round – 6th-seed Aaden Valdez (Adams State, 18-2) or Brandon Connor (Millersville, Pa.; 2-1) 174 lbs. – Eldredge (24-4) First Round – Zeke Waltz (McKendree, Ill.; 27-9) Second Round – 6th-seed Cole Hernandez (Western Colorado; 10-5) or Jack Mackiernan (American International, Mass.; 23-9) 184 lbs. – Higgins (24-2) First Round – Clinton Morrisette (King, Tenn.; 3-1) Second Round – 8th-seed Matt Weinberg (Kutztown, Pa.; 2-1), Alex Kauffman (Central Oklahoma; 10-4) or Cade Mueller (Augustana; 16-5) 285 lbs. – Herrington (24-4) First Round – Luke Tweeton (Mary, N.D.; 23-11) Second Round – 7th-seed Josh Meyers (Seton Hill, Pa.; 15-1), Nico Rameriz (Mount Olive, N.C.; 14-11) or Cale Gary (Indianapolis; 18-7)
Comentarios