As if the 2nd-ranked Nebraska wrestling team needed more of a boost coming off a season where they set multiple program records at the NCAA Championships, they’ll get one anyway with Terence “Bud” Crawford
in town.
And he’s set to lead the Huskers out for their dual against #23 Army.
On top of having the three-division undisputed champion in the house, Nebraska will also have a large contingent of alumni in the house — most notably Jordan Burroughs and Jim and Bill Scherr.
And if that’s not enough, Nebraska will be raising its 2025 NCAA Championship banners for both Ridge Lovett and Antrell Taylor as they get enshrined next to Burroughs.
And if you needed one more reason to go to the Devaney Sports Center Friday night, Nebraska’s big transfer acquisition AJ Ferrari will be making his Husker debut against the Black Knights.
If you can’t go, the dual will stream live on B1G+.
Now, on to the dual preview.
125 pounds
Nebraska will likely go with Kael Lauridsen here after he placed fifth at the Navy Classic this past week, going 5-1 overall after a first-round overtime loss.
On Friday, Lauridsen will be challenged by Army’s #30 Charlie Farmer. A senior, Farmer was an NCAA qualifier last year at this weight with a 23-10 record on the year. His two NCAA losses came to #5 Sheldon Seymour of Lehigh (7-0) and #7 Stevo Poulin (then of Northern Colorado) via 7-4 decision.
A guy with a 55-24 career record, Farmer is a legitimate test for the young redshirt freshman Lauridsen. If he’s able to get the win in front of the home crowd, Lauridsen should definitely be ranked going into National Duals next weekend.
133 pounds
Nebraska’s #11 Jacob Van Dee took a loss last weekend to an unranked opponent when he was caught in a cement mixer late in a match where he was leading and was pinned by America’s Raymond Lopez. On the way to earning 3rd place at the Navy Classic, Van Dee recorded 14 takedowns and gave up just the one to Lopez, so I’m really not worried about the loss.
Against Army, Van Dee will face #25 Ethan Berginc, a senior who just made it to the final at the Princeton Open. Berginc is 79-28 for his career and owns a 7-5 win over former Husker All-American Liam Cronin in 2022 during his days down at 125 pounds.
Van Dee is certainly the favorite, but Berginc is not an opponent to overlook.
141 pounds
For the Huskers, #2 Brock Hardy is coming off a fourth career Navy Classic title. The senior is a Big Ten Champion and an NCAA finalist with a career 90-24 record going into Friday.
Hardy will face the third piece of Army’s tough lightweight trio #20 Braden Basile in this match. A junior, Basile made it to the Princeton Open final this past weekend where he fell to #19 Eli Griffin of Rider 8-6.
As a freshman, Basile made it to the round of 16 at NCAAs at 133 pounds — he went 25-14 that season. Last year, he moved up to 141 and served as a backup, going 11-6.
Hardy should have no real problem with Basile in this one.
149 pounds
For this dual, Nebraska will go with either sophomore Scott Robertson or true freshman Nikade Zinkin. Zinkin beat Robertson at the Navy Classic 12-7, but he finished the tournament 1-2 with that his only win.
With only five available dates for Zinkin and one already used up, it’s unclear if Manning starts him Friday night, but I have the feeling that the guy Nebraska wants to use at National Duals next weekend will hit the mat against Army — and I think that will be Zinkin. A two-time California state champion, he was a top prospect in the 2025 class, so I do see him as having the best chance to win for Nebraska
Army will likely send out either sophomore Mason Barvitskie or senior Ryan Franco. Barvitskie is 3-2 this year after going 17-12 a year ago. Franco is 4-2 on the year after failing to place at the Princeton Open — he’s 28-17 for his career.
This match is a good opportunity for Nebraska to get some mat time for whoever they choose to use at National Duals, so their choice here will tell us a lot.
With transfer #8 Chance Lamer ineligible for Nebraska until the second semester, the Huskers may look to use up Zinkin’s five dates in 2025.
157 pounds
Nebraska’s returning NCAA Champion #1 Antrell Taylor took care of business in winning a third Navy Classic title this past weekend.
Against Army, Taylor is likely to face either #29 Trae McDaniel or freshman Joseph Antonio. McDaniel hasn’t wrestled this season, but he was a national qualifier last year at 149 pounds — he went 25-10 on the year.
Antonio is 5-0 to start his career after winning a Princeton Open title. In the final, he beat fellow freshman teammate Kellen Smith 12-6.
Taylor seems to be on a different level to start the season — I don’t anticipate him being seriously threatened until Big Ten season.
165 pounds
Nebraska’s top recruit in 2024, #23 LJ Araujo started his Husker career as a starter with a perfect Navy Classic as he collected multiple ranked wins on the way to earning a tournament title.
Now, he’ll have another big test on his hands with Army’s #15 Gunner Filipowicz. A junior, Filipowicz is 4-0 on the year after winning a Princeton Open title — he’s 53-17 for his career so far. A two-time NCAA qualifier, Filipowicz went 25-6 last season, but he’s 1-4 at the NCAA tournament in his career.
For Araujo, this is the kind of match that you build a resume on. If you want to move up the ladder nationally, you have to win matches like this and make statements while you do it.
With Arujau’s potent top game, it’ll be interesting if Filipowicz chooses bottom against him.
174 pounds
This is another weight class where Nebraska is set with a guy with a ton of upside — sophomore #4 Christopher Minto earned All-American honors with his 4th-place finish at NCAAs last year at 165 pounds.
After cutting a ton of weight last year as a redshirt freshman, Minto is at a more comfortable weight class this year at 174. This past weekend, Minto dominated #7 Danny Wask of Navy 11-3 via major decision in the Navy Classic final.
On Friday night, Minto will take on Army’s Cooper Haase. A sophomore, Haase is 1-2 on the year and 18-13 for his career.
Minto should cruise to victory in this one — expect bonus points.
184 pounds
A senior leader for this team, #6 Silas Allred is coming off winning a Navy Classic title — he’s now 79-24 for his career going into Friday.
Against Army, Allred will face either sophomore Jake Gilfoil or senior Cole Karpinski. Gilfoil went 11-9 last year as the starter here, while Karpinski is 1-2 on the year and 12-21 for his career.
Again, the Huskers should roll in this one.
197 pounds
Nebraska sophomore #7 Camden McDanel is coming off a Navy Classic where he made it to the final but was dominated by #5 Mac Stout of Pitt via 20-4 technical fall.
An All-American a year ago as a true freshman, McDanel has a ton of upside — he’s an incredibly hard worker, but he does seem to lose big against top guys like #1 Josh Barr of Penn State and guys like Stout. He kind of seems like a guy who just needs to get over that hump. A U20 World bronze-medalist in 2023 in freestyle, McDanel is an elite talent, but he hasn’t always put it together in collegiate folkstyle.
Against Army, he’ll face a tough opponent in #18 Wolfgang Frable who may just have the coolest name in NCAA wrestling. Frable is 3-1 on the year with his only loss an 11-2 major decision against Oregon State’s #6 Justin Rademacher — Rademacher has beaten McDanel for the U20 World Team spot each of the past two years and went on to win U20 gold this summer at 97 kg.
Frable is a very quality opponent for McDanel, and a win over him would go a long way.
285 pounds
Now for the guy everyone is dying to see take the mat for Nebraska at a brand new weight class — #1 AJ Ferrari.
Ferrari didn’t wrestle at the Navy Classic because he’s been nursing a turf toe injury, but head coach Mark Manning told me on Tuesday that Ferrari is ready to go against the Black Knights.
A guy who’s always been at 197 in college and even won an NCAA title there as a true freshman for Oklahoma State, Ferrari has finally moved up to heavyweight for Nebraska.
He’ll have a game opponent too in #14 Brady Colbert of Army. Colbert qualified for NCAAs last year and went 35-9 on the year. He went 1-2 at nationals but did beat #16 Jimmy Mullen of Virginia Tech 8-1. He’s 4-0 so far this year after winning a Princeton Open title this past weekend.
A guy who’s battle tested, Colbert will pose a real threat to Ferrari as he returns to the mat off injury in a new weight class for a new program.
