2008 Woodie Awards
Wrestler's consistency, hard work inspiring to team
Dave Houfek
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: Sports
Brandon Browne is wrestling his way into Nebraska history.
In his junior year Browne has amassed a 28-2 record along with being the team's most consistent wrestler. His individual performance so far this season has been shadowed by the team's success as a whole, going 14-2 with one dual remaining.
The native from Plattsmouth, Neb., grew up in what he considers a wrestling family, but he did not get the experience many of his teammates received early on in their careers.
As the first child in his family to wrestle, Browne said that his kin did not know anything about the sport, and he did not start learning different wrestling styles until he was a sophomore in high school. Those styles, which Browne said he could have learned at an early age in a club program, are the types of things the best wrestlers acquire while they are young.
Nonetheless, Browne learned what he needed in time, winning two state tittles and claiming All-American status. He earned a career record of 138-6.
It wasn't until his junior year in high school that Browne saw his first Cornhusker wrestling dual. Browne said it was the only one he saw before signing on with the Huskers.
"I don't know if it was that we didn't think at the time that I'd be wrestling in college in my little league years and as a freshman," Browne said. "But it's weird to think back and think that we didn't."
Since coming to Nebraska, Browne acquired a 20-5 record in his redshirt year at 165 pounds, placing in five of his six tournaments and coming away with three individual championships.
In 2006, Browne began his season at 174 pounds, winning the Harold Nichols Open. His first crack at the Huskers' starting lineup came at 184 pounds in the Nebraska Duals. Browne won by pinning Oregon State's Neal Beaudry.
Browne had to sit out of the 2007 campaign because of academic probation.
"It was horrible." Browne said. "Sitting out all last season was hard. I tried to not look at the negative and just keep moving forward. I had to stay focused and keep working hard, knowing that eventually I'd be back out there on the mat with my team."
Browne's hard work has paid off this year. The Huskers are on the verge of finishing one of the team's best seasons to date.
With Browne, a large part of the team's consistency, Nebraska Coach Mark Manning said the team relies on him to perform at a high level.
"He's got a great characteristic when his back is against the wall," Manning said. "He can kick it up another level and really dig deep."
Browne attributes much of what he has done in wrestling to his father and the work he has put into helping him achieve his goals.
"He was always getting up at five o'clock in the morning taking me wherever I wanted to go," Browne said. "He rarely ever misses an event. He's just the biggest supporter I could have."
The support that Browne receives is not limited to his father. Sophomore teammate and younger brother, Cameron, said he enjoys watching his sibling succeed.
That success started with Nebraska's recruitment of Browne.
"I saw the potential there," Manning said. "It's about him working hard enough and developing himself mentally and physically."
Manning said that Browne should have a great run at the end of the year. He also said that Browne is not a finished product yet, but he is doing and excellent job of getting there.
Cameron, on the other hand, may disagree. After being sidelined earlier this season with a knee injury, he got to watch Browne. Cameron was in awe of what he saw his brother accomplishing.
"I got to see my brother compete against some of the better kids in the nation at (The Kaufman-Brand Open in November)." Cameron said. "Just seeing how amazing he looked, how in control he was and how dominant he was, I was really proud of him."
Davehoufek@dailynebraskan.com
In his junior year Browne has amassed a 28-2 record along with being the team's most consistent wrestler. His individual performance so far this season has been shadowed by the team's success as a whole, going 14-2 with one dual remaining.
The native from Plattsmouth, Neb., grew up in what he considers a wrestling family, but he did not get the experience many of his teammates received early on in their careers.
As the first child in his family to wrestle, Browne said that his kin did not know anything about the sport, and he did not start learning different wrestling styles until he was a sophomore in high school. Those styles, which Browne said he could have learned at an early age in a club program, are the types of things the best wrestlers acquire while they are young.
Nonetheless, Browne learned what he needed in time, winning two state tittles and claiming All-American status. He earned a career record of 138-6.
It wasn't until his junior year in high school that Browne saw his first Cornhusker wrestling dual. Browne said it was the only one he saw before signing on with the Huskers.
"I don't know if it was that we didn't think at the time that I'd be wrestling in college in my little league years and as a freshman," Browne said. "But it's weird to think back and think that we didn't."
Since coming to Nebraska, Browne acquired a 20-5 record in his redshirt year at 165 pounds, placing in five of his six tournaments and coming away with three individual championships.
In 2006, Browne began his season at 174 pounds, winning the Harold Nichols Open. His first crack at the Huskers' starting lineup came at 184 pounds in the Nebraska Duals. Browne won by pinning Oregon State's Neal Beaudry.
Browne had to sit out of the 2007 campaign because of academic probation.
"It was horrible." Browne said. "Sitting out all last season was hard. I tried to not look at the negative and just keep moving forward. I had to stay focused and keep working hard, knowing that eventually I'd be back out there on the mat with my team."
Browne's hard work has paid off this year. The Huskers are on the verge of finishing one of the team's best seasons to date.
With Browne, a large part of the team's consistency, Nebraska Coach Mark Manning said the team relies on him to perform at a high level.
"He's got a great characteristic when his back is against the wall," Manning said. "He can kick it up another level and really dig deep."
Browne attributes much of what he has done in wrestling to his father and the work he has put into helping him achieve his goals.
"He was always getting up at five o'clock in the morning taking me wherever I wanted to go," Browne said. "He rarely ever misses an event. He's just the biggest supporter I could have."
The support that Browne receives is not limited to his father. Sophomore teammate and younger brother, Cameron, said he enjoys watching his sibling succeed.
That success started with Nebraska's recruitment of Browne.
"I saw the potential there," Manning said. "It's about him working hard enough and developing himself mentally and physically."
Manning said that Browne should have a great run at the end of the year. He also said that Browne is not a finished product yet, but he is doing and excellent job of getting there.
Cameron, on the other hand, may disagree. After being sidelined earlier this season with a knee injury, he got to watch Browne. Cameron was in awe of what he saw his brother accomplishing.
"I got to see my brother compete against some of the better kids in the nation at (The Kaufman-Brand Open in November)." Cameron said. "Just seeing how amazing he looked, how in control he was and how dominant he was, I was really proud of him."
Davehoufek@dailynebraskan.com
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