Nothing says "pumped" like moving up a few spots in the national rankings.
On Jan. 15, the NWCA InterMat Division I rankings came out, bumping the Nebraska wrestling team from 10th place to third in the country, the highest it has been all season.
NU Coach Mark Manning said last weekend the team did a good job finishing in second place at the National Duals, beating out fellow top-10 teams the likes of Northwestern, Penn State and defending national champion Minnesota. It was a good confidence builder that showed what kind of potential NU has to do well when the NCAA Championships begin in mid-March. The weekend also brought the team together, as it enjoyed success on a national stage.
Manning said although some individuals were not pleased with their performances, they are ready to bounce back this weekend.
"We have a lot more to give," Manning said, "more than what we showed last week."
At the National Duals in the 141-pound weightclass, NU sophomore Mike Rowe came in to wrestle for the first time this season and beat Penn State's No. 2-ranked wrestler, Jake Strayer. Rowe said he couldn't have started his season off any better. His opponent was highly ranked, but he said it didn't intimidate him because he has been wrestling talented opponents his whole life.
"It was a good momentum builder for me, really, to come out and beat such a tough guy," Rowe said.
On Sunday, the Huskers will dual No. 2 Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City, Okla., after the Cowboys face No. 11 Missouri on Saturday. To some, Nebraska may look like an underdog against the Cowboys, but the Huskers wrestlers know they have something to prove. Last weekend the Huskers defeated Penn State, which beat the Cowboys in December.
Manning said NU will have to endure some challenging matchups against the Cowboys. The Nebraska coaches worked on focusing the team in that what it accomplishes now is all in preparation for the end of the season. The team got together in the fall at a team seminar, working to set its goals, deciding it has to be mentally prepared with the right mindset before every match.
"It is a universal principle," Manning said. "Believing is receiving.
"But talk is cheap; you have got to go out there and earn it."
Rowe said the Huskers are looking good together as a team, and it is showing on the mat. When NU travels to Oklahoma on Sunday against the Cowboys, he said the competition will be intense.
"Everyone is going to have to go out there and wrestle hard," Rowe said. "They are going to have to put on their A-game."
danaahrens@dailynebraskan.com
