The win is the Badgers’ first over a ranked team since the 2010-11 season when they defeated the then-No. 16 Cornhuskers, 22-15, on Jan. 21, 2011, at the UW Field House. It also snaps Wisconsin’s 11-dual losing streak to ranked opponents.
Fast Facts
• Wisconsin defeats a ranked opponent for the first time since Jan. 21, 2011, and snaps an 11-dual losing stream to ranked teams.
• The win is also the Badgers' first over a top-10 team since beating then-No. 5 Minnesota on Jan. 9, 2011.
• Jackson Hein (7-0) and Connor Medbery (6-0) each win to remain undefeated in dual meet competitions.
• Matt Cavallaris, Tom Kelliher, Tyler Graff and Kalvin York also notch victories for the Badgers.
Wisconsin’s upset was fueled by six match wins, including a run of five-straight.
The dual started at 184 lbs., where UW’s Ben Cox fell by technical fall, putting the Badgers in an early 5-0 hole. But, Wisconsin went on a run of five-straight match wins after that, starting with a sudden victory win by Jackson Hein at 197 lbs.
Heavyweight No. 14 Connor Medbery remained undefeated in dual meet competitions, and continued the Badgers’ momentum, winning a 4-2 decision.
But, it was when the dual reached the lightweights that the meet really began to tilt in Wisconsin’s favor.
Coming into Sunday’s action against Nebraska, Wisconsin’s 125 lbs. and 133 lbs. starters, Matt Cavallaris and Tom Kelliher, were a combined 2-8 in dual meets this season, but both came away with wins by decision to help the Badgers on their path to victory.
No. 9 Tyler Graff then earned Wisconsin’s only extra-point win of the afternoon, winning by major decision at 141 lbs., 13-5, putting UW up 11 points, 16-5, with four matches to go.
After Cole Schmitt lost at 149 lbs., the Badgers faced a crucial match at 157 lbs., and Kalvin York came through with arguably the biggest win of the afternoon with a 4-2 decision over Nebraska’s Ross Grande.
Leading, 19-9, with just two matches left, Nebraska needed a pair of extra-point wins to either tie or win the dual, so all Wisconsin had to do was play defense, so to speak, to preserve the victory, which they did.
At 165 lbs., Frank Cousins withstood a pair of early pin attempts by the Cornhuskers’ Austin Wilson and ended up losing by decision, sealing the win for Wisconsin and rendering the result of the 174 lbs., match inconsequential.
The Badgers are now off until Dec. 29-30 when they will travel to Evanston, Ill., to compete in the Midlands Championships.
Wisconsin returns to Big Ten action Jan. 13, 2013, back home at the UW Field House against Michigan.
Results:
184 #6 Josh Ihnen (NEB) tech fall Ben Cox (WIS), 17-0 0 5
197 Jackson Hein (WIS) dec. Caleb Kolb (NEB), 3-1 SV 3 5
HWT #14 Connor Medbery (WIS) dec. Donny Longendyke (NEB), 4-2 6 5
125 Matt Cavallaris (WIS) dec. Eric Coufal (NEB), 7-4 9 5
133 Tom Kelliher (WIS) dec. Shawn Nagel (NEB), 5-1 12 5
141 #9 Tyler Graff (WIS) maj. dec. Ridge Kelly (NEB), 13-5 16 5
149 #10 Jake Sueflohn (NEB) maj. dec. Cole Schmitt (WIS), 9-1 16 9
157 Kalvin York (WIS) dec. Ross Grande (NEB), 4-2 19 9
165 Austin Wilson (NEB) dec. Frank Cousins (WIS), 11-5 19 12
174 #8 Robert Kokesh (NEB) tech fall Scott Liegel (WIS), 18-2 19 17
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