<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=29DemP_0vj93VVq00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=29DemP_0vj93VVq00" width="1210" height="806" ></figure>We are moving on in our series of deep-dives into each and every weight class — we’re onto 174 pounds now. We’re moving weight-by-weight with each preview coming out on Wednesday. You’ll get a detailed summary and outlook of the roster going into the 2024-25 season, see what the weight class looks like nationally, look ahead to who could be next in line, and look back at who has excelled and earned All-American honors at the weight in the past for the Huskers.Previous Weight Class PreviewsEverything you’ll need to know to get ready for this coming season (which will be here before we know it) is right here. Check back each Wednesday for the next preview, with the 184-pound weight class coming next week.<h2>Roster Outlook for 2024-25</h2>Just like 165 pounds, this is another weight class that has a lot of bodies in it for Nebraska. With seven possible wrestlers at this weight class, the competition will be fierce.Nebraska returns incumbent starter Bubba Wilson (ranked #12 currently at 165 by FloWrestling) here, but I imagine the job is open to competition. First, Head Coach Mark Manning always makes his guys compete for their jobs. Second, Wilson didn’t establish himself as the shoe-in starter after narrowly missing NCAAs last year. Wilson came to Nebraska in 2019 after winning a state title in Kansas, earning Redshirt of the Year honors that season with a 19-3 record in open tournaments. Wilson then made the NCAA tournament twice in 2022 and 2023 at 165 pounds but failed to qualify in 2024 at 174. Wilson brings a career record of 50-44 into his final season in Lincoln. This past season, Wilson made the move up to 174 for the team and had some solid results. Despite losses to top guys, he was competitive throughout the season and really should have received an at-large bid to nationals. Watch Wilson’s won over UNI’s #15 Sam Skillings, who earned the at-large bid over Wilson, from this past January below.<div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKIjM5GX6fw?rel=0&amp;start=16" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div>In 2023, Wilson had an amazing run through the U23 World Team Trials at 74 kg when he went 10-1, finishing third. This year at U23 Trials, Wilson was up at 79 kg and went a solid 5-2 on the weekend.Don’t mistake me though, Wilson is the odds-on favorite to win the starting gig as a senior. It’s just not guaranteed. There are too many variables to really know for sure. After Wilson, there are two other serious threats to the starting spot in fellow senior Elise Brown Ton and redshirt freshman Chris Minto. Out of Texas, Brown Ton is a veteran for Nebraska who has proven to be a valuable backup and training partner all the way from 165 to 184 pounds. He has a career record of 51-13 but has only competed in four duals, going 2-2. This past season, Brown Ton went 22-7 but 1-2 in duals. In those duals, he wrestled twice at 184 to back up Lenny Pinto, dropping matches to eventual NCAA Champion Parker Keckeisen of UNI (17-2 tech fall) and Gaven Sax of North Dakota State 8-3. He won a dual matchup against Wyoming’s Tyce Raddon. Brown Ton also wrestled Wilson at the Soldier Salute with Wilson winning a razor-thin 1-0 decision.<div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZEVibBsVErM?rel=0" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div>The real threat to steal this job, in my opinion, is the recently-minted Redshirt of the Year Minto. A powerful specimen, Minto went 18-4 while redshirting in 2023-24. He made it to the final of the Navy Classic, losing a 5-0 decision to Navy’s ranked Danny Wask. He also had two wins on the season against Brown Ton – 2-1 at the Hastings Open and 3-2 at the Missouri Valley Open. He’s a real threat to earn this job when wrestle-offs take place.Behind those three, there’s incoming freshman LJ Araujo. I touched on him in more detail in my 165-pound preview, as I believe he’ll be there as a freshman. If he does go 174, I anticipate him redshirting in anticipation of possibly starting in 2025-26. Next up is Adam Thebeau, a junior who was the starter last season for a bit before Wilson moved up and took the spot. He won his only dual matchup (17-1 tech fall against Campbell) but went just 1-2 at the Cliff Keen Invitational. He finished the year with a 6-4 record and has a career mark of 16-8.A redshirt freshman, Cooper French out of Arizona went 9-6 a year ago at 174. He’ll be in the mix as a backup and training partner.Another incoming freshman, Marco Christiansen is listed at 174. A Minnesota state champion, Christiansen will more than likely be at 184 in his career and will certainly redshirt this season.NOTE: There is the possibility being talked about that Nebraska may be dropping a number of its upper-weights down a weight class, so it’s possible that we see 184-pound starter Lenny Pinto here. The idea is that Nebraska wants to get freshman Camden McDanel, a U20 World bronze-medalist, into the lineup at 197 pounds as a freshman. This means that Wilson could end up back at 165, Pinto could drop down to 174, and Silas Allred would move down to 184.With Wilson being at 165 previously, that’s not hard to imagine. Also, I know that Pinto doesn’t cut a lot of weight, so a drop to 174 could be possible. However, I have a hard time believing Allred, who has wrestled at 92 kg (203 pounds) in freestyle and at 197 in college, can drop the necessary weight to make 184 pounds for a full season. If it happens, that lineup could be scary good with Wilson (165), Pinto (174), Allred (184), McDanel (197) and Harley Andrews (285) rounding out a lineup that has four All-Americans on the front side.All I’m saying is I’m here for it, but I’m skeptical it’s possible. <h2>The 2024-25 NCAA Field</h2>We are going to see a very different field at 174 this year. Gone is four-time defending NCAA Champion Carter Starocci as he plans to move up to either 184 or 197 pounds as a senior in search of an unprecedented fifth NCAA title. In comes two-time NCAA Champion Keegan O’Toole of Missouri who is moving up from 165 for his senior season. Also moving up (two weight classes) will be the 2024 NCAA Champion at 157 pounds Levi Haines who is ranked #2 in the country right now by FloWrestling. The junior-to-be for Penn State, Haines made it to the NCAA final as a freshman as well.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1w9OeG_0vj93VVq00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1w9OeG_0vj93VVq00" width="1920" height="1280" ><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0DOAqS_0vj93VVq00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0DOAqS_0vj93VVq00" width="1920" height="1280" >Behind those two favorites, there’s sophomore #3 Rocco Welsh of Ohio State who made it to the NCAA final as a freshman at 174. Then there’s SDSU’s #4 Cade DeVos who finished fifth at NCAAs. Also likely guys in the field will be #5 Dean Hamiti who just transferred from Wisconsin to Oklahoma State. A two-time All-American at 165 pounds, Hamiti was big for the weight. It’s possible that 174 is his optimal weight class. Coming off a redshirt season, Iowa’s #6 Gabe Arnold had an incredible redshirt year where he knocked off multiple ranked wrestlers at both 174 and 184 pounds. He’ll enter the Hawkeye lineup this year as an immediate title threat.This weight class is stacked this year despite Starocci moving up, so it’s going to be tough to land on the podium. <h2>Future Starter/Recruiting Target</h2>With Minto the team’s Redshirt of the Year last season and Araujo likely ending up here in 2025-26, this spot seems to be locked up for the foreseeable future. Although, I could see Minto moving up to 184 at some point. It’s possible that if Nebraska nabs Aaron Stewart of Illinois, a four-time Fargo National Champion, he could end up at 174 pounds. However, he wouldn’t arrive until 2026 and could redshirt behind Minto or Araujo, so there wouldn’t be too much of an overlap in eligibility. <h2>Husker All-Americans since 1998-99</h2>The modern-day weight classes first started in 1998-99. That coincides almost exactly with Mark Manning’s start as Nebraska’s head coach, his first year at the helm being the 1999-2000 season. So, we’re going back 26 years here to show you Nebraska’s All-Americans at 174 pounds.<blockquote>2001- Ati Conner (8th)2006- Jacob Klein (5th)2008- Brandon Browne (4th)2009- Brandon Browne (4th)2010- Stephen Dwyer (4th)2013- Robert Kokesh (3rd)2014- Robert Kokesh (4th)2015- Robert Kokesh (3rd)2019- Mikey Labriola (6th)2021- Mikey Labriola (3rd)2022- Mikey Labriola (7th)2023- Mikey Labriola (2nd)</blockquote>Nebraska has had a man on the podium in seven of the past 11 NCAA tournaments – either Robert Kokesh or Mikey Labriola.A three-time All-American and one of the best Huskers ever to not win a title (along with Bryan Snyder and James Green), Kokesh went on to serve as an assistant coach for Nebraska before leaving the team to work the family farm full-time in 2023. Next up was Labriola who was a staple in the lineup for many years. He finished as a four-time All-American and finished his career in the NCAA final. Another Husker all-timer, Labriola was recently added as an assistant coach to Rutgers’ staff. Despite showing a lot of toughness and heart in his career, Wilson hasn’t proven himself able to get consistent wins against the upper echelon of guys in the country. Going into the season, his ceiling may just be an NCAA qualification or possibly sneaking onto the bottom of the podium.If Pinto does indeed drop to 174, he’ll be a load to deal with. His strength and explosiveness is tough for 184-pounders. If he does indeed move down, Pinto should be able to give anyone a match. Especially with the top two contenders moving up in weight (O’Toole from 165 and Haines from 157), Pinto could use his size and power to give them fits. If he can legitimately make 174, Pinto is a serious title threat. </div></body>

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Wrestling Weight-Class Breakdown for Nebraska: 174 Pounds

We are moving on in our series of deep-dives into each and every weight class — we’re onto 174 pounds now. We’re moving weight-by-weight with each preview coming out on Wednesday. You’ll get a detailed summary and outlook of the roster going into the 2024-25 season, see what the weight class looks like nationally, look ahead to who could be next in line, and look back at who has excelled and earned All-American honors at the weight in the past for the Huskers.