No. 20 Indiana University is preparing to host No. 5 Nebraska in a top-20 wrestling dual at Wilkinson Hall on Sunday, February 15. The Hoosiers come into the match with an 8-4 overall record and a balanced 3-3 performance in Big Ten competition.
Last weekend, Indiana secured a significant victory over No. 15 Wisconsin with a final score of 30-9. The team won the first eight bouts, building a 30-0 lead without allowing any takedowns. This win marked Indiana’s first victory in Madison since 2004.
Several Hoosier wrestlers earned notable wins against ranked opponents during the Wisconsin match. Jackson Blum (133) and Joey Buttler (149) achieved their first career victories over ranked competitors by defeating No. 8 Zan Fugitt and No. 12 Joe Zargo, respectively. Additionally, Jacob Moran (125), Bryce Lowery (157), and Tyler Lillard (165) all registered wins against ranked adversaries.
Looking ahead to the upcoming dual, Nebraska enters Bloomington with a No. 5 national ranking following their second-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships and fourth place at the National Duals this season, holding a current record of 10-6. The Cornhuskers recently defeated Northwestern decisively but had previously lost three straight matches to Iowa, Ohio State, and Penn State—all highly ranked teams.
The last meeting between Indiana and Nebraska took place in Lincoln, where Nebraska claimed a dominant win. Sunday’s contest marks Nebraska’s first visit to Bloomington since February 2020.
Indiana’s lineup features several experienced athletes who have held starting positions for multiple seasons, including Jacob Moran (125), Henry Porter (141), Tyler Lillard (165), Derek Gilcher (174), and Gabe Sollars (197). Moran and Gilcher are among the most veteran members of the team.
CJ Red, currently an assistant coach for Indiana, was part of Nebraska’s lineup during their previous trip to Bloomington before joining Indiana’s staff in the 2022-23 season after completing his collegiate wrestling career as a three-time All-American with Nebraska.
Indiana will conclude its regular season schedule with home matches against Nebraska on February 15 and Purdue on February 20 before competing at George Mason’s Last Chance Open on February 22. Postseason action begins with the Big Ten Championships at Penn State from March 7-8 followed by the NCAA Championships in Cleveland from March 19-21.