Championship
Wrestling
Snyder upsets foes
for conference title
By Lisa Vonnahme
Staff writer
AMES, Iowa - Bry an Snyder did it
again.
He put on his costume and acted
older and more experienced than most
19-year-old college freshmen.
Playing the role of a senior, the
native of Easton, Pa., carried the
Nebraska wrestling team on his back
Saturday after being crowned NU’s
lone Big 12 Conference champion at
Iowa State’s Hilton Coliseum.
And as Snyder’s medal was hung
around his neck, his smile showed it
would be a day he would remember for
the rest of his life.
Not only because he clenched his
first league crown, but because the
freshman earned his 157-pouhd title
with the respect of a fifth-year com
petitor.
Wrestling against three of the top
157-pounders in the country - fifth
year seniors David Maldonado of ISU,
Jimmy Arias of Oklahoma State and
Oklahoma’s highly recruited David
Kjeldgaard - Snyder made his way
into the tournament finals competing
with separated cartilage in his ribs, an
injury he suffered during practice last
week.
“A freshman won a Big 12
Championship - that’s awesome,” NU
Coach Tim Neumann said. “He won
the championship with superstars at
his weight class. Snyder wrestled
great, and he wasn’t even 100 percent ”
Apparently, he wasn’t the only one.
Fifth-ranked OU surprised the confer
ence Saturday when the Sooners
defeated top-ranked and heavily
favored OSU 82.5-76 for Oklahoma’s
first league crown since 1986. Iowa
State finished third with 64, while
Nebraska scored a disappointing 57.5
for fourth. Missouri was fifth with six
points.
For Snyder, the day was bitter
sweet. Capturing his individual title
gave him an automatic spot and proba
ble No. 5 seed at the NCAA
Championships in State College, Pa.,
on March 18-20.
Please see SNYDER on 16
Ryan Soderlin/DN
ABOVE: NU COACH TIM Neumann encourages and
instructs freshman Joe Henson during the Big 12
Wrestling Championship held in Ames, Iowa, on
Saturday. Henson finished the day in fourth place.
CENTER: NU JUNIOR PAUL Gomez mentally prepares
before competing in the first round of consolations
at the Big 12 Wrestling Championship at Ames,
Iowa.
TOP RIGHT: NU SOPHOMORE SCOTT Munson goes for
the pin against Missouri’s Kevin Herron. Munson
beat Herron 13-4 and finished the day in third place.
Ryan Soderlin/DN
NU JUNIOR PAUL Gomez takes down ISU’s Jesse West.
Gomez beat West 6-2 and finished third in the tournament.