Ridge Lovett and James Green from Nebraska Wrestling won US Open titles in their respective weight classes. Their victories qualify them for the Final X event in June.
Key points
Ridge Lovett won the US Open title at 70 kg.
James Green won the US Open title at 74 kg.
Both wrestlers qualified for the Final X in June.
All five Nebraska wrestlers placed at the Senior US Open.
The event showcased top talent in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
Nebraska WrestlingRidge LovettJames GreenUS Open
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 22: Ridge Lovett of the University of Nebraska celebrates after defeating Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech University in the 149-pound class championship match during the Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at the Wells Fargo Center on March 22, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
The Nebraska Wrestling Training Center put on quite the display this weekend at the Senior level in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.
The Huskers had five wrestlers entered at the Senior US Open, and all five found the podium against a field filled with the best in the country. Not only did they all place, Nebraska saw two guys get crowned as US Open Champions — Ridge Lovett at 70 kg and James Green at 74 kg.
2️⃣ US Open titles.
70kg | Ridge Lovett🥇
74kg | James Green 🥇
Both wrestlers have earned a spot at Final X in June with a chance to make the U.S. Senior World Freestyle Team for the 2026 World Championships. pic.twitter.com/khaTQX0J5W
Lovett blizted through a tough field before scoring a wild finals win that will go down as an all-timer. As for current assistant coach Green, he showed that he hasn’t lost a step in moving up from 70 to 74 kg. On the way to his title, he beat half of the eventual podium.
In Greco-Roman — the upper-body only style — former Husker Peyton Robb made it to the final series but fell short and finished as the runner-up.
Liam Cronin and Brock Hardy also placed on the podium at 57 and 65 kg, respectively.
With their wins, Lovett and Green punched their tickets to Final X where Team USA decides its Senior World Team every year. They will find out their opponents in late May as the winner of the World Team Trials will get the other Final X spot at those weights. Final X will take place June 19.
Q&A
Who won the US Open titles in wrestling for Nebraska?
Ridge Lovett and James Green won the US Open titles for Nebraska in their respective weight classes.
What weight classes did Lovett and Green compete in at the US Open?
Ridge Lovett competed in the 70 kg class and James Green competed in the 74 kg class at the US Open.
What is the significance of winning the US Open for Lovett and Green?
Winning the US Open qualifies Ridge Lovett and James Green for the Final X event scheduled for June.
How many wrestlers from Nebraska placed at the Senior US Open?
All five wrestlers from Nebraska who entered the Senior US Open placed on the podium.
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US Open Champions
70 kg
5-seed Ridge Lovett
Lovett has been focusing on freestyle for a year now, and it shows. After a legendary career in both high school and college, Lovett showed this weekend that he’s ready to take the Senior level by storm.
On Friday’s opening day, Lovett looked like a guy on a mission to make his first World Team — he went 4-0 and outscored his opponents 47-9 going into Saturday’s final.
Lovett beat both Jonathan Millner (12-0) and 21-seed Nick Sanko (10-0) by tech before beating 4-seed Ian Parker 8-3 in the quarters.
In the semifinal round, Lovett beat 1-seed Alec Pantaleo in dominant fashion 17-6 by tech. Lovett showed his power and scoring ability in a match that maybe opened up a lot of people’s eyes toward Lovett.
Ridge Lovett looks IMPRESSIVE! He techs the #1 seed, Alec Pantaleo, 17-6, as he advances to the 70kg US Open Finals against Caleb Henson. pic.twitter.com/6b7mDxksVM
Lovett moved into the final where he faced 2-seed Caleb Henson. These two had some history in college with Henson beating Lovett at CKLV and later at the 2024 NCAA semifinal 1-0 by decision. Lovett then exacted his revenge in his final collegiate match, beating Henson 1-0 in the 2025 NCAA final.
In this match, things started relatively slowly with Henson taking a 2-0 lead into the break, but the match ramped up in a big way after that. Early in the second, Henson shot in and scored but he and Lovett exchanged exposures as they rolled around on the mat — Lovett used his chest wrap and crotch lift to do most of his damage in the exchange.
After a review of the sequence, Lovett held a 7-6 lead but added to his lead quickly when he caught a Henson shot and scored six points from the chest wrap position, whipping Henson over multiple times to go up 13-6.
With time winding down, Henson scored a quick takedown to cut his deficit to 13-8. He then took Lovett down again to his back for four points and nearly turned him again. After a challenge by Henson’s corner, the 13-12 score was confirmed. With the failed-challenge point, Lovett won the match 14-12 and will sit out to Final X.
Ridge Lovett wins a thriller! US Open Senior Freestyle Champion! 🥇
With this win he is in the best of three finals at Final X for a spot on the World Team!
It’s unclear who will register for the World Team Trials at 70 kg, but the field will be star-studded. A wrestler must qualify for the Trials, while the US Open is open for anyone to enter, so the field will also be much smaller. The big names that enter Trials will likely be last year’s Senior World Team member PJ Duke of Penn State, Henson, Penn State’s Tyler Kasak if he can heal up from this weekend’s concussion, and potentially Lovett’s old teammate Antrell Taylor who wrestles at 70 kg and plans to enter this tournament in late May.
A potential Lovett vs. Taylor series in Final X would be quite the story.
74 kg
5-seed James Green
In his first year up at 74 kg after making an incredible seven World Teams at 70 kg throughout his career, Green looked as good as ever as he tries to make his eighth team. A two-time World medalist, Green has never won World gold, and I know he has his eyes on ending his career on top of that mountain.
Green started his tournament with a 13-2 win via tech over Johnathon Viveros before taking on Penn State’s 12-seed Joe Sealey. The presumptive starter at 174 pounds for the Nittany Lions next season, Sealey gave Green his toughest match, but Green earned the 3-2 decision win. Sealey went on to place third, beating two-time NCAA Champion 1-seed David Carr in the 3rd-place match.
In the quarters, Green wasted no time in downing 4-seed Will Lewan via 11-0 tech in the first period.
James Green with the quick tech to make the 74kg semifinals!
In the semifinal round, Green didn’t get the opponent he was likely anticipating as 8-seed Cam Amine beat top-seeded Carr in the quarters. Last year’s World Team rep, Carr entered the tournament as the heavy favorite in this bracket but finished in 4th place.
Amine wrestled a very defensive and conservative match, but Green was able to get the 2-1 win to advance to Saturday night’s final against 10-seed Kannon Webster, an All-American this past season for Illinois.
In that match, Green took a 2-0 lead to the break before hitting a lightning-quick double leg for a takedown to go up 4-0. Webster did get a takedown with a minute to go, giving him some life, but Green was able to evade just enough despite giving up a caution point to earn the 4-3 win.
According to Green himself, he was sick this weekend, making what he did even more impressive. He beat nearly the entire podium this weekend — downing runner-up Webster, 3rd-placer Sealey (who won six matches on the back side after losing to Green), 5th-placer Amine, and 7th-placer Lewan.
I’ve been feeling like straight dog 💩 all week and somehow found a way to get it done. Thanks for the support. Now it’s time for recovery but I’ll be better come final x 🤞🏾#LaceMan
Robb lost both final matches to Peak by the exact same score of 6-3. After losing to Peak via 11-1 tech two years ago, Robb has obviously improved and has narrowed the gap.
Peak is now a four-time World Team member for Team USA but hasn’t earned a medal yet at the World Championships. Peak also made age-level World Teams in 2018 (Junior) and 2021 (U23).
57 kg
3-seed Liam Cronin (4th place)
A member of the US National Team already, Cronin solidified his status as one of the best American freestylers at the Senior level at 57 kg. The problem is that he’s stuck behind guys like Olympic silver-medalist Spencer Lee, multi-time age-level World Champion Luke Lilledahl, and U20 World Team member Anthony Knox. Lilledahl will be a junior in college this year at Penn State, and Knox will be a freshman at Rutgers.
Cronin opened his tournament with a 12-0 win via technical superiority over Elijah Oliver before downing 11-seed Austin Assad 7-4 in the quarterfinal round.
Cronin moved on to the semifinal where he faced 2-seed Lilledahl out of Penn State who just won his first NCAA title in March. Lilledahl dominated in this match on the way to a 10-0 tech over Cronin.
Cronin dropped to the consolation semifinal round where he faced 12-seed Brody Teske. Cronin poured it on early and often, beating Teske 10-0 in just 37 seconds.
In the 3rd-place match, Cronin faced 4-seed Knox. The young Scarlet Knight was too much in this match for Cronin — the Husker lost the match 10-3 to finish in 4th place.
Cronin will still have an opportunity to earn a spot in Final X next month at the World Team Trials.
65 kg
5-seed Brock Hardy (8th place)
Coming off an illustrious college career in Lincoln, Hardy took part in his first Senior US Open this weekend. He didn’t earn a spot in Final X this year, but I do think big things are on the horizon for Hardy as he finally turns his full attention to freestyle. Keep in mind that Hardy did win a World bronze medal at the U23 World Championships in 2023.
In his first match, Hardy beat Jimmy Nugent 16-5 via tech before beating 21-seed David Evans 3-3 by criteria in a tight match.
In the quarterfinal round, Hardy faced 4-seed Jesse Mendez, the two-time NCAA Champion for Ohio State who always seems to have Hardy’s number. In this match, Hardy scored a late takedown and had a chance to turn Mendez for the win but was unable to, dropping the match 5-4.
Hardy dropped to the blood round where he faced 11-seed Drew Gorman, winning the match 9-2. Hardy then medically forfeited out of the consolation quarters.
Hardy ended his college career on a bum knee and it was obvious the injury was bothering him at the US Open. He seemed to re-injure it and added a knee sleeve in his later matches. Also, against Gorman, Hardy suffered an injured nose and had to have his face wrapped up to stop the bleeding for the final 30 seconds of the match.
Hopefully Hardy can use this off-season to get right and healthy before another run at a World Team in 2027. With the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, it’s likely he’ll be ramping up for a run at the Olympic team.
