March 31, 2008

IRVING, Texas-- Mark Manning (Nebraska) has been named the 2008 Big 12 Wrestling Coach of the Year in a vote by the conference coaches. This is the first conference honor for Manning, who led his Huskers to a second-place finish at the Big 12 Championship.

Nebraska's 62.5 team points are the most the Huskers have ever accrued at the conference Championship. NU matched its best finish ever as a team, as the Huskers also claimed runner-up honors in 2004 and went on to place fifth at the NCAA Championship. Nebraska's three individual champions are the most since 1995.

The Huskers then went on to finish fourth at the NCAA Championship, their highest finish since the 1993 season. Five NU wrestlers earned All-America honors, including third-place finishers Paul Donahoe and Jordan Burroughs.

In his eighth seasons at Nebraska, Manning has led the Huskers to new heights, particularly during the 2007-08 season. Manning has accrued a 109-42-2 record in duals, including 14-3 and 3-1 in the Big 12 last season.

Under Manning, the Huskers nearly went undefeated in the conference for the first time in their 98-year history. The year's highlights include a second-place finish at the National Duals in January before defeating Oklahoma State for just the third time in school history on Jan. 20. The Husker mentor also collected his 100th career dual win at Nebraska against Northern Colorado.

Big 12 Coach of the Year
1997 -- John Smith, Oklahoma State
1998 -- John Smith, Oklahoma State
1999 -- Jack Spates, Oklahoma
Bobby Douglas, Iowa State
2000 -- Bobby Douglas, Iowa State
2001 -- John Smith, Oklahoma State
2002 -- Jake Spates, Oklahoma
2003 -- John Smith, Oklahoma State
2004 -- John Smith, Oklahoma State
2005 -- John Smith, Oklahoma State
2006 -- Jack Spates, Oklahoma
John Smith, Oklahoma State
2007 -- Cael Sanderson, Iowa State
2008 -- Mark Manning, Nebraska