2011-12 • REDSHIRT FRESHMAN: Overall Record: 24-9 Dual Meet Record: 10-6 Big Ten Record: 5-3 Pins: 8 Major Decisions: 5 Technical Falls: 0
All-American • 2012 NCAA Runner-up at 149 lbs. • Named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Year on the team • Voted Freshman of the Year on the team • Named Best Male Freshman of the Year at the 2012 Golden Goldy's • Fell to Penn State's Frank Molinaro (4-1) in the championship match • Defeated undefeated (32-0) Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals by a 3-2 decision • Finished second in votes for 2012 Freshman of the Year by InterMat • Went undefeated at the National Duals, including a sudden victory against Missouri's Kyle Bradley • Won a 15-5 major decision over teammate Matt Mincey to claim the Bison Open championship • Dropped two regular season duals to No. 1 Frank Molinaro of Penn State (10-16) and No. 2 Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State (5-6) • Defeated No. 14 Kyle Bradley of Missouri in the Southern Scuffle (T.N.) semifinals en route to a second place finish • Met a string of other ranked opponents during Big Ten competition in which he went 5-3, falling to No. 16 Cam Tessari of Ohio State and No. 7 Eric Grajales of Michigan but defeating three other ranked wrestlers by pinning No. 10 Eric Terrazas of Illinois at 7:08, pinning No. 14 Cole Scmitt of Wisconsin at 2:35, and defeating No. 13 Ivan Lopouchanski of Purdue (11-4) • Letterwinner.
2010-11 • REDSHIRTED: Freshman who competed in 17 matches in first year as a Gopher • Went 16-1 overall with nine pins and three major decisions • Started out the season as co-champions with teammate Danny Zilverberg at the Bison Open • Won his first title in the maroon and gold at the Kaufman-Brand Open, after scoring a 6-4 decision in the second round before recording three falls, a major decision and pin of Iowa's Jake Ballweg in 1:54 in the championship match • Won the Husky Open after pinning Augsburg's Tony Valek in the final at 2:22.
HIGH SCHOOL:
A 2010 graduate of John F. Kennedy High School • Named "Mr. Minnesota High School Wrestler" by the MNWrestling Coaches Association in 2010 • Ranked No. 4 nationally at 145 by InterMat and No. 6 by Amateur Wrestling News • USA Wrestling Triple Crown Cadet National winner.
PERSONAL:
Son of Jay and Sally Ness • Brother of former Gopher All-American and national champion Jayson Ness.
