Kearney, Neb. – Nebraska-Kearney head wrestling coach Dalton Jensen announced today that Grant Lyman (Lincoln East H.S.) and Gage Krolikowski (Valentine H.S.) have signed on with the Lopers and will take to the mats next winter. 

UNK has six seniors on this year's team of 31 wrestlers. Jensen noted the Lopers will add more newcomers throughout 2019-20 season.

Projected to be at 165/174 pounds for UNK, Lyman enters his senior season with an 89-41 record. A 2019 Fall Brawl preseason tournament champion, he is a three-time state qualifier and a two-time state placer at 170 pounds (3rd in 2019 and 4th in 2018) for the Spartans.

"Grant has put in a ton of work in the offseason over the last couple of years and still has his best wrestling ahead of him as he didn't start wrestling until the sixth grade. Our staff was very impressed with Grant's performance in a big pre-season tournament that he won last month in Kansas City," Jensen said. "He has had great mentorship throughout his high school career with former Loper All-Americans Jeff Rutledge and Keenan McCurdy at the helm of the East wrestling program. We are excited for the value Grant will add to our program both on and off the mat!"

Expected to be at 133 pounds, Krolikowski has won three Class C state titles (113, 120, and 132 lbs.) for the Badgers. He enters his final prep season with a stellar 111-1 record. Off the mats, Krolikowski was the leading rusher (765 yards) on the VHS football team this season.

"It's as if Gage was already a part of the Loper family as he has been coming down to our camps and tournaments for several years now and Kearney is like a second home to him," Jensen said. "Gage is a very credentialed high school athlete, but more important is the talent, skill set, and drive we see in him.  He has high goals of himself and we look forward to working with this competitive student-athlete."

The fourth-ranked Lopers head to Bethany College this Saturday in Lindsborg, Kan., for the 8th Annual Swede Open.