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Ridge Lovett

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Ridge Lovett
Personal information
Born (2000-08-25) August 25, 2000 (age 26)
Post Falls, Idaho, U.S.
Weight70 kg (150 lb)
Sport
Country United States
SportWrestling
Events
Freestyle and Folkstyle
College teamNebraska
ClubNebraska Wrestling Training Center
Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Representing the  United States
Pan American Championships
Gold medal – first place2026 Coralville70 kg
Grand Prix
Bronze medal – third place2023 Nice65kg
Collegiate Wrestling
Representing the Nebraska Cornhuskers
NCAA Division I Championships
Gold medal – first place2025 Philadelphia149 lb
Silver medal – second place2022 Detroit149 lb
Big Ten Championships
Gold medal – first place2025 Evanston149 lb
Gold medal – first place2024 College Park149 lb
Silver medal – second place2021 State College149 lb

Ridge Lovett (born August 25, 2000) is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes at 70 kilograms. Lovett competed collegiately for Nebraska, where he was an NCAA Champion, 3-time All-American, 5-time NCAA Qualifier and a 2-time Big 10 Tournament Champion.

Career

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High School

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Lovett was born and raised in Post Falls, Idaho.[citation needed] Wrestling was a central part of his upbringing, as his family was heavily involved in the sport and operated a local wrestling club. According to Lovett, he spent much of his childhood in wrestling rooms before he was old enough to compete himself.[1]

At Post Falls High School, Lovett became one of the most decorated wrestlers in Idaho history. He amassed a 169–0 career record, captured four Idaho state championships,[citation needed] and earned national recognition through performances in major high school tournaments. His undefeated career placed him among the most successful wrestlers ever produced by the state and established him as a blue-chip recruit entering the collegiate ranks.[2]

Nebraska

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2019-2020

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Lovett immediately entered Nebraska's varsity lineup as a true freshman at 133 pounds.[citation needed] Wrestling in one of the nation's deepest weight classes,[citation needed] he qualified for the NCAA Championships after placing seventh at the Big Ten Championships.[3] He finished the season with a 17–8 record and was positioned to compete at the national tournament before the event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[citation needed]

2020-2021

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Moving up to 149 pounds, posted a 9–3 record during the pandemic-shortened season[citation needed] and qualified for the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year by placing second at the Big 10 Championships falling to Ohio State's Sammy Sasso in the finals.[4] Lovett fell short of All-American status, at the NCAA tournament in St. Louis, Missouri. Lovett defeated Michigan State's Peyton Omania in the opening round before being eliminated from All-American contention with losses to Iowa's Max Murin and Duke's Josh Finesilver.[citation needed]

2021-2022

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Lovett enjoyed a breakthrough campaign during the 2021–22 season. Lovett finished fourth at the Big 10 Championships, qualifying for his third NCAA Championship.[5] He ultimately placed second at the national tournament, earning All-American honors for the first time in his career. Lovett fell to Yianni Diakomihalis in the finals.[6]

2022-2023

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Lovett's 2022–23 season was significantly limited by his decision to redshirt. Lovett's only competition of the year was the Cowboy Open, finishing 4–0 with all four victories by bonus points.[7]

2023-2024

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The 2023–24 season represented one of the finest years of Lovett's collegiate career. He opened the campaign undefeated through much of the regular season and climbed to the No. 1 ranking nationally at 149 pounds.[citation needed] His victories included multiple wins over top-ten opponents, leading to his selection as NCAA Wrestler of the Week in February 2024.[citation needed]

At the Big Ten Championships, Lovett captured his first conference title, becoming Nebraska's champion at 149 pounds.[citation needed] He advanced to the NCAA Championships as one of the favorites to win the national title and ultimately finished sixth, earning his second All-American honor.[8]

2024-2025

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Entering his final collegiate season, Lovett was widely viewed as a national title contender.[citation needed] Throughout the regular season he recorded victories over numerous top-ranked opponents, including Penn State All-American Shayne Van Ness.[citation needed] His performances earned him two Big Ten Wrestler of the Week awards during the season.[9]

At the 2025 Big Ten Championships in Evanston, Illinois, Lovett successfully defended his conference title. He dominated the tournament, recording technical falls, major decisions, and a championship-match victory over Illinois' Kannon Webster.[10]

The defining achievement of his collegiate career came at the 2025 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed, Lovett advanced through the bracket with victories over Sam Cartella, Ty Whalen, Kannon Webster, and Shayne Van Ness. In the national championship match, he defeated top-seeded Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech by a 1–0 score to claim the NCAA title at 149 pounds. The championship made him Nebraska's first NCAA wrestling champion since 2011 and capped a career that included three All-American finishes and multiple conference titles.[11][12]

Freestyle

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In April 2026, Lovett won the U.S. Open championship at 70 kilograms, earning a berth in Final X and positioning himself one series away from representing the United States at the World Championships. Lovett defeated familiar foe Caleb Henson 14–12 in the finals to capture the title.[13]

On June 1, 2026, Lovett recorded one of the most significant victories of his freestyle career when he defeated Olympic bronze medalist Bajrang Punia of India at RAF 09 in Dallas, Texas.[14]

Freestyle record

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Greco record

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References

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  1. ↑ "Putting in the Work". Nebraska Athletics.
  2. ↑ "Idaho native crowned NCAA national wrestling champ. 'I had a whole state behind me'". Idaho Statesman.
  3. ↑ "Huskers Finish Second at Big Ten Championships". Flo Wrestling.
  4. ↑ "Nebraska Finishes Third at Big Ten Championships". Nebraska Athletics.
  5. ↑ "2022 Big Ten Championships Results". Flo Wrestling.
  6. ↑ "Lovett finishes as National Runner-Up, Nebraska places 5th at NCAA Championships". Nebraska TV.
  7. ↑ "What Ridge Lovett's Redshirt Means For The Husker Lineup & 149 Nationally". Flo Wrestling.
  8. ↑ "Nebraska wrestling claims top-10 finish at NCAA Championships". KOLN.
  9. ↑ "Lovett Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week". Nebraska Athletics.
  10. ↑ "2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championships Results". Big Ten Conference.
  11. ↑ "2025 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Results". National Collegiate Athletic Association.
  12. ↑ "Lovett Wins NCAA Title at 149 Pounds". Nebraska Athletics.
  13. ↑ "Ridge Lovett, Zain Retherford showdown set at 70 kg in men's freestyle at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management". USA Wrestling.
  14. ↑ "Husker Wrestling: Ridge Lovett Beats Olympic Medalist Punia at RAF 09 in Dallas". Corn Nation.
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