Brock Hardy has big goals for the 2025-2026 season after coming up just short of winning a national title for Nebraska wrestling in 2025.
The senior had a good junior campaign, finishing the regular season with a 19-3 record (10-2 dual record) while taking first at the Big Ten Championship and second at the NCAA Tournament while competing in the 141-pound weight class.
Now, he’s looking to take that next step.
“I think that one of the biggest places that I can move the needle as a competitor is my consistency,” Hardy told Hail Varsity. “I took second, but I have a win over a national champ. So if I can be the person that beat him every time I wrestle, and every time I compete, that’s going to make the difference.”
Hardy started wrestling when he was 3 and said he’s loved it ever since. He said his motivation and approach hasn’t changed despite the national runner-up finish.
“It’s a huge motivator in the sense that I was so close,” Hardy said. “I was able to get seven minutes away from being a national champ, but at the same time, I feel like my motivations are very similar to the year before and the year before that. The goal’s always been to be a national champ, so no matter the outcome, I think that I’ve wanted to approach each season with the effort and intent to be a national champ.”
The Huskers are ranked No. 2 after their best finish in school history, taking second at the NCAA Tournament and producing two national champions in Ridge Lovett and junior Antrell Taylor. Hardy has been working all offseason to make that jump.
“I’ve really diversified how I can attack,” Hardy said. “I’ve been really good in certain ways, and I’ve kind of tried to emulate some of my teammates in James Green, Antrell Taylor, being a little bit more explosive and being more able to attack dynamically.”
This season, Hardy’s taking more of a leadership role with it being his last year of wrestling.
“I want these guys to all reach their potential, right?” Hardy said. “I want them to buy into what I’ve bought into. So, I think the biggest thing is being an example of that and trying to, in a way, carry the spirit of Nebraska wrestling all the time so that way they can see it and do it too.”
Head coach Mark Manning’s been a big part of Hardy’s journey, teaching him about both life and wrestling techniques. He’s built a strong team culture with a sign in the wrestling room that says, “Effort, attitude, always.”
“I think that’s one of the greatest things about being on this team is we’ve got to have a lot of interactions off the mat and out of the practice room,” Hardy said. “He’s taught me that it’s not always the most important thing to be a great wrestler, it’s important that we are great people and great students. The importance of this sport is not the wins and losses, but rather in the growth that we all get to have.”
Nebraska opened its season on the road on Sunday at the Navy Classic in Annapolis, Maryland. It won its fourth consecutive championship with 144 total points. Hardy won his weight class with a 4-3 decision, beating Bucknell senior Dylan Chappell, who was ranked No. 14 in the 141-pound division coming into the season.
“I think that I didn’t compete to my fullest, but I know it’s also the start to the season,” Hardy said. “We’re getting some cobwebs out and we’re working some kinks out, but it felt really good to be back on the mat. It’s exciting to do the part that’s fun, right? Competing is the fun part. Practice is a process, but competing is amazing, so it felt great to be out there.”
For now, Hardy’s working on the small things.
“I always have the goal to be a national champ, always have the goal to be a Big Ten champ, but also I have a problem of sometimes getting distracted,” Hardy said. “So my main goal is winning the next match, winning the next point.”
The Huskers host their first home dual on Friday, when No. 23 Army comes to the Devaney Center. On Oct. 22, Manning announced that Nebraska will be celebrating Alumni Day along with Military Appreciation Day. They will have Nebraska boxer Terence “bud” Crawford leading them out to start the day as well. The dual begins at 6 p.m. CT.
“I’m looking forward to another season of getting better and watching this Nebraska team become something more,” Hardy said.
