The Nebraska wrestling team has developed a strong team culture under head coach Mark Manning, and transfer Vincent Robinson said that made the Huskers the perfect spot for him.
The redshirt sophomore announced he’ll be joining Nebraska after three seasons with North Carolina State.
“I think I was just really set on Nebraska and their culture,” Robinson told Hail Varsity. “I’ve seen what they’ve been doing the last two, three years with placing at nationals, and things they do with Ridge (Lovett) and Antrell (Taylor) and those guys. You see they’re competing and accomplishing things that they want to accomplish, and that’s what I wanted to be a part of.”
In 2024-25, Nebraska produced two national champions and finished second at the NCAA Championships, its best finish in program history. This past season, the Huskers took third at the NCAA Championships.
Robinson said he did camps with Lovett and Taylor prior to committing to Nebraska.
“I think they’re just a very close team,” Robinson said. “They always help each other. Everybody in there wants to win, and that’s kind of what I wanted to be around. Even the backups, they want to win, they want to be in the starting spot, they want to achieve what they want to achieve, and they’ve got guys all over the place in the (Regional Training Center) …
“These guys really love each other; you can see it. You can see it when you watch them wrestle. When I came down there, they made me feel welcomed and they made me feel like one of them, made me feel like a brother.”
After entering the transfer portal, Robinson said he had interest from Nebraska, Missouri, North Carolina, Arizona State and Indiana. He committed to the Huskers on his first visit.
“There was just a lot of factors going on at NC State,” Robinson said. “I didn’t have a lot of partners, and most of the guys that I was with kind of left. So, I just wanted a new change, and to be able to grow at a better place. So, I thought Nebraska was the right fit for me.”
The Chicago native also has connections to Nebraska through his father, Vasil Robinson. Vasil and Manning know each other from wrestling camps and tournaments.
“They knew each other for a very long time, so that played a good factor into it,” Vincent said. “They had a good connection, and we connected very well when I went on my visit, so I loved it. I love Coach Manning, I love Coach (Bryan) Snyder.”
Manning credits his team’s relationship with Vincent along with his relationship with Vasil for helping recruit the redshirt sophomore.
“Vincent Robinson, I think, took one visit, and that was to us,” Manning told Hurrdat Sports Live. “He’s going to fit in very well. He knows a lot of our guys on our team already. I’ve known his dad for 30-plus years, and in this business relationships still matter.”
Vasil said that he took Vincent around the United States for wrestling but believes Manning can help him reach the world stage.
“I hope he learns to be more detailed, be more disciplined in certain positions, get the experience of not just here, but all over the world,” Vasil told Hail Varsity. “The mindset is just going to open his mind up. Just experiencing different countries, different people, different styles.”
Robinson will have the opportunity to learn from Manning while building on the relationships he already has. He said he’s looking forward to learning from Lovett, who’s a part of the RTC program.
“I think it’s going to be pretty fun,” Robinson said of reuniting with Lovett. “I think he’s going to sharpen up some of the things that I want to sharpen up, like some of my weaknesses. He’s really good at my weaknesses, so I think going to him and building that relationship up more, obviously he’s going to help me out, and I think that’s played a big role in it.”
Last season, Robinson finished with a 21-6 overall record. He posted a 12-3 dual record. The redshirt sophomore also had eight bonus-point wins, three technical falls, and five major decisions.
A two-time All-American, Robinson took third in the 125-pound weight class at the ACC Championships in Blacksburg, Va. He followed this up with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. He won a national title as a freshman in the 2024-2025 season.
Robinson credits Wolfpack alumni and current assistant coaches Tommy Gantt and Kevin Jackwas for helping him succeed.
“He just said little motivational things,” Robinson said of Gantt “He knew how to get me to my point, so I think he played a real big role in my national title, and also Kevin Jackwas as well. He kind of helped me with my diet and stuff like that. If Tommy wasn’t there, he was there to get on me a little bit. He was kind of like the coach I could go to more, and Tommy’s role was just to build that bond with me and make sure that I’m OK and stuff like that.”
Now, Nebraska’s coaches will take over those roles. Robinson said he believes they will help him improve.
“I sat down with the coaches and what really caught me was they sat down with me for like an hour and just went over my matches and tape,” Robinson said. “That was like one of the main things that I really wanted, and I think that plays a big role in my success for the future as well. I think it’s just going to go up more. They know my weaknesses and figuring out those weaknesses and turning them into strengths is just what wrestling’s all about.”
Robinson said he’ll arrive in Lincoln soon with hopes of winning another national title.
“I’m looking forward to wrestling, wrestling with the team, building a bond with the team, meeting my new teammates,” Robinson said. “That’s really what I’m excited about, just getting use to the Cornhusker life, so I’m very excited.”
