Nebraska Wrestler Arrested Overnight on Outstanding Warrant

One of Nebraska wrestling's top offseason additions is legal trouble.

AJ Ferrari was arrested overnight in Lincoln and booked by the Lancaster County Department of Corrections. The charge for his booking was as a fugitive from justice to be extradited to Texas for a previous issue in the Lone Star State.

A Nebraska Athletics spokesperson provided a statement to HuskerMax.

“The Nebraska Athletic Department is aware of the arrest of AJ Ferrari on Friday night related to an outstanding warrant in Texas. We are awaiting more information from legal authorities involved and have no additional comment at this time.”

AJ Ferrari celebrates his 4-0 win at heavyweight. — AJ Ferrari won two national championships before transferring to Nebraska. | Amarillo Mullen

The arrest came just hours after No. 6 Nebraska opened Big Ten competition with a 36-3 victory over Purdue. In the heavyweight bout, No. 4 Ferrari made his return to the lineup, recording an 11-2 major decision over Hayden Filipovich.

Trouble has followed Ferrari throughout his collegiate career. While at Oklahoma State, he was charged with felony sexual battery. That case was later dismissed, but he was off the team.

In 2023, Ferrari enrolled at Iowa, but never became a member of the roster after throwing a punch at a Hawkeye wrestler after a match at the 2023 Soldier Salute finals. He later said that he regretted his actions, eventually telling the Clash of Combat podcast that he had been called inappropriate names.

Earlier this spring, Ferrari announced his commitment to North Carolina. In May, he was back in the portal after being denied admission to UNC.

Nebraska's AJ Ferrari attempts to block a takedown from Army's Brady Colbert. | Amarillo Mullen

Even with the controversy from his past, Nebraska coach Mark Manning was happy to make the addition to his team that had just finished a program-best second at the national championships.

“We’re excited about AJ joining our family here at Nebraska,” Manning said in June. “This decision was a collaborative effort from my team, staff and our administration. AJ’s wrestling accomplishments speak to the dedication, work ethic and competitive spirit that aligns with our program. We believe AJ adds tremendous value to our team’s fight and passion for our sport.“

Nebraska's next match is Friday at Minnesota. Although Nebraska is awaiting details of his latest incident, the talented senior is unlikely to be on the mat.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

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