Nebraska Wrestling Adds National Champion AJ Ferrari

The Huskers have picked up a two-time All-American and national champion.

Mar 19, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestler AJ Ferrari celebrates after defeating Iowa Hawkeyes wrestler Jacob Warner in the 197 weight class during the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at Enterprise Center. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Nebraska wrestling just picked up a big time transfer.

Coach Mark Manning announced the addition of AJ Ferrari on Saturday. The two-time All-American and 2021 NCAA champion has two years of eligibility remaining.

“We’re excited about AJ joining our family here at Nebraska,” Manning said. “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.“

The Nebraska wrestling team poses after taking second at the 2025 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia. | Nebraska Athletics

Ferrari went 96-1 in high school, ranking as the No. 1 overall wrestler in his class and finishing as a two-time Texas state champion. He earned a bronze medal representing the United States at the 2018 Cadet Freestyle World Championships and won the 2018 Junior Folkstyle National Championship.

The newest Husker began his career at Oklahoma State. As a freshman, Ferrari went 20-1 and won the national title in the 197-pound weight class. After going 10-0 as a sophomore, his season was cut short due to injury. He then followed that up with an Olympic redshirt in 2023-24.

Last season, Ferrari competed for Cal State Bakersfield. He went 22-1 as a Roadrunner and took third place at the NCAA Tournament.

Mar 21, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; AJ Ferrari of CSU Bakersfield wrestles Stephen Buchanan of Iowa during the semifinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Center. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Ferrari's addition does not come without controversy, though. 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.

Mar 22, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Antrell Taylor of the Nebraska Cornhuskers celebrates win against Joey Blaze of the Purdue Boilmakers (not pictured) during the Division I Men's Wrestling Championship held at Wells Fargo Center. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Nebraska is coming off a best-ever finish at the national tournament, finishing runner-up behind powerhouse Penn State. The Huskers also notched a pair of national champions in Ridge Lovett and Antrell Taylor, the first for NU since Jordan Burroughs won a title in 2011.

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