Ridge Lovett

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 a NCAA Champion, 3-time All-American, 5-time NCAA Qualifier and a 2-time Big 10 Tournament Champion.

Career

High School Lovett was born and raised in Post Falls, Idaho. 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.

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, 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.

Nebraska

2019-2020 Lovett immediately entered Nebraska's varsity lineup as a true freshman at 133 pounds. Wrestling in one of the nation's deepest weight classes, he qualified for the NCAA Championships after placing seventh at the Big Ten Championships. 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.

2020-2021 Moving up to 149 pounds, posted a 9–3 record during the pandemic-shortened season 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. 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.

2021-2022 Lovett enjoyed a breakthrough campaign during the 2021–22 season. Lovett finished fourth at the Big 10 Championships, qualifying for his third NCAA Championship. 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.

2022-2023 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.

2023-2024 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. His victories included multiple wins over top-ten opponents, leading to his selection as NCAA Wrestler of the Week in February 2024.

At the Big Ten Championships, Lovett captured his first conference title, becoming Nebraska's champion at 149 pounds. 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.

2024-2025 Entering his final collegiate season, Lovett was widely viewed as a national title contender. Throughout the regular season he recorded victories over numerous top-ranked opponents, including Penn State All-American Shayne Van Ness. His performances earned him two Big Ten Wrestler of the Week awards during the season.

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.

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.

Freestyle 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.

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.

Freestyle record

Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event Location

Newark, New Jersey

Win 18-5

Arlington, Texas

Win 17-5

Coralville, Iowa Win

Win 16-5

Win 15-5

Win 14-5

Las Vegas, Nevada Win 13-5

Win 12-5

Win 11-5

Win 10-5

Loss 9-5

Tirana, Albania

Loss 9-4

Louisville, Kentucky Win 9-3

Loss 8-3

Win 8-2

Loss

Las Vegas, Nevada Loss

Loss 7-2

Win 7-1

Win 6-1

Win 5-1

Win 4-1

Nice, France Win 3-1

Win 2-1

Loss 1-1

Win 1-0

Greco record

Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event Location

Loss 2–2

Coralville, Iowa Win 2–1

Loss 1–1

Win 1–0