Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

O'Fallon matman is going to be a Cornhusker

Surber has been to state last 3 years

O'FALLON -- When Keith Surber left on his recruiting trip to the University of Nebraska last week, the O'Fallon High School senior was still unsure of his college future.

When Surber and his dad Barry Surber returned home Sunday, the doubt was gone. Keith Surber is going to be a member of the Cornhuskers wrestling program.

A three time state tournament placewinner and one of the top NCAA Division I recruits in the St. Louis area, Surber has given a verbal commitment to attend the Big 12 Conference school beginning in the 2010-11 season.

Surber, 17, chose Nebraska over Missouri and Northwestern and will make it official Wednesday when he signs a national letter of intent as the fall signing period begins for high school athletes.

"I knew it was the place for me when I got there. I loved the coaches, Mark Manning and Mike Greenfield. The guys on the team are great and the wrestling program is top notch. They placed fourth in the NCAA Tournament last year,'' Surber said." It just felt right. It's big time Division I. I've worked for this for a long time.

"It's just really nice to have it happen.''

Surber is one of four St. Louis area grapplers who have given verbal commitments to Nebraska as the Cornhuskers continue to build a pipeline between the talent rich St. Louis wrestling area and Lincoln.

Assistant coach Mike Greenfield is an O'Fallon native who went on to win two state championships while attending Althoff.

The timing of Surber's visit proved to be a bonus for Nebraska as well. Surber was on hand for the annual Nebraska-Oklahoma football game, won by Nebraska.

"It was just electrifying. The entire time, everybody standing screaming, cheering -- the entire game,'' Surber said. We got to go down on the field before the game and on the tunnel walk, the roar of the crowd was just unbelievable.''

Nebraska is getting one of the top wrestlers in the state in Surber, who in three years at O'Fallon is 130-8 and has three state medals. Surber finished 44-2 a year ago and placed third in the Class 3A 119-pound weight class at the state tournament.

Surber, who will wrestle at 130 pounds this season, will compete in the 133 pound weight class at the college level.

"They know how to train their wrestlers. They have great lightweight coaches and great coaches all the way around. Plus the weight room and training facilities are second to none.''

"The Big 12 Conference. Oklahoma, Oklahoma St. Missouri, Iowa State, Nebraska, that's a great place for wrestling, a great place for competition,'' Surber said. "I'll be going up against the best wrestlers in the nation, day in and day out. That's what you need in order to become an All-American and maybe win a national championship in college.''

Surber may have to wait a year to get his chance. He has been told that he will probably be redshirted his first year at Lincoln.

"It's a chance for me to get a little stronger, get a year in the workout room,'' Surber said. "But mostly its for me to get a year under my belt where I'm not traveling all over the country. It will give time to get used to the academics and get my grades up.''

Surber plans to major in pre-med at Nebraska.