Nebraska Wrestling Mark Manning shared why he would welcome AJ Ferrari to his wrestling team with open arms, despite the latter’s recent arrest. The standout wrestler was pulled over for speeding, but was later arrested after Lincoln police discovered he had an outstanding warrant from Texas dating back to October of last year.
Ferrari achieved great success on the wrestling mat, but legal and personal conduct issues have always marred his collegiate career.
Nebraska Wrestling’s Head Coach Opines on AJ Ferrari’s Recent Arrest
Manning has forged one of the most successful wrestling coaching careers, becoming the winningest coach in school history in February 2015. He has trained 40 of Nebraska’s 76 All-Americans, led the Huskers to multiple top-eight finishes, and guided seven wrestlers to six individual NCAA Championships.
Ferrari, who has a 6-1 record this season as a new Husker, was arrested in Lincoln when the police found out that he allegedly evaded arrest in Texas last year. Ferrari appeared in the court following that, and another hearing is scheduled in Lancaster County in February 2026.
However, he will rejoin the Huskers program, as confirmed by head coach Manning, who said that people make mistakes and all these experiences should be taken as lessons. During the interview with Hurrdat Sports, Manning said:
“You know, people make mistakes, and that’s about growing up and learning how to be your best, when a lot of people have eyeballs on you. People forget, no one’s perfect out there. People make mistakes, and AJ’s a high-profile guy, and it’s unfortunate, but you just gotta deal with it, and you gotta make it teachable. These guys aren’t perfect, and none of us are perfect, so these are teachable moments to say, you’re on a team, and there’s a lot of eyeballs on you.”
He also noted that the former NCAA champion has a good heart, but not everybody would like him as a person, and that’s just how the world works.
READ MORE: What Happened To AJ Ferrari? All About the Incident That Led to the Former NCAA Champion’s Arrest
Ferrari was at the peak of his career at Oklahoma State and a fresh WWE NIL signee when he was charged with one felony count of sexual battery in Oklahoma. The charge was a result of a complaint filed by a woman alleging nonconsensual sexual contact, which ultimately resulted in Ferrari’s dismissal from the Cowboys wrestling team.
In 2023, the charge was dismissed, and Ferrari joined the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners during the 2024-25 season, and finished in bronze in the NCAA Championships.
