The South Dakota State University wrestling team will host one tournament and seven home duals during the upcoming 2015-16 season, including two duals against squads that finished in the top 10 at last year’s NCAA Championships.
“With our inclusion in the Big 12 Conference we have been able to put together the best home schedule in our program’s history,” Jackrabbit head coach Chris Bono. “Night in and night out we will challenge some of the top teams and individuals in college wrestling on our home mat.”
The season kicks off Nov. 1, when the Jackrabbits host the Warren Williamson/ Daktronics Open. More than 250 wrestlers are expected to compete in the day-long event at Frost Arena.
The Jackrabbits, who posted an 11-8 dual record during the 2014-15 campaign, open the home dual season Nov. 21 against Virginia Tech. The dual against a Hokies squad that finished 10th at the 2015 NCAA Championships will be on the back end of a doubleheader with the Jackrabbit women’s basketball team’s matchup against Notre Dame.
On Nov. 27, Oklahoma State pays a visit to Brookings. The Cowboys, owners of 31 NCAA team titles during their storied history, finished seventh at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
SDSU closes out the calendar year by hosting North Dakota State on Dec. 13 as the two rivals open and a home-and-home series, with the return matchup set for the season finale Feb. 21 in Fargo in what will be a Big 12 Conference dual.
The Jackrabbits return to the Frost Arena mat with three home duals to close out the month of January. The slate begins with a non-conference matchup against Cal State Bakersfield on Jan. 22, followed by Big 12 Conference duals versus fellow newcomers, yet traditional rivals, Air Force and Wyoming on Jan. 24 and 29, respectively.
Wrapping up the home slate is a Feb. 12 matchup against West Virginia. The Mountaineers finished 20th at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
In addition, the Jackrabbits are scheduled to compete at the four-team South Dakota Showcase Dec. 6 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. SDSU will wrestle duals that afternoon against Dakota Wesleyan, Augustana and Northern State.
SDSU’s first dual action of the season will take place Nov. 7 at the Minnesota Quad in Minneapolis, where the Jackrabbits will take on Minnesota, Virginia and Grand Canyon. The Jackrabbits will face another Big Ten Conference opponent and perennial national title contender Dec. 4, when it travels to 2015 NCAA runner-up Iowa. Minnesota placed eighth at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
Other road duals include Big 12 Conference matchups at Northern Colorado on Jan. 15, Utah Valley on Feb. 5 and Oklahoma on Feb. 14. SDSU also has scheduled a non-conference dual at Boise State (Idaho) on Feb. 7.
The Big 12 Conference Championships are slated for March 5-6 in Kansas City, with the NCAA Championships set for March 17-19 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
