Luck Announces 2013-14 Wrestling Schedule

By Jonathan Hevron
WVU Sports Information Department

October 01, 2013


MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia University Director of Athletics Oliver Luck has announced the 2013-14 wrestling schedule.

“Coach Craig Turnbull has continually scheduled the top competition in the country, and this year is no different,” says Luck. “This season features some of the most storied programs in the country. Now, in our second season in the Big 12, we look to further establish ourselves as a top program against one of the premiere wrestling conferences in the country.”

The Mountaineers will match up against four teams that finished the 2012-13 season ranked in the top-25, including No. 2 Oklahoma State at the WVU Coliseum on January 17.

“This schedule meets our program goals of striving to put together the most nationally competitive schedule available to us, made up of a diverse cross section of the country’s most competitive programs, each year,” says Turnbull.

WVU returns to the Navy Classic in Annapolis, Md., and Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev., from last season’s schedule. The Virginia Duals, Binghamton Open, Harold Nichols Open and Hoosier Duals will be new tilts for the Mountaineers.

“Last season, our schedule was ranked the most difficult. This year’s will be of similar quality,” Turnbull says. “We are excited to compete against the challenges this schedule presents, individually, and as a team.”

Coach Turnbull, entering his 34th season at the helm, and WVU open the season at the University of Virginia Duals in Charlottesville, Va., on Nov. 2, marking the earliest start in program history. The Duals will feature host Virginia, Gardner-Webb, Anderson (S.C.) and the Mountaineers.

WVU then travels to Binghamton, N.Y., for the Binghamton Open on Nov. 10. November continues for the Mountaineers at Big 12 foe Iowa State. WVU will compete in a dual meet against the Cyclones on Nov. 15, before competing in the Harold Nichols Open on Nov. 16. The month comes to a close for the Mountaineers in Annapolis, Md., at the Navy Classic on Nov. 23.

After Thanksgiving break, WVU retakes to the mat from Dec. 7-8 at the Hoosier Duals. The Mountaineers will meet with host Indiana, Northern Colorado, Drexel, Virginia Military Institute and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville while in Bloomington, Ind.

WVU will compete in two tournaments in December, with the second coming on Dec. 22 at the Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nev.

The Mountaineers begin 2014 with a five-match home stand, starting with their home opener against Lock Haven on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m., and N.C. State on Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

WVU hosts defending Big 12 Conference champion Oklahoma State on Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Big 12 foe Oklahoma on Jan. 19 at 1 p.m., to close out the month of January.

February kicks off for the Mountaineers with rival Pitt on Feb. 1 at 7 p.m., and Davidson on Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Both matches are at the WVU Coliseum.

The dual-meet season concludes for WVU with Clarion on Feb. 14 at the Beauty and Beast meet at the WVU Coliseum at 6 p.m., at Ohio on Feb. 16 and at Edinboro on Feb. 22.

“We try to not weaken or strengthen our schedule based on our team’s projected strength,” says Turnbull. “We have found we need to present in recruiting this quality of competition, and in the preparation of producing NCAA champions and all-Americans.”

Oklahoma University will host the Big 12 Championships this winter at the McCasland Field House in Norman, Okla., on March 8.

The NCAA Championships begin on March 20 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.

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