Takedown Report

5 college wrestling duals to watch during the opening week of the 2023-24 season

Wednesday, Nov. 1 marks the first day of the 2023-24 college wrestling competition schedule, and two programs — Campbell and Army — are wasting no time in kicking off their dual seasons. 
These two teams will meet on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. on a military hanger at Fort Liberty for a dual that will be streamed on UFC Fight Pass and feature 11 ranked wrestlers. This match will be followed by another dual between NC State and Presbyterian for a unique double-header event in North Carolina. 
These kinds of unconventional, creative matches are just the beginning for what will be a season of exciting developments in the college wrestling space. Between new venues, fresh faces and growing fanbases around the country, this year has the potential to be a memorable one for the sport. 

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For now, though, here’s what you need to know about opening weekend, including the Army vs. Campbell dual as well as four other high-profile events happening this weekend:

November 1: Army vs. Campbell, 5 p.m. ET, UFC Fight Pass

Army and Campbell are two teams that know how to market a dual. These programs have been clapping back at one another on social media for the last few weeks, setting the stage for what should be a fairly evenly matched contest to start the year. 
The Camels finished 16-9 in the 2022-23 season, sending five athletes to NCAAs in Tulsa, while the Black Knights went 6-7 with three national qualifiers. All eight of those total qualifiers return, with Army’s Ben Pasiuk holding the highest preseason rank among them at No. 11 at 174 pounds. 

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If all expected starters compete, Pasiuk could meet Campbell’s No. 30 Austin Murphy, a redshirt senior and 2021 Round of 12 finisher. These two athletes have never met in college despite competing in the same weight class together for the last four years. 
The 174-pound matchup is potentially the only weight where both teams will field ranked wrestlers, as Army boasts ranked athletes at 125, 149, 157, 165 and 174 pounds, while Campbell has ranked athletes at 133, 141, 174, 184, 197 and 285. The Camels have the slight edge, with six ranked wrestlers compared to Army’s five, but, on paper, both teams are favored in five matches each. 
This won’t be the only unique wrestling setting for a Camels dual this year either. Following the Army dual, Campbell will compete at the Southeast Open and in a dual against Nebraska before traveling to Wyoming to wrestle in a barn. Yep, you read that right. A barn. First, a military hanger, then a barn. Stay tuned. 

Nov. 2: Oregon State vs. North Carolina, 5 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra 

Just 90 minutes north of Fort Liberty, another North Carolina team will take on a non-conference foe, as the Tar Heels host Oregon State the following day for a battle between two teams that finished on the verge of breaking into the top 25 rankings last year. The Beavers have steadily been on the rise under fourth-year head coach Chris Pendleton, while the Tar Heels are looking to reset and reload under the new leadership of first-year head coach Rob Koll. 

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The dual will feature eight ranked wrestlers total, but all eyes will be on 184 pounds as All-Americans No. 3 Trey Munoz and No. 6 Gavin Kane could potentially meet for one of the biggest early season matchups of the year. Munoz finished sixth last year while Kane ended up eighth, though these two wrestlers never met for a head-to-head dual. 
In addition to Munoz vs. Kane, North Carolina All-American Lachlan McNeil could also have a ranked opponent in No. 22 Cleveland Belton, a junior who finished 18-10 last year after going 0-2 at the NCAA tournament with losses to Parker Filius and Saul Ervin. … rest of story at … NCAA.com/news/wrestling/023-10-31/5-college-wrestling-duals-watch-during-opening-week-2023-24-season

November 6, 2023 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized