This year's schedule features the program's typically strong non-conference schedule. The Gophers will participate in two early-season open meets in November – the Bison Open, hosted by North Dakota State University on Nov. 10, and the Kaufman-Brand Open at the University of Nebraska-Omaha the next weekend. Minnesota will also go against three different opponents (Northern Illinois, Northern Colorado and North Dakota State) in the Northern Quad meet in Rochester on Nov. 24.
Minnesota open the dual meet season at Williams Arena with the 2006-07 NCAA runner-up Iowa State Cyclones on Dec. 2. The Gophers defeated the Cyclones 19-13 in their dual meet match-up last season and won the national championship by 9.5 points (98.0 - 88.5) last March.
Following their meeting with Iowa State, the Gophers will host Nebraska at the Sports Pavilion Dec. 6 before traveling to California that weekend to take on Cal State Fullerton and Cal Poly Dec. 8.
Following the holiday break, the Golden Gophers will head to Greensboro, N.C., to compete in the Southern Scuffle from Dec. 29-30. Minnesota then enjoys a two-week break before competing in the National Duals from Jan. 12 through 13, hosted by Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.
After squaring off against South Dakota State on Jan. 20, the Golden Gophers will open Big Ten action with a weekend in Michigan. Minnesota takes on Michigan State Jan. 25 in East Lansing and will travel to Ann Arbor the next day for a dual meet with the Wolverines.
The Gophers come back home to do battle with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Feb. 1 in one of the year's marquee match-ups. The Gophers trounced Iowa 29-13 last season in dual meet competition as the Hawkeyes went on to finish ninth at NCAAs. Two days later (Feb. 3), Coach Robinson's squad will travel to Stillwater for their annual meeting with Oklahoma State, which placed fifth a year ago at the NCAA National Championships.
The next weekend the Gophers will travel to Northwestern (Feb. 8) and Purdue (Feb. 10) before returning home for three consecutive Big Ten dual meets. Williams Arena will be the setting for competitions with Illinois on Feb. 15 and Wisconsin on Feb. 17, and Minnesota rounds out the regular season with Ohio State on Feb. 24 at the Sports Pavilion.
The University of Minnesota will play host to the Big Ten Championships for the first time in 10 years on March 8 and 9. The Gophers have finished first or second in the Big Ten every year since 1999, including six championships. The NCAA Championships will be held in St. Louis, Missouri at the Scottrade Center from March 20-22.
Despite losing two-time national champion Cole Konrad to graduation, the Gophers return a number of talented athletes on the mat. Brothers Dustin (third at the NCAA Championships in the 149 lbs. division) and C.P Schlatter (sixth in 157 lbs.) will be back for their junior and senior seasons, respectively, while national placewinners Roger Kish (184 lbs.) and Jayson Ness (125 lbs.) also return. With seven of their top eight wrestlers coming back, Minnesota should once again be a force both in the Big Ten and on the national stage.
Fans looking to get in on the Gopher wrestling action will be able to view select meets this season on the Big Ten Network. The Big Ten Network will broadcast between 65-75 live Gopher athletic events this year, including Big Ten Championship events and a nightly show that will keep you up-to-date on what's going at the U of M. In addition, exclusive Gopher wrestling content (including live video webcasts) will be available on the web via the Gold Zone. Stay tuned to www.gophersports.com and www.bigtennetwork.com for more details.
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