• 2016-17 Cornell Wrestling Schedule

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell wrestling team annually challenges itself against the best teams in the country and the 2016-17 schedule is no different. Six teams that finished in the top 20 of last season's NCAA championships, including national runner-up Oklahoma State and sixth-place finisher Missouri, highlight one of the nation's most rigorous slates.
 
Along with its 14 regularly scheduled dual matches, the Big Red will also compete in the New York State Intercollegiate Championships in Bartels Hall and the nationally-competitive Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 2-3) and Southern Scuffle (Jan. 1-2). Cornell will hold open a date for a possible invitation to the National Duals to kick off a championship season that will culminate with the EIWA Championships on March 3-4 at Bucknell and the NCAA Championships two weeks later in Saint Louis, Mo.
 
Cornell opens competition with a dual meet against Buffalo on Nov. 19 in Bartels Hall. The Bulls went 10-9 a year ago and finished 48th at NCAAs, sending three wrestlers to the championships. All three (Bryan Lantry at 133, Colt Cotten at 141 and Joe Ariola at 184) return in 2016-17. The Big Red will attempt to claim a fifth consecutive New York state title the following day.
 
The Big Red returns to the Grapple at the Garden for the fifth straight year and will attempt to improve on its 4-4 record at the event when it competes against Hofstra and preseason No. 15 Rutgers on Nov. 27. Cornell dropped a 21-13 matchup with Rutgers in the Garden a season.
 
Cornell continues dual meet season with a weekend swing through the Sooner State, matching up with 2016 NCAA runner-up and preseason No. 1 Oklahoma State on Dec. 16 before visiting preseason No. 16 Oklahoma on Dec. 18. Both teams will be among the top 20 squads in the preseason polls
 
The new year brings new challenges, staring with consecutive home duals against Drexel (Jan. 13) and preseason No. 5  Missouri (Jan. 14) at the Friedman Wrestling Center. Drexel was 10-7 a season ago and returns NCAA qualifiers at 125, 133, 149 and 285. Missouri placed one spot ahead of the Big Red in the NCAA standings and return All-American Lavion Mayes (149), Daniel Lewis (165) and Willie Miklus (184).
 
The annual battle with EIWA rival and preseason No. 14 Lehigh will take place on Jan. 21 in Bethlehem, Pa., with one of the two winning the conference title for 15 consecutive years. Cornell will be looking to avenge a 25-13 loss to the Mountain hawks last season in Ithaca with a lineup that didn't include eventual NCAA champions Nahshon Garrett or Gabe Dean.
 
Lock Haven rounds out the non-conference slate the following day in Ithaca. The Bald Eagles went 9-9 a year ago and finished third in the EWL.
 
A competitive Ivy League schedule awaits, with preseason No. 24 Princeton four NCAA qualifiers from last season's 4-1 Ancient Eight squad, including All-American Brett Harner (197). Perennial contender Penn, preseason No. 23 in the WIN Magazine rtournament power index, and upstarts Harvard, Brown and Columbia will also challenge Cornell looking to end the Big Red's historic string of 14 consecutive Ancient Eight titles.