PISCATAWAY, NJ – Coming off one of the best years in program history, the Rutgers wrestling team will once again compete against a top-notch schedule in 2004-2005. With three tournaments and 13 dual matches on its schedule, the team will face several of the top teams in the country, highlighted by a December 4 home match vs. Lehigh.

The Scarlet Knights will once again open at the Oklahoma Gold Tournament in Brockport, NY on November 13 and head to the Navy Classic on November 20. Two weeks later, the Scarlet Knights will welcome Lehigh to the College Avenue Gymnasium (Dec. 4, 7:00 p.m.) for an exciting match with the Mountain Hawks, who finished eighth in the country last season according to Amateur Wrestling News.

Rutgers will host Maryland on Saturday, December 11 before breaking until December 28, when the team splits for the Wilkes Open (12/28-29) and Midlands Championships (12/29-30). A tri-meet with Franklin & Marshall and Wagner on January 8 in Lancaster, PA starts a stretch of 11-straight dual matches, including home meetings with Sacred Heart (Jan. 15), Boston University (Jan. 29), Rider (Feb. 2) and Army (Feb. 24). Rutgers will also square off with Princeton on Friday, February 11 in Princeton, NJ.

The EIWA Championships will take place in Annapolis, MD this year on March 4-5 and the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will be held in St. Louis on March 17-19.

Rutgers posted a 10-4 record in 2003-2004 and finished fourth at the EIWA Championships, where head coach John Sacchi was named EIWA Coach of the Year. The team also sent three to the NCAA Championships – Andy Roy (Wall, NJ), Rudy Medini (Colonia, NJ) and Ramel Meekins (Westwood, NJ) – and all three return to lead the team in ’04-05. All three are ranked in the top 20 in their respective weight classes for the upcoming season, led by Roy, who is slotted eighth at 174 pounds by Intermat Wrestling.

2004-2005 Rutgers Wrestling Schedule

Date Opponent Location Time
Sat., Nov. 13 Oklahoma Gold Tournament Brockport, NY 10:00 a.m.
Sat., Nov. 20 Navy Classic Annapolis, MD 9:00 a.m.
Sat., Dec. 4 LEHIGH College Ave. Gym 7:00 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 11 MARYLAND College Ave. Gym 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 28-29 Wilkes Open Wilkes-Barre, PA 10:00 a.m.
Dec. 29-30 Midlands Championships Evanston, IL 10:00 a.m.
Sat., Jan. 8 Franklin & Marshall/Wagner Lancaster, PA 1:00 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 12 East Stroudsburg East Stroudsburg, PA 7:00 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 15 SACRED HEART College Ave. Gym 7:00 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 22 Brown Providence, RI 1:00 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 26 Navy Annapolis, MD 7:00 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 29 BOSTON UNIVERSITY College Ave. Gym 4:00 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 2 RIDER College Ave. Gym 7:00 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 11 Princeton Princeton, NJ 7:00 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 17 Drexel Philadelphia, PA 7:00 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 24 ARMY College Ave. Gym 7:00 p.m.
March 4-5 EIWA Championships Annapolis, MD 10:00 a.m.
March 17-19 Div. I National Championships St. Louis, MO TBA