Wheeling, W. Va. - After fighting through a pandemic-ladent spring season, the Wheeling University Wrestling team has released their 2021-2022 schedule. The year kicks off on November 7th at the Pembroke Classic and runs through early March with the NCAA Nationals scheduled from March 11th through March 12th in St. Louis.
Last season, the Cardinals had three wrestlers compete at the MEC Championships and had all three wrestlers place in the event. All three were freshman last season and the trio helped Wheeling place eighth overall at the event. Kale'anhe Slaughter wrestled at 149 pounds and placed fifth at the event picking up a 9-6 decision over Alderson Broaddus's Chad Miller. Desean Mercadel followed him with a fifth place finish at 174 pounds and Clarouly Meca finished the day with a sixth-place finish at 275 pounds.
Wheeling kicks off their season with the Pembroke Classic on November 7th, before returning home for their first match in the Alma Grace McDonough Center since February 18th, 2021. They will host rival West Liberty in the Alma Grace McDonough Center at 6 PM as their team gets a taste of wrestling in front of the home crowd.
The team then finishes out 2021 by going on the road to a series of four different tournaments beginning with the Averett Open on November 14th. From there, they will head to the Findlay Open, the Storm Open, and will wrap up the 2021 portion of their schedule at the Midwest Classic on December 18th and 19th at the University of Indianapolis. The team then goes on break for the holiday season, and returns home for Wheeling Quads on January 7th.
This two-mat event will feature four teams battling inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center with Coker University, Bluefield State College, and Seton Hill all coming to the event. The Cardinals then slide into a series of three Mountain East Conference (MEC) duals against Notre Dame College, Fairmont State, and Davis & Elkins college. The Mountain East Conference Championships follow on January 29th, completing the conference slate of games.
Wheeling finishes the year with a trip to Indianapolis, Indiana for the UINDY Duals and the Greyhound Open on February 5th and 6th, before facing Tiffin University on February 12th. The year comes to a close with the NCAA Super Regionals at West Liberty on February 26th and the NCAA Nationals March 11th through March 12th in St. Louis, Missouri.
Head coach Daniel Ownbey enters his second season as Head Wrestling Coach at Wheeling University, after helping to lead three wrestlers to the MEC Championships last season. This year, his goals are even higher as he looks to continue to grow a Wheeling Wrestling program that has a history of success.
The Wheeling University Wrestling team kicks off their season on November 7th when they head to the Pembroke Classic in Pembroke, North Carolina.
