Wheeling, W. Va. - The 2024-2025 season saw the Wheeling University Wrestling team continue to build a strong foundation as they reached new heights. The program looks to continue that growth as they head into the 2025-2026 season, building on their growing success. On Thursday, the team kicked off their season with the announcement of the 25-26 schedule, featuring the first two quad events for the team since the program returned during the 2020-2021 season.
Equipped with a young roster that consisted of seven freshmen and 10 new wrestlers, the Cardinals embarked on the 2024-2025 season and had some big moments. After dropping their first dual meet of the season to Frostburg State, the Cardinals would come back and win their three remaining duals, finishing with the best dual meet record since the 2018-2019 season going 4-1. As they went through the tournament schedule, the team had several strong standout performances and headed into the Mountain East Conference Wrestling Championships with momentum on their side. They would pick up their highest team finish at the event in program history, taking fourth overall, while also finishing with their first All-MEC wrestler in team history as Heavyweight Gavin Harper took home Honorable Mention All-MEC honors.
As they headed into the postseason schedule, the Cardinals success continued with a 40-16 dual meet win over Davis & Elkins University. They would head into the NCAA DII Super Regional Tournament with none of their athletes ranked, but they would end up making noise on the national stage. They had their first National Alternate since the 2018-2019 season, when 125lb'er Brent Bosley took fourth in his weight class. The Cardinals would have two other placers on the day, with Harper taking 5th in the 285 lb weight class, and Isaac Valdez taking 6th at 157 lbs. For many of the Cardinal wrestlers, it was their first experience on the National stage and they look to continue to grow after their strong performances.
The 2025-2026 season will begin in the tournament field, as the Cardinals head to the Mount Union Invitational on November 1st. However, just four days later, the Cardinals will be back inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center for their home-opening dual meet against Frostburg State. It will be a busy pre-Thanksgiving stretch for the team, with five events over the first two weeks. After heading to the Ohio Collegient Open on November 9th, the Cardinals are back home on November 12th to host Washington & Jefferson College. After breaking for Thanksgiving, the team competes in their first quad meet since the program's rebirth, hitting the road to face Fairmont State, Point Park, and Davis & Elkins on December 5th. The first half of the schedule will come to an end with the Midwest Classic on December 13th as the Cardinals get a preview of the regional field.
The Wrestling team returns from winter break for a January 3rd tournament at Fairmont State, and is quickly back in the Alma Grace McDonough Center for tri-meet action. They will host Davis & Elkins and Waynesburg University on Saturday, January 10th, in what will be their final home event of the season. They them head to the Purple Raider Open on January 18th and compete in a tri-meet with Seton Hill and Shippensburg as their final tune-up. The MEC Conference Championships take place January 31st with the Cardinals taking on the best of the best in the conference. The final stretch will see the Cardinals take on two tournaments, John Carroll (2/14) and the Futures Tournament (2/21), and two meet events. They will head to Lake Erie on February 6th and compete in their final quad event of the year against Salem, Emory & Henry, and Seton Hill on February 12th. It will all be in preparation for the 2024 NCAA Super Regional 1 Tournament on March 1st as the Cardinals look to get to the National Stage.
The Wheeling University Wrestling team kicks off the 2025-2026 season on Saturday, November 1st, when they head to the Mount Union Invitational at 9 AM.
