ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell wrestling team will host No. 4 Ohio State in the 2017 NWCA National Duals Championship Series presented by Theraworx and the United States Marine Corps on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. at Newman Arena.
The Big Red, who claimed its 15th consecutive Ivy League title this past weekend and are the 10-time defending EIWA Champion, bring a 12-2 dual meet record into Sunday's matchup. The contest will be the final one at home for 11 seniors, including two-time defending NCAA champion
Gabe Dean, two-time All-American and 2015 national finalist
Brian Realbuto and 2016 All-American
Dylan Palacio. The Big Red is 5-1 at home and has won seven straight, with its only losses on the season coming at the hands of top-ranked Oklahoma State (23-19) and then No. 9 Missouri (25-11).
Ohio State enters the weekend with an 11-2 dual meet record (7-2 Big Ten) and three straight wins. Its only losses this season have come to No. 2 Penn State (32-12) and No. 3 Iowa (21-13). Head coach Tom Ryan sports a 244-131-1 career record in 22 seasons at Hofstra and Ohio State, including 135-48 guiding the Buckeyes over the last 11 years. Ohio State features three top-ranked wrestlers - Nathan Tomasello at 133, Bo Jordan at 174 and Kyle Snyder at 285. Both Snyder (2016) and Tomasello (2015 at 125) have won NCAA titles, as has 10th-ranked Myles Martin at 184 (2016 at 174).
The two teams last met in 2011, a 27-6 Big Red victory at National Duals. The programs have met five times at the duals with the Big Red holding a narrow 3-2 edge. Overall, Cornell has a 6-5-1 advantage in the series. The Big Red is 29-22 in the NWCA National Duals since 2000, including 18-7 since 2009 with the 2011 title.
Tickets are on sale through the Cornell ticket office (607-255-4247) or online by
clicking here. Reserved seats are $15, general admission are $12 (adults), $10 (seniors) and $8 (children).
In the second year of this format, teams from the Big Ten Conference will face off with non-Big Ten teams in a showcase weekend of college wrestling dual meets. Last season, eight Big Ten teams hosted events around the country. In 2017, the Big Ten will be visiting college campuses in the ACC, Big 12, EIWA, EWL and Southern Conference.
Friday, February 17
#12 Rutgers at #11 Lehigh, 7 p.m. Eastern
#16 Michigan at #7 NC State, 7 p.m. Eastern
Purdue at #17 South Dakota State, 7 p.m. Central
Saturday, February 18
#3 Iowa at #24 Edinboro, 7 p.m. Eastern
Sunday, February 19
#4 Ohio State at #8 Cornell, 1 p.m. Eastern
#2 Penn State at #1 Oklahoma State, 3 p.m. Central
Indiana at #20 Appalachian State, 3 p.m. Eastern
#6 Nebraska at #5 Virginia Tech, 7 p.m. Eastern
