NDSU Wrestling 2013-14 Schedule

The North Dakota State wrestling program has finalized its competition schedule for the upcoming 2013-14 season, NDSU head coach Roger Kish announced Monday, Sept. 9.

The Bison schedule features 16 duals and three tournaments during the regular season, all leading up to the NCAA West Regional in Orem, Utah, on Mar. 8 and the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Mar. 20-22.

“We wanted to put together a tough schedule that would challenge our guys and help them prepare for the postseason,” said Kish. “Our goal is to have the guys wrestle some tough opponents during the year and ultimately have them ready to perform at the NCAA Championships.”

“We’re confident that this schedule will allow our guys to be physically and mentally prepared going into the NCAA Tournament,” said Kish.

NDSU opens the season with a stiff test, hosting Missouri for a dual in the Bison Sports Arena on Nov. 1. Missouri has qualified wrestlers to the NCAA Championships in all 10 weight classes for two straight seasons, and the Tigers were ranked as high as No. 4 as a team in the 2012-13 season.

The 43rd annual Bison Open will be held on Nov. 9 in the Bison Sports Arena, with national power Minnesota expected to compete.

NDSU will wrestle three duals in the last week of November, with a triangular between Northern Iowa and Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Ill., on Nov. 23 and a non-conference dual at South Dakota State on Nov. 30.

Iowa State, a perennially ranked team, comes to Fargo on Dec. 14 for a dual with the Bison, and NDSU will close 2013 at the Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill., for the third straight year.

January features duals at Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Boise State and top-10 Oregon State before NDSU opens the Western Wrestling Conference portion of the schedule by hosting Air Force on Jan. 24.

Big Ten foe Wisconsin appears on the NDSU schedule for the first time since 1993. The Bison and Badgers will wrestle a dual in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 2.

In February, NDSU has road conference duals at Utah Valley and Northern Colorado and home league duals against Wyoming and South Dakota State. The Bison will also participate in the NWCA National Dual Championships in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 16-17.

2013-14 North Dakota State Wrestling Schedule

Date                  Opponent                                                 Location                                     Time

Nov. 1               Missouri                                                    Fargo, N.D.                               7 p.m.

Nov. 9               Bison Open                                              Fargo, N.D.                               All Day
Nov. 23             Northern Illinois                                     DeKalb, Ill.                                 10 a.m.
                          Northern Iowa                                        DeKalb, Ill.                                        
Nov. 30             South Dakota State                               Brookings, S.D.                        6 p.m.
Dec. 7                Dragon Open                                           Moorhead, Minn.                  All Day
Dec. 14             Iowa State                                                Fargo, N.D.                               7 p.m.
Dec. 29-30       Midlands Championships                   Evanston, Ill.                            All Day
Jan. 4                 Cal Poly                                                      San Luis Obispo, Calif.          3 p.m.
Jan. 6                 Cal State Bakersfield                             Bakersfield, Calif.                   9 p.m.
Jan. 17              Boise State                                               Boise, Idaho                             8 p.m.
Jan. 19              Oregon State                                           Corvallis, Ore.                          4 p.m.
Jan. 24              Air Force *                                                Fargo, N.D.                               7 p.m.
Feb. 2                Wisconsin                                                  Madison, Wis.                         1 p.m.
Feb. 7                Utah Valley *                                           Orem, Utah                              8 p.m.
Feb. 9                Northern Colorado *                            Greeley, Colo.                         3 p.m.
Feb. 16-17       NWCA National Duals                           Columbus, Ohio                      All Day
Feb. 21             Wyoming *                                              Fargo, N.D.                               7 p.m.
Feb. 23             South Dakota State *                           Fargo, N.D.                               2 p.m.
Mar. 8               NCAA West Regional                            Orem, Utah                              All Day
Mar. 20-22      NCAA Championships                          Oklahoma City, Okla.            All Day

Home events in bold held in the Bison Sports Arena.

* Western Wrestling Conference dual

All times Central.