WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The West Liberty University men's wrestling team has announced its 2025-26 schedule, featuring a challenging mix of regional invitationals, nationally ranked opponents, and several key home events inside the ASRC.

"This schedule will challenge us early and then often," said head coach Danny Irwin. "Everyone will be tested in the front half that will allow us to make the necessary adjustments to perform at a high level in the back half. A couple of dates to note is our Alumni Night vs. UPJ with the goal of breaking 1,000 fans! A trip to Rhode Island to take on Johnson & Wales who won the Division III National Championship a season ago. A return to the Midwest Classic, which is one of the premiere tournaments in the country. An invitation to compete in the NWCA National Duals again — followed by the postseason."

The Hilltoppers will open the season on Friday, Oct. 24, with their annual Black and Gold Matches at 5:30 p.m., giving fans a first look at this year's lineup. The competitive slate begins the following week when West Liberty heads to Alliance, Ohio, for the Mount Union Invitational on Nov. 1, while select Hilltoppers will also represent the program at the prestigious NWCA All-Star Classic in Brunswick, N.J., that same evening.

The team returns home on Nov. 6 for an early-season test against Pitt-Johnstown, marking the first dual of the season and Alumni Night inside the ASRC. West Liberty will stay on the road through November with stops at the JWU Quad in Providence, R.I. (Nov. 15) and the Baldwin Wallace Invitational (Nov. 22).

A busy December includes the Little State Invitational at Manchester University and the Kent State Open on Dec. 6, followed by one of the country's top tournaments — the Midwest Classic — on Dec. 13-14 in Indianapolis. The Hilltoppers close the semester with a midweek trip to Lake Erie College (Dec. 17) before hosting the Hilltopper Duals on Dec. 21.

West Liberty starts the new year with the Fairmont State Invitational on Jan. 3, followed by a trip to the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa (Jan. 9-10). The conference schedule heats up with a road dual at Frostburg State (Jan. 16) and a tri-meet at Gannon with East Stroudsburg (Jan. 23), leading into the MEC Championships on Jan. 31 at a site to be announced.

The Hilltoppers' final home appearance comes on Feb. 6, when they host Ashland University for Senior Night, before wrapping up the regular season at Fairmont State (Feb. 12) and the MEC Futures Tournament (Feb. 21). Postseason competition begins with the NCAA Division II Super Regional III at Findlay, Ohio, on Feb. 28, and qualifiers will advance to the NCAA National Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D., set for March 13-14.

2025-26 WEST LIBERTY MEN'S WRESTLING SCHEDULE