Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra Wrestling team returns to dual match action this week as they travel to Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association foe Princeton on Friday, January 9 at 7 p.m. before hosting the University of Oklahoma on Sunday, January 11 at 1 p.m. at the Mack Sports Complex. Tickets for Sunday's match against the Sooners can be purchased at HofstraTickets.com.
 
Hofstra, 3-5 overall and 1-2 in the EIWA, is coming off a first-place finish at the nine-team, First Citizens Community Bank-Lock Haven Invitational Tournament on December 29. Four Pride wrestlers, freshman Bryan Damon at 125, sophomore Jamel Hudson at 141, graduate Cody Ruggirello at 149 and sophomore Jahlani Callender at 157, all brought home individual titles for Hofstra. Sophomores Frank Affronti at 174 and Michael Hughes at 285 placed second for the Pride.

Hofstra continues to have three grapplers ranked in the weekly polls this week. Sophomore Jamel Hudson (Bay Shore, NY) is ranked in all five polls at 141 pounds this week. He is ranked 12th by The Wrestling Report and The Open Mat, 14th by Amateur Wrestling News, 15th by WIN Magazine and 20th by InterMat. Hudson, who has also won 11 of his last 13 matches, is now 13-3 on the season.

Ruggirello (Walden, NY) is ranked in two of the five polls at 149 pounds this week after winning 10 of his last 13 outings. Ruggirello is ranked 18th by The Wrestling Report and 19th by Amateur Wrestling News. A 2014 NCAA Championship qualifier, Ruggirello is 17-4 on the year.

Sophomore Michael Hughes (Smithtown, NY) is now ranked 29th in The Wrestling Report rankings at 285 pounds. Hughes, who has won seven of his last 11 matches, is now 14-6 on the season.
 
The Tigers of Princeton enter the week with a 4-3 record heading into their Friday doubleheader against Sacred Heart (5 p.m.) and Hofstra (7 p.m.). Princeton is 1-2 in the EIWA following a 20-16 loss to Binghamton on December 12, a 23-10 loss to Lehigh and a 19-17 win over Army.
 
The Tigers are led by senior Adam Krop, who is ranked 13th by The Wrestling Report and 19th by InterMat at 149 pounds. Sophomore Abram Ayala is ranked 12th by The Wrestling Report and 13th by InterMat at 197, freshman Jon Schleifer is ranked 32nd at 165 by The Wrestling Report and sophomore Ray O'Donnell is ranked 33rd by The Wrestling Report at 285.

Hofstra fell to Princeton, 22-19 in their last meeting on January 10, 2014.

The Sooners of Oklahoma are 3-4 on the season heading into their Thursday match at American University. Oklahoma, which was ranked as high as 19th earlier this season, has dropped its last four dual matches.

The Sooners are led by junior Cody Brewer, who is ranked first by The Wrestling Report and second by Intermat at 133. Senior Justin DeAngelis is ranked eighth by The Wrestling Report and 13th by InterMat at 157. Sophomore Ross Larson is ranked 11th by The Wrestling Report and 12th by InterMat at 285.

The Pride and the Sooners last met on November 17, 2013 in Norman with fifth-ranked Oklahoma topping Hofstra, 36-6.