Hempstead, NY - The 2021-22 dual-meet schedule for the Hofstra wrestling team is set to begin on Saturday, November 27, against a pair of nationally-ranked Big 10 heavyweights in Rutgers and Wisconsin at the Garden State Grapple, presented by Spartan Combat, from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The Pride will first face Rutgers at 5:30 p.m. before concluding the day at 7:30 p.m. against Wisconsin.

The entire slate of Garden State Grapple matches will streamed live on the Big Ten Plus app. Links can be accessed on this page and on the wrestling schedule page on GoHofstra.com.

Hofstra enters the Garden State Grapple following a solid showing at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic on November 14. The Pride saw Justin Hoyle (141) and Zachary Knighton-Ward (285) finish first in their weight pools, while Michael Leandrou (149), Joe McGinty (157) and Charles Small (184) all took second, and Ricky Stamm (165) placed third.

Four Hofstra wrestlers are featured in the latest InterMat rankings for their respective weight classes. Knighton-Ward moved up two spots into No. 20 after a 5-0 start to the season, while Trey Rogers (197) checks in at No. 29, and Small ranks No. 30. Despite having yet to make an appearance on the mat this season, Greg Gaxiola has maintained his spot in the 157-pound rankings, and has even moved up to No. 27.
 
Ranked No. 15 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division I poll, Rutgers enters the week 6-0 in dual meets. After finishing third at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, the Scarlet Knights boast eight wrestlers in the InterMat rankings, including returning All-Americans Sebastian Rivera (No. 4, 141), Jackson Turley (No. 13, 174), and John Poznanski (No. 5, 184). Hofstra has faced Rutgers in 12 dual meets in program history, with the Scarlet Knights holding an 11-1 advantage in the series.

Wisconsin is 2-0 in dual matches this season. Ranked No. 19 in the NWCA poll, returning All-Americans Eric Barnett (125) and Trent Hillger (285) lead a Badger side that features seven grapplers ranked in the latest InterMat standings. Hofstra and Wisconsin have gone toe-to-toe five times, and Wisconsin is 3-2 all-time against the Pride. This will be the first time Hofstra and Wisconsin will square off in a dual meet since 2012.

Following the Garden State Grapple, Hofstra will head to our nation's capital on December 5 for a tri-meet against Duke (10 am) and EIWA-foe American (1 p.m.).