Sept. 9, 2008

Columbia, Mo. -The fifth-ranked Missouri wrestling team released its 2008-09 schedule today. Beginning with the Black and Gold meet, Saturday, Nov. 8, the Tigers' four-month season will conclude Saturday, March 21, at the 79th annual NCAA Championships held at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. Throughout the campaign, Missouri will host eight home events including its home opening dual, Saturday, Nov. 22, against Hofstra.

This season, the Tigers will compete in a minimum of 22 duals and square off with some of the best wrestling programs in the nation. Eight of Missouri's dual competitors rank among the top-25 in the nation according to the Sept. 2, W.I.N. Magazine preseason rankings.

Opening action in the state of Pennsylvania, the Tigers will take on Lock Haven, Saturday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. (CT) before traveling to Bucknell for a Sunday, Nov. 16, Noon dual in Lewisburg, Pa.

The ninth annual Missouri Open will run all day Sunday, Nov. 23 in the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse. Featuring some of the best wresters in the nation, fans have a chance to cheer on their Tigers as they compete for individual titles in either the Open or Freshman/Sophomore division.

Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith and his Tiger squad will return to the east coast on Nov. 29 for the Northeast Duals held on the Hudson Valley Community College campus in Troy, N.Y. In one day of competition, the Tigers will take on four teams including 17th-ranked Maryland, No. 22 Old Dominion, Harvard and Brown.

Heading to the opposite coast, the Tigers and Big 12 opponent Oklahoma State will represent the conference in the Pac 10/Big 12 Duals, Saturday, Dec. 13. Beginning at 11 a.m. (CT), Missouri will face Cal State Fullerton, followed by a 1 p.m. (CT) dual with Cal State Bakersfield and a 3 p.m. (CT) contest with host school Cal Poly.

Big 12 competition is set to begin Saturday, Jan. 31, against 2008 Big 12 runner up Nebraska. The Cornhuskers, ranked eighth in the nation and fourth of the five league schools, lost their last battle in Missouri, 30-11, in 2007.

Missouri will travel to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State on Feb. 6 and 7, respectively and host third-ranked Iowa State, Feb. 15.

The Missouri wrestling and gymnastics squads will again join forces and host the third annual Beauty and the Beast event in the Hearnes Center. The two teams will compete on the floor at the same time, with wrestling hosting No. 14 Central Michigan.

The Big 12 Championships return to Lincoln, Neb., for the third time in program history. An all day tournament, the event will be held in the Coliseum on Saturday, March 7. As in years past, 38 of the conferences wrestlers will advance to the National Tournament.

For the fourth time in six years, the University of Missouri will serve as co-host of the NCAA Championships March 19-21, at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Members of Missouri's Takedown Club will have the option to purchase tickets at the start of the season.

A complete schedule can be found by CLICKING HERE