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Golden Gophers announce 2006-07 schedule

July 20, 2006

The University of Minnesota wrestling program announced its schedule for the 2006-07 season today, highlighted by home meets with four-time defending national champion Oklahoma State and last year’s Big Ten regular season champion Michigan. After finishing second at the NCAA Championships and returning all but one starter from last year, the Golden Gophers will pursue their third national championship under head coach J Robinson.

The schedule includes a typically difficult non-conference slate marked by a trip to rival Iowa State and the home match against the Cowboys. The Gophers will begin the Big Ten season with three straight matches at home, and the regular season will conclude with the annual Border Battle against rival Iowa in Iowa City.

Minnesota will begin the season by competing at the Bison Open on Nov. 11 before traveling to Omaha, Neb., the following weekend for the UNO Open. The Golden Gophers will then head east to Albany, N.Y., to compete in the Northeast Duals on Nov. 25.

The Gophers begin their dual meet season at Northern Colorado on Dec. 1. Minnesota will then travel to Iowa State on Friday, Dec. 8, prior to the match with Oklahoma State at Williams Arena on Sunday, Dec. 10.

Following the holiday break, the Golden Gophers will head to Greensboro, N.C., to compete in the Southern Scuffle on Dec. 29-30. Minnesota will then host Arizona State on Jan. 2 before traveling to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the National Duals on Jan. 13-14.

The Golden Gophers open Big Ten action with three consecutive home meets against Penn State on Jan. 21, Michigan on Jan. 26, and Purdue on Jan. 28. They will then travel to Indiana on Feb. 2 and Illinois on Feb. 4 before returning home to host Michigan State on Feb. 9. The Gophers will then travel to Nebraska for their final non-conference match of the season on Feb. 11. The regular season will conclude with road matches at Wisconsin on Feb. 16 and at Iowa on Feb. 18. The Golden Gophers will not meet Northwestern or Ohio State this year.

Michigan State will host the Big Ten Championships on March 3-4 in East Lansing, where Minnesota will attempt to win a conference title for the fifth time in the last seven years. The 2007 National Championships will be held in Auburn Hills, Mich., March 15-17.

The Golden Gophers return two individual national champions from last season in senior heavyweight Cole Konrad and sophomore Dustin Schlatter at 149. Konrad was a perfect 41-0 last year and completed his title run by defeating two-time defending champion Steve Mocco of Oklahoma State for the third time of the season. Schlatter became the first freshman in school history to win a national title following his 4-0 decision over Ty Eustice of Iowa in the championship match. Roger Kish (184) and Mack Reiter (133) also earned All-America honors after finishing second and fourth, respectively. In all, Minnesota returns seven NCAA qualifiers and nine of its 10 starters from a year ago.

All home matches will be held in the Sports Pavilion with the exception of Oklahoma State, which will be held at Williams Arena.

2006-07 Wrestling Schedule
Sat., Nov. 11 at Bison Open
Sat., Nov. 18 at UNO Open
Sat., Nov. 25 at Northeast Dual
Fri., Dec. 1 at Northern Colorado
Fri., Dec. 8 at Iowa State
Sun., Dec. 10 Oklahoma State
Fri.-Sat., Dec. 29-30 at Southern Scuffle
Tue., Jan. 2 Arizona State
Sat.-Sun., Jan. 13-14 at National Duals
Sun., Jan. 21 Penn State*
Fri., Jan. 26 Michigan
Sun., Jan. 28 Purdue*
Fri., Feb. 2 at Indiana*
Sun., Feb. 4 at Illinois*
Fri., Feb. 9 Michigan State*
Sun., Feb. 11 at Nebraska
Fri., Feb. 16 at Wisconsin*
Sun., Feb. 18 at Iowa*
Sat.-Sun., Mar. 3-4 Big Ten Championships
Thur.-Sat., Mar. 15-17 NCAA Championships

* Big Ten Conference matches