MONTREAT, N.C.— Following last season's inaugural campaign, the Montreat wrestling team looks ahead to its new season as it continues to establish itself on the NAIA wrestling landscape.

During the 2020-21 season, Montreat wrestling competed in nine regular season duals, as well as the AAC Tournament. On the national stage, freshman Braden Wharton represented the program by qualifying for and competing at the NAIA Wrestling National Championships.

This season kicks off in early November with two duals in the month's opening week. On Nov. 3, the Cavaliers will travel to Buies Creek, N.C., to square off with Campbell University. Just three days later, Montreat wrestling will host one of its two home duals on the season, the first of which will be against Queens University of Charlotte.

Head Coach Jake Britt noted, "We are super excited to start year number two. We have a great group of guys that are gearing up for an exciting year."

The Cavaliers will wrap up the 2021 portion of the schedule with three road events—Nov. 14 at the Georgia Open, Nov. 20 at the Life University Open and Dec. 4 at St. Thomas University.

2022 starts off with a home tri-match on Jan. 5 against Belmont Abbey College and Brewton-Parker College and is quickly followed by the Emmanuel Duals on Jan. 9. Those events will all serve as a tune up for the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Duals on Jan. 15 in Beckley, W.Va.

It was at those AAC Duals during the 2020-21 season that the Cavaliers won their first duals in program history. Those victories came against Bluefield University, St. Andrews University and West Virginia University Institute of Technology.

Following the AAC Duals, Montreat wrestling is slated to be in action three of the next four weekends, all away from campus. The regular season ends on Feb. 13 at the Newberry Open.

"Our schedule this year features some of the best teams in the country, and those are the type of matches we need to become a successful program," Britt said. "This season, we will get a lot more mat time at open tournaments, and that will be huge in the development of our program as a whole."

On Feb. 19, Reinhardt University will host the AAC Tournament. The Cavaliers placed third in their inaugural performance at the AAC Tournament during the 2020-21 season.

Coach Britt concluded, "We are blessed to have the opportunity to step on the mat and do what we love. This is going to be an exciting year for us on and off the mat, and we are stoked to get started."

For the full 2021-22 Montreat wrestling schedule, click here.