Lehigh announces 2018-19 wrestling schedule

2018-19 Schedule

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro has announced the Mountain Hawks' 2018-19 wrestling schedule; one that projects to be one of the most challenging in program history. The Mountain Hawks will wrestle duals against seven of the top 10 finishers from last year's NCAA Championships, with three of those seven duals slated for Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. In total, Lehigh will also face 10 of the top 20 finishers from last year's NCAA Tournament.

"It's definitely the most challenging schedule we've ever had," said Santoro. "We've put it together to prepare our team for the postseason. We're going to have to have the mindset that we're not outcome based in our dual meets. We have to be performance based. The focus will be on improving on a weekly basis. There are a lot of things we'll have to figure out before March. This schedule gives our guys an opportunity to wrestle in some of the best venues in the country against some of the best teams in the country."

Season ticket renewals were sent out earlier this week, with new season tickets set to go on sale September 17. Mini plans, offering the opportunity to combine any three home duals, go on sale October 2 while single match tickets go on sale October 15.

Fans will get their first look at the 2018-19 squad with the annual Brown and White Wrestle-offs, set for Thursday, November 1; one of eight home dates slated for Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall.

For the third straight year, Lehigh will compete at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic, a round-robin tournament that will act as Lehigh's first official competition date, Sunday, November 11 in Troy, N.Y.

The dual season begins with a tough road test as the Mountain Hawks visit Michigan on Friday, November 16. Lehigh enjoyed one of its most impressive performances in recent years last November, knocking off the Wolverines 27-8 at Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. Michigan went on to tie for fourth place at last year's NCAA Championships.

The home opener is set for Friday, December 1 when the Princeton Tigers visit Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. Two days later, Lehigh will visit three-time defending national champions Penn State for the 107th edition of Eastern wrestling's biggest rivalries.

Another tough test awaits the Mountain Hawks six days later as Lehigh will close out the fall semester with a visit to Iowa on December 8. The Hawkeyes finished last season strong and earned a team trophy with a third place NCAA finish.

Throughout most of Santoro's tenure, Lehigh has participated in one of the major holiday tournaments, either the Midlands Championships or the Southern Scuffle. This year, the Mountain Hawks will take their talents to South Beach, for the second annual South Beach Duals, December 29-30. Lehigh will wrestle four duals over two days with select other opportunities for wrestlers to get official matches in. All four of Lehigh's Florida duals will be tough with NCAA sixth-place finisher Missouri, No. 17 Minnesota, No. 20 North Carolina and Virginia on the schedule for the South Beach Duals.

"We couldn't fit any tournaments into our schedule but we needed to make sure our RPI would still be strong," Santoro said. "I thought we accomplished that by scheduling duals against top competition. So this year, and even looking ahead to next year, we will have outstanding schedules."

The 2019 portion of Lehigh's schedule features 10 duals, including six inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. Lehigh will open the new year at home against Bucknell on Friday January 11 and will then host Cornell the following afternoon in a battle of EIWA giants. The Big Red won last year's dual in Ithaca, but the Mountain Hawks exacted revenge in March, ending Cornell's 11-year EIWA title streak by winning their 35th EIWA Championship and first since 2006. The Cornell match will also serve as the annual Billy Sheridan Memorial Dual.

Following a trip to EIWA rivals American (January 19) and Navy (January 20), Lehigh will return home two out of conference foes who finished in the top 10 last March in Cleveland. On Saturday, January 26, the Mountain Hawks will host Arizona State, which finished 10th at last year's national tournament. Lehigh went on the road to defeat the Sun Devils last February. The following day, Lehigh will host eighth place finisher Virginia Tech, marking the third straight year the Mountain Hawks and Hokies will get together.

Lehigh's final road trip of the regular season will send the Mountain Hawks to Oklahoma, where the Brown and White will face the Sooners February 2 in Norman and then will meet Oklahoma State the following afternoon in Stillwater. It will mark the first dual between Lehigh and the 34-time NCAA Champion Cowboys since 2010 and the Mountain Hawks' first visit to Stillwater since December 2005.

After a weekend off, Lehigh will close out the regular season by hosting two EIWA foes. The Mountain Hawks will host Army West Point on Saturday, February 16 and will close out the dual season by hosting an improving Penn squad eight days later.

"As a wrestler I always wanted to wrestle against the best and as a coach I feel the same way," Santoro said. "Our guys are really excited about the opportunities that are ahead of them. Opportunities to go out and compete and challenge our skill sets against the best competition."

The EIWA Championships will be hosted by Binghamton University for the first time, March 8-9 in New York. Pittsburgh will host the NCAA Championships March 21-23.

Lehigh returns nine starters from last year's EIWA Championship team, led by two-time All-American and two-time EIWA Champion Scott Parker, All-American and EIWA Champion Jordan Kutler, and EIWA Champions Ryan Preisch and Jordan Wood. In all, 11 wrestlers on the roster have previously qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

The first official day of practice will once again be October 10.

The 2018-19 Lehigh wrestling season is presented by the Historic Hotel Bethlehem.

Completed Event: Men's Wrestling at NCAA Championships on March 21, 2026 , , 16th, 26.5 pts.

Completed Event: Men's Wrestling at NCAA Championships on March 21, 2026 , , 16th, 26.5 ptts.

Completed Event: Men's Wrestling at NCAA Championships on March 20, 2026 , , 16th, 22 pts.

Completed Event: Men's Wrestling at NCAA Championships on March 20, 2026 , , 12th, 22 pts.

Completed Event: Men's Wrestling at NCAA Championships on March 19, 2026 , , 12th, 13 pts.

Completed Event: Men's Wrestling at NCAA Championships on March 19, 2026 , , 11th, 8.5 pts.

Completed Event: Men's Wrestling at EIWA Championships on March 7, 2026 , , 1st, 163.5 pts.

Lehigh University Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Jordan Kutler

Scott Parker

Ryan Preisch

Jordan Wood

Related Videos