Brown Wrestling Unveils 2015-16 Schedule with Eyes on March

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island – Brown University wrestling will take part in five invitational meets and compete in 15 dual meets, including the Bears' second simultaneous meet with Brown gymnastics, as part of its 2015-16 schedule, with its sights set on the EIWA and NCAA Championships in March, head coach Todd Beckerman announced on Wednesday.

• Brown Wrestling 2015-16 Schedule

"Our 2015-16 schedule is designed to prepare our team for the NCAA Championships at Madison
Square Garden in New York City," Beckerman said. "It is also going to allow us to compete in front of our strong alumni and fan base in cities throughout the country."

The Bears will wrestle in locales across the nation from the Navy Classic in Annapolis, Md. (Nov. 21) to the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev. (Dec. 4-5) to the Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill. (Dec. 29-30) and the Pitt Duals in Pittsburgh, Pa. (Jan. 9).

"We added some new teams and locations to the schedule for our alumni and fans to watch us compete," Beckerman said. "Our alumni and fans are the backbone of our program, and their support helps drive and motivate our team."

Brown will open its competitive season at the East Stroudsburg Open on Nov. 15 before entering four other invitational tournaments. The team will begin the dual meet portion of its campaign at the Pitt Duals on Jan. 9.

After the Pitt Duals, the Bears will compete in six more dual meets on the road, including dates with Ivy rivals Cornell (Jan. 16) and Columbia (Jan. 17) as well as EIWA opponents Sacred Heart (Jan. 17), Bucknell (Jan. 23), and Franklin & Marshall (Jan. 23).

Brown kicks off its home slate with dual meets against Penn (Feb. 6) and Princeton (Feb. 7) as part of the team's Alumni Weekend before a road dual at Binghamton (Feb. 13). The Bears will then host a simultaneous meet with Brown's gymnastics program for the second straight year on Feb. 14 as the wrestling side faces Harvard (1 p.m.) and Roger Williams (2:30 p.m.).

"We are excited to bring back our combined meet with Brown Gymnastics. We had a tremendous turnout with an exciting atmosphere last year in the Pizzitola," Beckerman said. "Both of our teams were able to compete in front of a packed house on home turf, with takedowns on one mat and floor routine flips on another. It was a really fun competition to watch, and we look forward to another packed event this year."

Prior to embarking on the postseason, the Bears will host their Senior Day against Hofstra on Feb. 20 at 1 p.m.

The 2016 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships will take place at Princeton University in Princeton, N.J., from March 5-6 while the 2016 NCAA Championships will occur at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y., from March 17-19.

"We are really excited for the NCAA Championships to be back on the East Coast in New York City and to showcase the sport in the Garden," Beckerman said.

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