The West Virginia University wrestling team, currently ranked No. 18, will face Rider University on Sunday at Hope Coliseum in Morgantown. The match is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+. The event coincides with Military Appreciation Day.
Tickets are available for purchase online at WVUGAME.com. The first 100 fans attending the match will receive a camo rally towel featuring WVU wrestling branding.
“Rider is a good team and deserves our full attention,” said head coach Tim Flynn. “There will be a number of ranked matchups, and we have to be sharp.”
West Virginia has started its season strong, winning its first four matches by margins of at least 16 points each. This marks the second time in three years that the Mountaineers have begun with four consecutive wins. A victory over Rider would give West Virginia its first 5-0 start since 1992. Historically, West Virginia holds a 3-1 record against Rider, with their most recent win occurring in 2024.
Redshirt sophomore Ty Watters leads the team and is currently ranked No. 1 nationally at 157 pounds by FloWrestling. Graduate student Jett Strickenberger also appears in the FloWrestling rankings this week, holding the No. 9 spot at 125 pounds.
Strickenberger recently returned to competition against Princeton after missing several matches since November 2nd’s Southeast Open. He secured his first ranked win of the season by defeating Marc-Anthony McGowan (No. 18) by decision, finishing with a score of 1-0.
During Strickenberger’s absence, NC State transfer Louie Gill has competed as redshirt sophomore and remains undefeated in duals this season with a record of three wins, including one victory by fall against Glenville State.
Redshirt junior Ian Bush has contributed two ranked victories this year at the 184-pound weight class and leads the team in that category so far this season. At the Mountaineer Quad event, Bush defeated Kole Mulhauser from Princeton by decision (8-5) and maintains an unbeaten record (4-0) in dual meets this year.
Additional information about West Virginia wrestling can be found on WVUsports.com or through their social media channels on X, Instagram, and Facebook.