BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb wrestling season is less than two months away from its 2018-2019 launch, with eight home matches on tap in Paul Porter Arena.

Head coach Daniel Elliott's squad will head to the Keystone State in early November, traveling for the 2018 Clarion Open to begin the season on November 2 and November 3. 

After a busy opening weekend, the Runnin' Bulldogs will head back to Boiling Springs, opening the home slate with home matches against Ouachita Baptist (Noon) and Queens (N.C.) University (3:00 pm) on Saturday November 10.

Non-conference home matches against Duke (Dec. 6), George Mason (Dec. 20), Pittsburgh (Feb. 9) and Ohio (Feb. 23) are also on tap in 2018-2019, as well as home Southern Conference matches against Chattanooga (Feb. 1) and VMI (12).

Traditional tournament destinations during the season at the Wolfpack Open (Nov. 18) and the Southern Scuffle (Jan. 1-2) are also on the schedule. Neutral site non-conference bouts vs. Franklin & Marshall (Richmond, Va. / Jan. 12) and Hofstra (Lexington, S.C. / Jan. 20) are sandwiched between Southern Conference battles at Appalachian State (Jan. 9) and The Citadel (Jan. 23).

Gardner-Webb alternates home and away duals in early February, beginning at home vs. Chattanooga (Feb. 1), traveling to Campbell (Feb. 5) and returning home for matches against Pitt (Feb. 9) and VMI (Feb. 12). A road SoCon date at Davidson (Feb. 22) is followed quickly by the regular season finale in Paul Porter Arena vs. Ohio (Feb. 23).

The 2019 Arby's SoCon Championships will take place on March 10 in Boone, N.C., and the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will be held in Pittsburgh, Pa., from March 21-March 23.

Gardner-Webb returns defending SoCon 157-pound champion and NCAA qualifier Tyler Marinelli, as well as promising sophomores Anthony Perrine (197) and Denton Spencer (141) to its starting lineup.