WAVERLY, Iowa—The Wartburg men's wrestling team opens the 2022-23 season on the road against Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m.

Last Season
The Knights went 13-1 overall and 8-0 in American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) matches under head coach Eric Keller. Wartburg won its 15^th NCAA National Championship, eighth NCAA Regional title and 38^th A-R-C championship. All seven NCAA qualifiers earned All-American honors: Brady Kyner (5^th), Joe Pins (8^th), Zayren Terukina (2^nd), Kris Rumph (5^th), David Hollingsworth (6^th), Zane Mulder (4^th), Kyle Briggs (3^rd).

Season Preview
Wartburg returns five All-Americans. "We have a lot of key returning guys but we also have a lot of other guys that might not have gotten an opportunity last year, as there's a bunch of weight classes where we're really not sure who's going to be the guy at that spot," said Keller at the annual preseason media day. "As we go through competitions and open tournaments, it gives them opportunities to work that out. The reality is though, every spot has to be re-earned."

The Knight will open the season Nov. 2, and this is the earliest the program has ever competed.

"The biggest thing we talk about is coming in every day and wrestling at the highest possible level that they're capable of. We have some outstanding leadership with those guys and a whole bunch of new guys that are trying to make their mark and leave their legacy on this program."

The roster features 22 new student-athletes to the program. "Like every year, it's about development, and help guys grow and reach their full potential," said Keller. "The hardest part is to get guys to understand how vital it is that they fight for everything. There's times it might be hard to get a takedown, and our upperclassmen do a great job of really helping them understand your effort and fight is what will make you successful. What's so great about Wartburg wrestling, is that the upperclassmen take it upon themselves to mentor the young guys. You see them talking and instructing the underclassmen about what they can do better.

"We also have an outstanding coaching staff, a group of 16 that are on board with what we're trying to accomplish," he continued." "Not just related to wrestling, but helping them grow every day as a man, hold them accountable on and off the mat, hold them accountable to reach their full potential."