After leaving the Mid-American and joining the Big 12 conference in the off-season, the Northern Iowa Panthers have released their home 2017-18 schedule and things are fairly expected in terms of opponents, but not in how many there are.
Panther fans will have only five opportunities to watch their squad wrestle in Cedar Falls. In addition to the UNI-Open, UNI will host four duals in the West Gym. North Dakota State, North Carolina, Iowa State, and Missouri will make the trek to Iowa. NDSU and ISU are both Big 12 duals.
Overall this has got to be a little disappointing for Panther fans and for their team. Though UNI’s Head Coach Doug Schwab told us in June about some scheduling difficulties, but five home dates is a bit unexpected.
You can find the entire release below, and we’ll have a full write-up when the Panthers release their away portion of their schedule.
Release by UNI:
UNI wrestling’s 2017-18 home schedule includes in-state rival Iowa State and Missouri, which finished fifth at the 2017 NCAA Division I National Wrestling Championships.
“Fans will see some good rivalries,” said head coach Doug Schwab. “Especially moving to the Big 12 and having that dual with Iowa State is a great thing. We’ve created a pretty good rivalry with Missouri in these last few years.”
UNI will open its home dual schedule against North Dakota State Nov. 19. Fans will have a chance to see Panthers redshirting the 2017-18 season compete at the UNI Open set for Dec. 9. The team will host North Carolina before wrapping up February with Iowa State and Missouri.
“Four home duals this year, obviously four good ones: NDSU, with the football rivalry that adds to it,” said Schwab. “We have North Carolina coming in as a good, solid ACC team with a new coach. They are getting better. Then you finish with Iowa State and Missouri and having the UNI Open sandwiched between there, it gives our fans an opportunity to see us against some good competition.”
The Panthers will be in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the Big 12 Conference Championships for the first time since joining the league in early July.
BY THE NUMBERS
- UNI finished 18th at the 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, the highest finish since 2014. The Panthers qualified seven wrestlers, the most since 2014.
- Two All-Americans return for the Panthers, the most since the 2004-05 season. Sophomore Max Thomsen, a La Porte City, Iowa, native, returns after taking fifth at 149 pounds at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Junior Drew Foster of Burlington, Iowa, finished seventh at 184 pounds.
- UNI returns six qualifiers, the most since 2008-09 when seven returned.
- Under Schwab, UNI has earned eight All-America titles.
- Under Schwab, UNI has earned 35 qualifying spots at the NCAA tournament.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets are on sale now for $35 and includes the cost of the UNI Open. Cost of the Iowa State vs. UNI dual is $15, and the remaining duals will cost $7 at the door. Call (319) 273-4849.
HOME SCHEDULE / POST-SEASON TOURNAMENTS:
- Nov. 19: NDSU; Cedar Falls, Iowa – West Gym
- Dec. 9: UNI Open; Cedar Falls, Iowa – UNI-Dome
- Dec. 18: North Carolina; Cedar Falls, Iowa; West Gym
- Feb. 10: Iowa State; Cedar Falls, Iowa – West Gym
- Feb. 17: Missouri; Cedar Falls, Iowa – West Gym
- March 3-4: Big 12 Conference Championships; Tulsa, Oklahoma
- March 15-17: NCAA Championships; Cleveland, Ohio