BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University wrestling kicks off its 2016-17 season at home with the annual Mountaineer Duals on Saturday, Nov. 12. The Mountaineers welcome three schools to Boone, wrestling two of them.

Mountaineer Dual Schedule:
12:00 p.m.: Appalachian State vs. Belmont Abbey, Duke vs. No. 15 Oregon State
2:00 p.m.: Appalachian State vs. No. 15 Oregon State 

Appalachian is coming off an incredible year, with the Mountaineers winning the Southern Conference Championship and having Denzel Dejournette (Winston-Salem, N.C./R.J. Reynolds) and coach Bentley win SoCon Wrestler of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively. The team sent four wrestlers to the NCAA Wrestling Championship and 20 to the University Freestyle Nationals Tournament. 

The Mountaineers' USA Today/NWCA Top 25 ranking was the first time, outside of App State football being ranked in the FCS poll, that any of App State sports teams have been ranked in the top-25 of a major national poll since App State baseball was ranked No. 24 in Baseball America's May 14, 2012 poll.

Bentley enters his seventh season at the helm of the program, having a career record of 66-52-1, having an overall record of 12-4 in 2015-16.

The Mountaineers will try to repeat as Southern Conference champions this year, returning seven of 10 starters from last season.

Probable Starters for the Mountaineer Duals:
125: Vito Pasone (Sr.)
133: Colby Smith (Fr.)
141: Irvin Enriquez (So.)
149: Matt Zovistoski (So.)
157: Gavin Londoff (Fr.)/Angel Najar (So.)
165: Forrest Przybysz (Jr.)
174: Marcus Johnson (Jr.)
184: David Peters-Logue (So.)
197: Randall Diabe (So.)
Hwt: Denzel Dejournette (Sr.)

BELMONT ABBEY: The Crusaders have seen action twice this season heading into Saturday's match. They opened the season battling in the Pembroke Classic hosted by UNC Pembroke before going to St. Andrews and recorded a win in Laurinburg, N.C.

Against Laurinburg, Nicholas Lukanich won a major decision in the 133 weight class, as Jonathan Charpenter (141-pound) got a decision and Santonio Thompson (149-pound) won by technical fall. Greg Hilliard got a pin in the 157 weight class while Jake Glunt got Belmont Abbey's second techincal fall of teh day. 

Luke Glunt rounded off the impressive showing for the Crusaders, winning the 184 weight class to give them a 1-0 record heading into this weekend.

OREGON STATE: The Beavers have only seen one tournament of action so far this season, coming in the Mike Clock Open at Pacific University on Nov. 6. In the Open, 149-pounder Bryce Parson and 141-pounder Zack Wigzell both placed second to lead the team, but many of the projected starters for Mountaineer Duals did not participate. 

Oregon State was ranked No. 16 this week in the USA Today/NWCA poll and have several nationally ranked wrestlers set to take the stage Saturday.

The 141-pounder Joey Palmer (redshirt-senior) is ranked No. 8 in The Open Mat, No. 10 in WIN Magazine and No. 12 InterMat. Redshirt senior Joey Delgado is ranked No. 18 in The Open Mat, but may have Parson substituted in for him at the 149-pound class.

Redshirt sophomore Corey Griego is ranked No. 14 in InterMat,  No. 16 in WIN and No. 16 in The Open Mat for 184-pounders and redshirt junior Cody Crawford is ranked No. 18 in InterMat and No. 20 in The Open Mat for 184 pounds.