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STATE COLLEGE -- The Penn State wrestling program, led by 18-year coach Cael Sanderson, announced its 2026-27 schedule Tuesday afternoon, in conjunction with the Big Ten Conference's release of the full wrestling conference slate.
The Nittany Lions will embark on a 16-match dual-meet schedule in 2026-27, with seven duals scheduled in State College. Penn State will host four matches inside historic Rec Hall, with three additional dates slated for the Bryce Jordan Center.
Additional highlights include the program's fifth consecutive trip to the Black Knight Invite in West Point, New York, a pair of Big Ten Conference BJC Duals against Michigan and Iowa, the 2027 Big Ten Championships at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio and NCAA Championships at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
Start times and television designations for all 16 dual meets, the Black Knight Invite and postseason events will be announced at a later date.
Penn State ushers in its 119th varsity season at home on Thursday, Nov. 12, when the Nittany Lions welcome Bloomsburg to Rec Hall on opening night. Later in the week, the Nittany Lions hit the road for the first time in the 2026 fall semester, traveling to Norman, Oklahoma, to battle the Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday, Nov. 15.
The month of November wraps up on the road in West Point, New York, as Penn State makes its fifth consecutive trip to the Black Knight Invite hosted by the United States Military Academy.
The Nittany Lions return to dual-meet competition as the calendar turns to a new month, with the Nittany Lions slated to face off against the in-state rival Lehigh Mountain Hawks on Sunday, Dec. 6. Penn State’s matchup against Lehigh will take place inside Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Lehigh's primary venue for men's basketball. Penn State returns home for its second of seven home dual meets, as well as the first of three matchups inside the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday, Dec. 13, closing out the home portion of the 2026 fall semester against the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Penn State's final action of the 2026 calendar year comes on Sunday, Dec. 20, when the Nittany Lions prepare to take part in the Collegiate Wrestling Duals presented by Journeymen Wrestling. Vestal, New York, will play host to three duals for Penn State, with the Nittany Lions slated to battle the Oregon State Beavers, Duke Blue Devils and host-Binghamton Bearcats.
Penn State enters its 35th season of Big Ten Conference competition as the calendar turns over to 2027, with the Nittany Lions set for eight duals in the nation's premier wrestling conference. Action gets underway on Saturday, Jan. 9, with Penn State set to travel to Piscataway, New Jersey, for a matchup against Rutgers. The Nittany Lions return for a pair of home duals on Friday and Sunday, Jan. 15 and 17, with Penn State hosting the Michigan inside the Bryce Jordan Center on Friday, followed by a Sunday showdown against Maryland inside Rec Hall.
The Nittany Lions head to Jenison Field House for a road matchup against the Michigan State Spartans on Friday, Jan. 22, before returning home to State College for a Sunday matchup against Wisconsin in Rec Hall on Jan. 24.
A five-day break follows before Penn State wraps up its January against Minnesota on the road in Minneapolis on Friday, Jan. 29.
The Nittany Lions’ penultimate home matchup will serve as the team's third and final Bryce Jordan Center dual of the year with Penn State set to host Iowa on Friday, Feb. 5. The Nittany Lions get a full week off ahead of the team's Big Ten Conference finale on Friday, Feb. 12, when Penn State faces off against the Ohio State Buckeyes on the road at the Covelli Center in Columbus.
The 2026-27 regular season ends one week later on Friday, February 19, when Penn State hosts its non-conference and dual-meet finale against Northern Colorado inside Rec Hall.
The 2027 Big Ten Conference Championships will take place at a neutral venue for the first time in the event's history on March 6 and 7. Nationwide Arena, the home of the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets, will welcome all 14 Big Ten wrestling members for one of the nation's premier collegiate wrestling events.