BALTIMORE, Md. (Jan. 9, 2025) -- As the calendar turns to a new year, excitement fills the air for the Bears as they prepare to host the Princeton Tigers in a much-anticipated matchup. This Friday afternoon at 2 p.m., the iconic Hurt Gymnasium will serve as the backdrop for the matchup.
 

SCOUTING PRINCETON
•  Princeton most recently dropped a home dual to #22 West Virginia, 27-12, with four Tigers picking up wins in the contest. 

•  #31 Eligh Rivera (141) picked up a 7-2 decision over #27/25 Jordan Titus, improving his record in duals to 3-1 this season with an overall record of 5-3. 

•  Dan Jones (133) defeated Mason Kernan by gutting out a 6-5 decision, improving the first-year's record to 5-2 this season. 

•  Before West Virginia, the Tigers competed at the Midlands Championships in Chicago on Dec. 29 and 30, with three Tigers placing in their respective weight classes and Princeton placing 10th overall of 25 teams. 

•  Princeton is 2-5 in dual meets so far this year, with wins against LIU and UTC. Before Midlands, the Tigers dropped a home dual meet to Rutgers.

•  Princeton is led by two-time national champion Head Coach Joe Dubuque, in his second season at the helm of the program. Joining Dubuque this year are two new assistant coaches - Cody Brewer, who comes to Princeton from Virginia Tech, and 2019 NCAA Champion Anthony Ashnault, who is beginning his coaching career after an impressive collegiate wrestling career at Rutgers.

•  Princeton triumphed over the Bears with an impressive score of 39-3 during their last meeting on January 13, 2024, at Jadwin Gymnasium.

NOTABLES
• Leading the return of NCAA Division I, Varsity-level men's wrestling to Maryland's largest Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Morgan State University announced the hiring of Kenny Monday as the Athletics Department's new men's wrestling coach, effective Aug. 24, 2022. Monday, the first Black wrestler in history to win an Olympic gold medal, is a National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, three-time Olympian and former NCAA All-American standout, who brings a championship-level coaching pedigree and an expansive yet impressive resume to a Bears' wrestling program looking to restart after a 25-year hiatus. Monday comes to Morgan after serving as the director of wrestling and head wrestling coach at Spire Academy, since 2021.

• Last season, Morgan was wrestling in its first competition in 25 years after the program was reinstated this season to make it the only HBCU with a Division I wrestling program.

• In October 2021, the University announced its plans to revive the men's wrestling program at Morgan with the support a $2.7-million gift from HBCU Wrestling (HBCUW), a new initiative reestablishing wrestling programs on HBCU campuses. The gift, which is among the largest received from a private donor to the University, provides funding for the program and supports up to nine full scholarships annually.

• The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association has approved the addition of Morgan State as its newest member institution. Morgan is the 12th member of the EIWA, the oldest wrestling conference in the nation.

• The EIWA announced Wednesday a division-based regular season dual schedule.  The 12 EIWA member programs will be grouped into divisions of seven and five for the 2024-25 season. A full divisional dual meet schedule will launch for 2025-26. Kyle Borshoff, Binghamton University Head Wrestling Coach & EIWA Coaches Association President says, "Creating two divisions within the EIWA provides the opportunity for member teams to establish dual meet consistency and create exciting rivalries that our fans can count on seeing year in and year out. Creating the Independence and Patriot divisions allows us to highlight the excitement that surrounds the dual meet portion of our season, as all of our teams work to establish themselves as divisional champions."

• Among the athletes to watch this season is sophomore Kingsley Menifee, an 184-pounder returning healthy after an injury sidelined him last year. Menifee has already demonstrated his potential with impressive matches against top-ranked wrestlers, establishing himself as one of the team's more seasoned competitors. Also poised for a strong season is sophomore Shawn Ryncarz, a 133-pounder who had an outstanding year last season.

• The coaching staff has been busy recruiting and welcoming Myrin Nixon, a promising 140-pounder from Great Bridge High School who excelled in high school.

• With former standout Jake Marsh's departure, several individuals are expected to step into leadership roles this season. Senior Darrien Roberts, a 170-pounder who transferred from the University of Oklahoma, is anticipated to take on significant leadership responsibilities. "He is going to fill those shoes," Monday stated.

• Junior Xavier Doolin, a transfer from the University of Northern Colorado, will also play a key role in guiding younger wrestlers. Monday emphasized the importance of Doolin's leadership, stating, "He brings valuable leadership experience from competing against high-level players, and we expect big things from him. Our goal is to help every wrestler achieve their best performance. With Darrien being a senior, we want him to have his best season ever in college."

• The historic setting of Hurt Gymnasium was the site of the Bears' matchup against Penn on December 8. This iconic gym, with its walls steeped in tradition, also served as the perfect backdrop for Morgan's contest versus Army. For fans and competitors alike, witnessing the final wrestling dual at Hurt was an opportunity to celebrate its legacy, making it a must-see event for anyone passionate about the sport, as the Bears prepare to shift their remaining matches to Hill Field House.

Season tickets and individual match tickets are now on sale for the 2024-25 Morgan State wrestling season - Click here