Williamsburg, KY- With just over two weeks before the start of the season, Head Coach Donnie Stephens has announced the 2022-23 women's wrestling schedule. Since women's wrestling has moved from an invitational to full national championship status, this season proves to be the most competitive yet. UC's schedule is highlighted with six open tournaments, three dual tournaments and eight MSC duals.

Cumberlands will begin the year at the Falcon Invite on November 5 in Park City, KS, where the team had four top-three finishers including Chamira Cooper who won her first individual title. UC will then have back-to-back weekends of tournaments with the Life Open (Nov. 12) and the Missouri Valley Open (Nov. 18-19).

Pats fans will then get their first glimpse of UC wrestling for the annual Patriot Duals, taking place December 2-3. The Duals tournament will prep UC for their first MSC bout against the defending MSC champs, Life University, in Marietta, GA the following week. The team will have limited rest since the very next day (Dec. 10), Cumberlands is set to compete at the Barron Duals hosted by Brewton-Parker.

A season ago, UC finished eighth at the NWCA/NAIA Duals, and the team will look to earn a higher ranking when they return to the same tournament from January 6-7. Cumberlands is then set for two tri-duals, all against MSC foes. First UC will head to Sylvania, OH on January 13 to face both Lourdes and Siena Heights. A week later, Cumberlands will host both Indiana Tech and Montreat. Siena Heights and Montreat are new to the MSC this season, adding to the already competitive conference.

The MSC has been the most dominant conference in the NAIA and it is getting better every season. "We get to see the best of the best often in Campbellsville and Life University and have Indiana Tech and Brewton-Parker nipping at our heels, the Mid South conference will be a major factor when preparing to win a national title," said Coach Stephens.

To finish the month of January UC has two more open tournaments, the first on January 22 for the Robert Horton Open and then the Warrior Open on January 28. At the Warrior Open last season, 11 wrestlers for UC were able to place, earning UC a fourth-place finish.

UC will open February with the defending NAIA National Champions, Campbellsville while also taking on St. Andrews in a tri-dual on February 3 in Campbellsville, KY.

The final regular season tournament for the Pats will be the Limestone Open in Gaffney, SC on February 5 before having their final dual of the season on February 13 against Brewton-Parker.

The Patriots will head to Bowling Green, KY for the MSC Championship on February 19. Last season UC had one conference champion in Jesse Kirby with three others earning All-Conference.

Coach Stephens knows that the MSC Tournament will test his athletes as well as prepare them for the NAIA Championships. "We really believe this could be the best team since 2019 when we won conference. If we can have success within our conference we should have a great national tournament," said Coach Stephens.

The NAIA Nationals will take place once again in Jamestown, ND from March 10-11. For the 2021-22 season, UC claimed five All-Americans along with Dymond Guilford taking home the national title for the 170-weight class.

On Friday, October 21 the UC women's wrestling team will host their annual Red vs Blue Dual showcasing this year's team in an intrasquad dual. The event will take place at 6 PM ET at the UC Volleyball Gym and livestream will be available on the UC Sports Network.

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