WASHINGTON - The second of eight home dates this season for American University wrestling will see the Eagles welcome local rival George Mason for a 7:30 p.m. dual on Thursday, Nov. 18. Tickets can be purchased HERE, and students are admitted free with a valid AU Student ID.

Proof of Vaccination Required for Entry into Bender Arena

• In the interest of public health and in accordance with American University's commitment to maintaining a vaccinated community on campus, AU Athletics will require proof of vaccination for all spectators 12 and older when attending sporting events inside Bender Arena.
• Proof of vaccination can be achieved by showing one's vaccine card, a photo of one's card or a digital vaccine record.
• Due to AU's requirement that current students and faculty/staff be vaccinated, those with a current AU ID will not need to show further proof of vaccination.
• Read the full policy HERE.

Mask Policy at AU Athletics Events

• Individuals are required to wear masks to all American University athletics events, per current AU guidelines.  
• We also encourage social distancing at all of our venues.  

Enhanced Bender Arena Concessions for 2021-22 Home Duals

• AU Athletics has partnered with Gregorio's Trattoria to provide an enhanced concessions menu for all home wrestling duals this 2021-22 season in Bender Arena.
• Fans can enjoy Gregorio's favorites  including menu selections of pizza, Italian sausage and peppers, hot and cold sub sandwiches and wraps, chicken fingers, hot dogs, chips and more, as well as a full selection of refreshing Pepsi products. 
• Credit cards and cash accepted. 
• No outside food or beverages permitted into Bender Arena.

Inside the Series

• AU holds a 12-1 lead over George Mason since 2006, and the Eagles have won 11 duals in a row including an 18-14 defeat on the road in 2020.
• The only win for the Patriots was in the 2007-08 season on their home mat, 28-18.

What to Know About American

• The Eagles are still looking for their first dual victory after two losses to start the season including a one-point defeat at the hands of Sacred Heart.
• Twenty-three AU wrestlers competed at the Bearcat Open hosted by Binghamton on Nov. 14, with five earning placewinner finishes. Isaac Righter (285) was the best of those, taking second.
• When American started the season on Nov. 6, it had been just over 600 days since the Eagles' full team was last in action on March 6-7, 2020 at the EIWA Championships.
• The Eagles are under new leadership with head coach Jason Borrelli coming into his first season after 13 years at Stanford. Borrelli's staff includes associate head coach Alex Tirapelle, assistant coach Joey Dance and volunteer assistant coach Ganbayar Sanjaa.
• The team captains for 2021-22 are redshirt juniors Tim Fitzpatrick and Patrick Ryan along with junior Will Jarrell.
• American went without a dual match in 2020-21 due to a variety of factors including health & safety protocols and team readiness. Three wrestlers competed at the EIWA Championships and two of those advanced to the NCAA Championships.
• Redshirt senior Gage Curry (125) and then-redshirt sophomore Fitzpatrick (174) both competed at NCAAs. Ryan (141) competed only at EIWAs. Curry has since transferred to Pitt.
• Of the 25 wrestlers on the roster this season, just seven had ever competed collegiately prior to this month. Ten are true freshmen, and another eight joined the team last season but did not see action on the competition mat.
• American will host two teams in Bender that are ranked in the NWCA Top 25. The Eagles will welcome #18 Rutgers on Dec. 3, and #9 Ohio State on Jan. 3. 
• Overall, the Eagles are hosting 10 opponents over eight home dates in 2021-22 after being unable to have a home meet last year. The eight home dates are the most for American since the 2016-17 season, and span nearly four months.

What to Know About George Mason

• Five Mason wrestlers earned medalist honors and six others placed at the Southeast Open on November 7.
• Alex Madrigal (149) is 3-0. The graduate student picked up where he left off in 2019-20 as the D1 NCAA technical falls leader, defeating Bellarmine's Mitch Collica, 16-0 on Nov. 13.
• Freshman Jonathan List is 6-0 so far, and freshman Logan Messer (174) is off to a 6-1 start.
• The Patriots already faced an opponent the Eagles will see later in the season, falling 26-3 against Bucknell.
• Coach Frank Beasley is in his fifth season at Mason and has coached seven NCAA qualifiers. The Patriots had three wrestlers qualify for both the 2018 NCAA Championships and the 2019 NCAA Championships. In 2020, the Patriots had one NCAA qualifier and one alternate.

Season Tickets on Sale Now -- Save Big

• Cheer loud and proud for the AU Wrestling team in Bender Arena with friends, family, and colleagues by purchasing your season ticket to all home duals!
  • Adult: $45
  • Youth (17 and below): $20
  • Senior (65+): $20
  • Pricing subject to 6% DC sales tax
• Click here to purchase your tickets online at AUeagles.com/TIckets
• Require Accessible Seating? Interested in group tickets of 10+, or renting out the Bender Arena Skybox to watch a match in style? Email clawed@american.edu or call 202.885.TIXX.

Not in the DMV or Can't Make all the Matches?

• Purchase a season ticket to support the wrestling program and return any unwanted tickets back to the ticket office and we will donate your ticket(s) to a local youth wrestling club or organization.
• This program will allow the youth wrestlers of the DMV to experience high-quality Division-I wrestling in person.
• For questions on this community give-back program please email clawed@american.edu.

How to Watch ESPN+

• A subscription to ESPN+ is available for purchase via ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com, or the ESPN App. Fans can access ESPN+ content only after they have subscribed. To subscribe, click here. It costs $6.99/month or $69.99/year. 
• On the call for Thursday night's dual will be Jeremy Huber (pxp) and Jason Grimes (analyst).

Stay Connected

• For more information on AU Wrestling, follow the team on Twitter @AU_Wrestling, Instagram @au_wrestling and Facebook @AU.Wrestling.
• To receive email updates, home dual previews and special offers from AU Wrestling throughout the season, please fill out this interest form.