WASHINGTON - Seven home duals headline the 2025-26 American University wrestling schedule, highlighted by four in the brand-new Alan and Amy Meltzer Center. Fifth-year head coach Jason Borrelli has his squad set to take on four Power Four opponents and top conference competition ahead of the EIWA Championships, which will be hosted by AU for the first time, March 6-7 in Bender Arena.

Thoughts From Coach Borrelli 

• As we enter a year filled with great anticipation for the opening of the Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance, I am excited about this year's schedule. With only 17 duals on slate, we were able to pick up another tournament in the Mat Town Open. This allows us to compete immediately following Thanksgiving and be best prepared to host the Terps on December 5th.
• We are thrilled to be hosting the EIWA Championships for the first time. It is a great opportunity to bring high level collegiate wrestling to the DMV, while also showcasing American University to the broader wrestling community. 

Dual Time

• AU will wrestle a total of 17 teams across their dual meet schedule, including seven home meets. 13 of the 17 opponents are on the schedule for a second straight year, with AU defeating six of them in 2024. The new matchups are against West Virginia, Northern Illinois, Purdue, and LIU. 
• Two trips to the midwest will see American wrestle multiple teams in one day, first at the Boilermaker Duals in Indiana, and then a tri-meet hosted by Coach Borrelli's alma mater, Central Michigan. 
• The Eagles are coming off their best dual season since 2011, going 11-10 overall last year and winning six duals at home. 
• In EIWA action, AU will take on Lehigh, Navy, Army, Morgan State, Bucknell, and Drexel. American posted conference wins over Bucknell and Morgan State in 2024, and dropped a dual against Navy by just three points. 

Open Season

• The Eagles have two open tournaments on the schedule, beginning with the Mat Town Open on November 30 at Lock Haven. 
• On the 2026 side of the calendar is the Southern Scuffle, a two-day event at Chattanooga on January 3 and 4. 
• 20 AU wrestlers placed in open tournaments throughout the regular season in 2024, including first place finishes from JJ Peace, Maximilian Leete, and Caleb Campos. 

Wrestling With The Best

• The Eagles will take on Maryland, Michigan State, and Purdue of the BIG 10, marking the second season in a row that they'll battle with three teams from the country's strongest wrestling conference.
• It will be just the second-ever matchup against Purdue, which finished 13th at the 2025 NCAA Championships. 
• Another high-profile challenge in the non-conference slate is West Virginia, as the Mountaineers were ranked 24th in the final NCAA Coaches' Poll of 2025 and placed 15th at the NCAA Championships. They come to D.C. on Nov. 8 for AU's home opener.
• Two EIWA opponents, Lehigh (road dual on Jan. 11) and Navy (home dual on Jan. 25) placed in the top 25 in the NCAAs in 2025, while Army (road dual on Jan. 18) was ranked 24th in the final Coaches' Poll.

The Alan and Amy Meltzer Center Makes its Debut on Alumni Day

• The Eagles will host their first meet in the brand new Meltzer Center on Jan. 16, when they face LIU. 
• Perfectly fitting for Alumni Day, the program will welcome its former student-athletes to see the completion of the first new athletics and recreational upgrade on campus in more than 30 years.
• The day will mark the culmination of the 10-month building project, as the Meltzer Center will be fully equipped with hospitality spaces for fans, concessions, and a production studio for ESPN+ broadcasts.

The EIWA Championships Come to D.C. 

• For the first time, American University will host the EIWA Championships. 
• The tournament will be held on March 6-7, and will bring the other 11 EIWA member institutions to Bender Arena for the 122nd edition of the competition. 
• AU saw six wrestlers finish in the top eight at EIWAs in 2024, including a fifth place finish for redshirt freshman Kaden Milheim. Raymond Lopez also took home the BIlly Sheridan Memorial Award for the most pins in the tournament in the least amount of time, with three.

Back on the Mat

• The Eagles have a number of wrestlers back on the roster to be excited about, and have added 10 newcomers. 
• Returning from redshirt seasons are 133-pounder Maximilian Leete and 141-pounder Jack Maida. The pair of redshirt seniors are the two most experienced and accomplished wrestlers on the roster, as Leete was an NCAA-qualifier in 2024 and Maida made the tournament in 2023. 
• Following a breakout season in 2025-26, Raymond Lopez is back for his senior year. The 133-pounder led AU in dual points (59) and dual wins (11), and finished third on the team with 22 overall wins.
• At 174 pounds, Caleb Campos is back after the best season of his career as a redshirt sophomore. He won 24 matches, totaled 39 dual points, and placed sixth at EIWAs. 
• Coen Bainey, Gage Owen, and Milheim all head into their second season after impressive rookie showings. The three of them were responsible for 85 dual points last and each represented AU at EIWAs. 

Season Ticket Pass to All Regular Season Home Duals

• Get behind the team as one of our biggest and best supporters and cheer loud and proud for the AU Wrestling team in Bender Arena with friends, family, and colleagues by purchasing your season ticket pass to all home duals! Click HERE to purchase your season tickets and help us beat our record last year of 305!
• Adult - $40 (General Admission Seating)
• Youth (4-14) / Senior (65+) - $20 (General Admission Seating)

AU Wrestling Victory Pledge

• Support AU Wrestling by pledging $10 for every individual match won by an AU wrestler at home during the 2025–26 season. 
• Your support directly fuels the success of our Wrestling Program—on and off the mat. Every takedown, every pin, every win brings us closer to greatness, and with your help, each one will mean even more. Donate HERE. 

VIP Matside Floor Seating (Reserved) Season Tickets

• $250 per seat, includes a donation to the wrestling program and the following benefits:
  • VIP matside reserved seating for all home matches.
• Hospitality to be offered at select home duals to be announced.
• Priority to purchase tickets for EIWA and NCAA tickets.
• Under Armour wrestling sideline apparel item. 
• To purchase, call the ticketing box office at 202-885-2617 or email clawed@american.edu

Coach Borrelli's Season Ticket Give-Back Program

• Not in the DMV, but still want to support AU Wrestling? Purchase a youth 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.

Keep up With Us

• For more information on AU Wrestling, follow the team on Twitter @AU_Wrestling, Instagram @au_wrestling and Facebook @AU.Wrestling.