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BLACKSBURG - Coming off three consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, Virginia Tech wrestling coach Kevin Dresser has released the team’s 2015-16 schedule, one that will test the Hokies once again as they continue to build upon the team’s recent success. Highlighted in the schedule are home matches with perennial national powers Penn State, Iowa State and West Virginia, as well as two matches at the Moss Arts Center.

“I am excited about next year’s team and next year’s schedule,” Dresser said. “I feel it is one of the most challenging schedules we have put together. I also feel we have a few breaks to rest and heal up throughout this season if need be. It’s going to be a fun season with what could be a very good team.”

The Hokies will open the season on Nov. 6, playing host to Iowa State in a dual match inside Cassell Coliseum. Two days later, Tech will hold its annual Hokie Open tournament in Rector Field House in Blacksburg. The tournament has grown into one of the top early-season events in the region and attracts competitors from all over the country.

The Nittany Lions of Penn State, a team many forecast to be the best in the country this upcoming season, roll into town on Sunday, Nov. 15 for a big dual meet in Cassell Coliseum, as the program looks to break the attendance record in the venue.

Tech then hits the road for two months, traveling to South Dakota State and North Dakota State for duals, and will then participate in the Las Vegas Invitational to wrap up the calendar year. The Hokies open 2016 with a dual match at George Mason on Jan. 3 and will then look to defend their Virginia Duals title Jan. 8-9 in Hampton.

After the arousing success of last year’s events, the program will once again hold two matches in the Moss Arts Center on campus. On Friday, Jan. 15, the Hokies will play host to Northern Iowa and then a day later, the Hokies will take on North Carolina in the venue. Tech’s last home match will come on Friday, Jan. 29 as it plays hosts to West Virginia in Cassell Coliseum.

“Getting big names like Penn State, West Virginia and Iowa State to all come to Cassell next year is big,” Dresser said. “It’s a great home schedule for the fans. And of course, the opportunity to go back to the Moss Arts Center for back-to-back dual meets with UNI and UNC in mid January will be great thing for my guys and the Hokie Nation to look forward to this season. Our experience with wrestling in the Moss Arts Center was super exciting. What an electric venue!”

All five teams venturing to Blacksburg finished in the top 34 of the 2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships: Penn State (6th; won four of last five national team titles), Iowa State (14th), West Virginia (20th), North Carolina (24th), and Northern Iowa (34th).

Tech wraps up the season with a match at defending ACC champion Virginia (Jan. 31), and then concludes with road trips to Pitt (Jan. 5), Edinboro (Feb. 7), NC State (Feb. 12), Duke (Feb. 13) and the National Duals (Feb. 20).

The 2016 ACC Championships are scheduled for Saturday, March 5, in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the NCAA Championships will be held March 17-19 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

All dates, times and even locations are tentative until the ACC releases the men’s and women’s basketball schedules later this summer.

The full schedule can be found here.

For updates on Virginia Tech wrestling, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Wrestling