BOONE, N.C. - A season-opening home quad meet and trips spanning from Troy, N.Y. to Reno, Nev. highlight the Appalachian State University wrestling 2008-09 schedule, announced by head coach Paul Mance on Wednesday. In all, the team grapples at home five times.

Opening the season on November 16, ASU hosts Buffalo, Gardner-Webb and Spartanburg Methodist in a quad meet beginning at 2 p.m. From there, the team heads northeast for the Keystone Classic in Philadelphia on November 23 and the Northeast Duals in Troy, N.Y. on November 29.

The Apps open December at home with Ohio University on the 7th before taking a break for finals. The calendar year closes with a December 18 trip to Reno, Nev. for the Reno Tournament of Champions and the Southern Scuffle in Greensboro on December 29-30.

A trip to the Lone Star Duels in Dallas, Texas marks the beginning of 2009, as the meet is set for January 3.

Southern Conference competition opens on the road at UNC Greensboro on January 11, where the Mountaineers will look to improve upon last season's second place finish.

Virginia Tech and Campbell make the trek to the High Country on January 16 for a 5 p.m. meet before ASU heads north to face Virginia in Charlottesville two days later.

SoCon competition resumes the following weekend as the Apps welcome 2008 champion Chattanooga at 6 p.m. on January 24. A match-up with Eastern Michigan and Duke on the Gardner-Webb campus awaits on January 31, just before the Mountaineers head into the bulk of the league schedule.

Davidson (Feb. 3) and VMI (Feb. 11) await visits from Appalachian as the teams battle for the regular season SoCon title before the Mountaineers host The Citadel on February 15 in the final conference matchup and home date of the year.

The regular season concludes with ASU's third visit to the Old Dominion State in just over a month as the squad matches up with Liberty on February 23 in Lynchburg, Va.

The SoCon Mat Jam is set for March 7 at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.

http://www.goasu.com/wrestling/schedule/