WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Wrestling head coach Tony Ersland and the Big Ten Conference jointly announced the Boilermakers' 2025-26 opponents on Monday.
Though the opponents have been unveiled, the dates have not yet been finalized.
2025-26 Purdue Wrestling Events
| HOME DUALS | AWAY DUALS | TOURNAMENTS |
| - Boilermaker Duals (American, Buffalo, NIU) - Illinois - Iowa - Michigan State - Wisconsin |
- Cal Poly |
- Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational - Tiger Style Invitational |
NON-CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN
Purdue Wrestling will open its 106th season with the team's first trip to California since November 2016, taking on Cal Poly in a dual in San Luis Obispo, Calif., before making a quick trip east to face Cal State Bakersfield.
The Boilers are 4-1 all-time against the Mustangs of Cal Poly, most recently winning there 30-9 in November 2014. Purdue is 3-3 against CSU Bakersfield and hasn't squared up with the Roadrunners since January 2006, a 25-16 Purdue win.
The 2025-26 season also features the reappearance of the Boilermaker Duals, an annual tradition that last took place in 2023. Purdue will host American, Buffalo and Northern Illinois in Holloway Gymnasium for the only home contests of the fall.
Other non-conference road duals include trips to Davidson, Drexel, Morgan State and Rider.
The Wildcats of Davidson, N.C., have never faced Purdue, which will return to the Tar Heel State for the first time since its season-opening win at Gardner-Webb last year. The Boilermakers also travel to Baltimore to meet Morgan State for just the second time. Purdue previously beat the Bears 30-6 on Jan. 12, 1992, in Columbus, Ohio.
To close its non-conference slate, Purdue will head back to the East Coast just after New Year's to face Rider in Lawrenceville, N.J., and Drexel in Philadelphia. The Boilermakers made a similar trip in 2021, beating both the Broncs and Dragons on the same day after a short trot across state lines.
Additionally, the Old Gold & Black will return to the same two tournaments from a year ago. Early in November, Purdue goes back to the Tiger Style Invitational, hosted by Missouri, a one-day tournament in which the Boilers finished second in 2024 with six medal winners.
In December, Purdue will make its 18th trip to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, the premier regular season tournament in college wrestling.
Assistant coach Matt Ramos will be in Purdue's corner this time after winning the 2024 125-pound crown to become the first four-time CKLV placewinner in school history. Joey Blaze also placed sixth but could have finished higher if not for an injury that forced him to forfeit his remaining matches.
BIG TEN BREAKDOWN
The 2026 home conference schedule features the likes of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State and Wisconsin. The Boilers dominated the Badgers last season in Madison, taking a 33-7 win with eight match victories, but dropped a 35-8 decision to the Illini in Champaign.
Defending their home arena, the Boilermakers have the chance to avenge their most recent losses to Michigan State (17-16 in January 2022) and Iowa (34-6 in January 2024).
The away slate includes Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska and Rutgers. Purdue beat the Terps on Valentine's Day last season but lost its most recent bouts with the other three road foes.
However, in 2022, No. 14 Purdue did stun No. 9 Nebraska with an 18-15 road upset and will aim to repeat recent history against the 2025 NCAA runners-up in Lincoln.