No. 14 Rutgers Wrestling Hosts Princeton After Best Big Ten Finish Since 2014
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The No. 14 Rutgers wrestling team is coming home with a head of steam. They are coming after a weekend that solidified their standing as a legitimate force in the nation’s premier wrestling conference. Now, the Scarlet Knights sit at 12-5 overall and 5-3 in Big Ten competition. With that on the mat, they are set to host in-state rival Princeton, which enters at 4-9, tonight, Monday, February 16, 2026.
Keeping an Eye on the Rutgers Wrestling’s Historic Big Ten Surge
The duel is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Jersey Mike’s Arena, and it carries more meaning than a typical rivalry match. It is also another opportunity for Rutgers to show just how far the program has come. For fans who cannot make it to Piscataway, the action will stream live on Big Ten Plus, with Nick Kosko and Matt Howe on the call.
Big one Monday night against Princeton!#RelentlessPursuit | #GoRU https://t.co/B0eM29xjdo
— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) February 14, 2026
Rutgers enters the final week of the regular season fresh off a commanding 29-9 victory over Michigan State at Jenison Field House. That win secured a winning Big Ten Conference record for the second consecutive season under head coach Scott Goodale.
This marks the first time since joining the conference in 2014-15 that Rutgers has posted back-to-back winning league records. It also represents the program’s fifth winning Big Ten campaign overall.
The victory over Michigan State was the fourth straight in the series against the Spartans. Depending on how results unfold across the league, Rutgers can finish as high as tied for third place in the conference standings. That would mark a program first since entering the Big Ten.
Before the first whistle against Princeton, Rutgers will honor ten student-athletes who have been foundational to the program’s rise. Patrick Adams, Hunter Catka, Brandan Chletsos, Andrew Clark, Eric Freeman, Sebastiano Nini, Joseph Olivieri, Lenny Pinto, Dylan Shawver, and Anthony White will all be recognized. This group has helped guide Rutgers through one of its most successful Big Ten stretches in program history.
Rutgers vs. Princeton has a Long-Standing Rivalry in the Case of History
Tonight marks the 88th all-time meeting between Rutgers and Princeton in a series that dates back to 1931. Rutgers leads the series 48-34-5. The Scarlet Knights have won the previous four matchups and 28 of the last 29 meetings dating back to 1993. The last meeting came on Dec. 8, 2024, at Jadwin Gym, where Rutgers earned a 32-7 victory to retain the B1G-IVY Trophy.
Joseph Olivieri at 141, Andrew Clark at 149, Conner Harer at 157, and Anthony White at 165 all secured wins in that dual. Harer earned his victory with bonus points. While Senior Night shines a spotlight on the program’s veterans, the future of Rutgers wrestling looks bright thanks to freshman Ayden Smith at 125 pounds.
Smith was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after earning a 7-2 decision over then-No. 10 Jore Volk. His victory helped Rutgers secure a 23-15 upset over then-No. 6 Minnesota on February 6 in Piscataway.
Smith became the first Big Ten Freshman of the Week in program history. And that's the first weekly conference honoree since Dean Peterson earned co-wrestler of the week honors last season. Following that performance, Rutgers jumped three spots to No. 14 in the latest NWCA Coaches Poll.
The NCAA recently announced its second Coaches Ranking and first Ratings Percentage Index for the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. All 10 Rutgers starters appear in the coaches' ranking, and eight hold an RPI.
Six Scarlet Knights are ranked within the top 20 of their respective weight classes by Intermat. Joseph Olivieri sits at No. 6 at 141. Remy Cotton is No. 16 at 197. Lenny Pinto ranks No. 17 at 174. Andrew Barbosa is No. 19 at 165. Hunter Catka holds the No. 19 spot at heavyweight. Shane Cartagena-Walsh is No. 20 at 184.
As a team, Rutgers is ranked No. 14 by Intermat, No. 16 by WIN Magazine, and No. 18 by The Open Mat. In the 29-9 win over Michigan State on February 13, Rutgers secured an 8-2 match split. The dual featured a ranked victory by Cotton at 197 over No. 23 Kael Wisley. The Scarlet Knights also picked up crucial bonus points from Pinto at 174, Barbosa at 165, and Clark at 149.
After tonight’s home finale against Princeton, Rutgers will travel to Hempstead, New York, to face Hofstra on February 18. The duel is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start and will stream on FloWrestling.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.