No. 17 Rutgers Wrestling Set for Ranked Weekend Showdowns at Jersey Mike’s Arena
As the new year begins, the Rutgers wrestling program continues to check every box. The Scarlet Knights enter the weekend ranked No. 17 in the latest NWCA Coaches Poll.
That status is further validated by Intermat. That's where Rutgers stands as one of just five programs in the country to have all 10 weight classes ranked simultaneously. The only other teams to share that distinction are Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa State, and Oklahoma State. Leading the way individually are Joseph Olivieri at 141 pounds and Lenny Pinto at 174. They entered the weekend ranked No. 6 and No. 10, respectively, according to Intermat.
Navigating the Big Ten Gauntlet of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights
This weekend marks an important checkpoint in a grueling stretch of six consecutive Big Ten duals. That stretch opened with a challenging assignment at top-ranked Penn State. It is where then-No. 16 Rutgers faced the Nittany Lions at Rec Hall in its Big Ten dual opener.
Excited to be back at Jersey Mike's Arena this weekend against No. 13 Michigan and Purdue!#RelentlessPursuit | #GoRU https://t.co/tBaLELGFH8
— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) January 14, 2026
With several starters unavailable, the Scarlet Knights leaned heavily into youth. That count starts with four true freshmen in Tahir Parkins at 141, Devon Magro at 149, Easton Doster at 157, and Jordan Chapman at 174. The result was a 46-0 loss and a one-spot dip in the rankings, but the experience gained was significant.
Eight of Rutgers’ 10 bouts were wrestled by redshirt sophomores or younger. They are Doster and Chapman, making their collegiate dual debuts in one of the sport’s most intimidating environments.
Now the focus shifts back to Piscataway. The No. 17 Scarlet Knights carry a 6-3 overall record and a 0-1 mark in Big Ten action into a pair of home duals at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Both matchups will stream live on Big Ten Plus, with Nick Kosko and Matt Howe providing commentary.
On Friday, Jan. 16, Rutgers hosts No. 13 Michigan, a team that enters at 5-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Michigan holds a 9-0 advantage in the all-time series, including a 23-10 win in Ann Arbor last season.
Home Mat Advantage at Jersey Mike’s Arena
Sunday, Jan. 18 brings Purdue to town for a 1 p.m. start. The Scarlet Knights hold a 5-2 edge in the all-time series with the Boilermakers and earned a 22-13 victory in West Lafayette on Jan. 14, 2024. That duel was highlighted by Dylan Shawver’s dominant 20-5 technical fall at 133 pounds, one of the defining performances of the matchup.
Rutgers enters the weekend with ranked wrestlers throughout the lineup, including Ayden Smith at 125, Dylan Shawver at 133, Shane Cartagena-Walsh at 184, Remy Cotton at 197, and heavyweight Hunter Catka.
Michigan counters with ranked competitors such as Beau Mantanona at 174, Brock Mantanona at 184, and heavyweight Taye Ghadiali. Purdue brings its own firepower, led by unbeaten Joey Blaze at 165 and ranked wrestlers at multiple weights.
The Scarlet Knights will head back on the road to face Northwestern on Friday, Jan. 23, followed by a ranked showdown at No. 11 Illinois on Sunday, Jan. 25.
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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.