COLLEGE PARK, Md. --The Maryland wrestling team will begin its 2017-18 campaign against Big Ten foe Rutgers on Saturday. The match, which was originally scheduled to take place at Yankee Stadium, will be at High Point Solutions Stadium on the campus of Rutgers University at noon. 

Both squads will be beginning their dual schedule with a conference match, a rare event in collegiate wrestling. It will also be the first of two outdoor events for the Terps this season. Maryland will wrestle Stanford outdoors in Palo Alto, Calif., on Nov. 18. 

A LOOK AT THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

• Rutgers will return eight wrestlers who participated in the NCAA Championships during their collegiate careers
• Their lineup will include Penn State transfer Nick Suriano (125 lbs.) who comes to Rutgers after an impressive freshman season in State College
• The Scarlet Knights also return two wrestlers -- Scott DelVecchio and Nicholas Gravina -- who avanced to the Round of 12 in last year's NCAA Championships. 
• Redshirt senior Richie Lewis is back for Rutgers after missing the entire 2016-17 season with an injury. The 157-pounder captured the 70kg title at the U23 World Team Trials on Oct. 8 in Minnesota, as he defeated 2017 All-American Tyler Berger from Nebraska to claim the championship and roster spot on the U23 roster.

AN EXPERIENCED BUNCH

• The Terps will be returning 11 wrestlers who started last season. Headlined by three who qualified for the NCAA Tournament, Maryland returns Alex Vargas, Jhared Simmons, Adam Whitesell, Justin Alexander, Patrick Gerish, Josh Ugalde, Idris White and David-Brian Whisler.
• In addition to participating in the NCAA Championships, Bannister, Diehl and Hemida all placed at the Big Ten Championships. The three placers is the most ever for Maryland since joining the Big Ten.

MCCOY ANNOUNCES 2017-18 CAPTAINS

• Head coach Kerry McCoy announced that junior Youssif Hemida and senior Justin Alexander would be team captains for the 2017-18 season.
• Hemida served in the role during the 2016-17 season while Alexander earned the honor for the first time as a Terrapin

TERPS PLACE TWO AT U23 WORLD TRIALS

• Junior Youssif Hemida and redshirt sophomore Jaron Smith both placed at the 2017 U23 World Team Trials in October.
• Hemida placed 2nd and picked up an impressive win over the 2017 Maccabiah Games Champion.
• Smith knocked off a number of formidable opponents en route to a 4th place finish. Over the course of the event he defeated a former Division II National Champion and a former two-time Division I NCAA All-American.

THE HEMIDA EFFECT

• Junior Youssif Hemida is set to have another impactful season as a Terrapin.
• The heavyweight placed 7th in the Big Ten Championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships
• Went 15-6 from January to March, his most dominant stretch of his career

TERPS TO AIR TWICE ON BTN

• The Big Ten Network announced on October 10 that Maryland will be featured in two matches this upcoming season
• The Terps will take part in the network's first match of the season, a road bout against Wisconsin on Dec. 7.
• Maryland will then host Minnesota on BTN on Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.