Wrestling sets mats for Homecoming match

This weekend the Lions return home. After a tough three matches against Princeton, Drexel, and Penn, the Columbia wrestling team will host Ivy rivals Harvard and Brown on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Light Blue is currently 6-10-1 overall and 0-3 in the Ivy League.

At 6 p.m. on Friday, Columbia will face off against Harvard in its Homecoming match in University Gym. The Crimson, 2-12-1 overall and 0-3 Ivy, is currently on a nine-match losing streak. All nine of the losses have been big ones, as the Crimson has failed to get within 20 points of its opponents during the stretch. Despite Harvard’s subpar season, it will bring two wrestlers with impressive records. Senior Louis Caputo enters the competition with a 17-2 overall record, while fellow senior J.P. O’Connor is currently undefeated at 24-0 with a team-high six major decisions.

On Saturday, Columbia will host Brown in its last matchup of the regular season. The Bears, 4-11 overall and 1-2 Ivy, are coming off a big 33-6 loss to Lehigh. Brown’s only conference win this season came against Harvard in a 33-12 decision at home. The last time these two teams met, Brown came out on top, winning by a final score of 22-9. This weekend, the Lions look to get some payback as a way to cap off an up-and-down season.

These final two matchups should provide the Lions with some late preparation for the EIWA Championships, which begin on March 7 in Bethlehem, Penn.