The Cal Poly wrestling team will begin its 2025-26 season at home this Saturday, hosting the 24th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers at Mott Athletics Center in San Luis Obispo. The dual is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.
Tickets for the event are available for purchase, and fans attending the Cal Poly home football game against Portland State earlier that day can gain free admission to the wrestling match by presenting their football ticket at the door. Those unable to attend in person can watch the match live on Cal Poly wrestling’s Twitter/X account or on FloWrestling.
Cal Poly enters the season ranked No. 28 nationally in InterMat’s preseason tournament rankings and features four wrestlers with national rankings. Redshirt junior Zeth Romney leads the group as he moves up to compete at 141 pounds, where he is currently ranked fourth in the nation. Last season, Romney finished third at 133 pounds at the NCAA Championships, becoming Cal Poly’s fourth All-American all-time at that weight class and its first in 15 years. He was named Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year after posting a 19-5 record with 13 wins over ranked opponents.
Graduate student Trevor Tinker starts his season ranked No. 16 at heavyweight (285 pounds). Tinker became only the second wrestler in program history to win a Pac-12 Championship at heavyweight last year—the first in over three decades—and ended his season with a team-best record of 24-7, including eight technical falls and five pins.
Redshirt junior Koda Holeman returns after making his NCAA debut last year; he is ranked No. 27 nationally at 125 pounds and was notable for competing in every match for Cal Poly during the previous season, finishing with a record of 20-13.
Rounding out Cal Poly’s nationally ranked athletes is redshirt junior Ceasar Garza, who transferred from Michigan State and enters ranked No. 28 at 184 pounds. Garza is one of three transfers expected to be regular starters this year alongside Andrew Gonzales (Ohio State) at 149 pounds and Luke Gayer (Rutgers) at 165 pounds.
Purdue brings seven nationally ranked wrestlers to San Luis Obispo, highlighted by Joey Blaze—ranked third nationally at 165 pounds—who finished as NCAA runner-up last season while competing at a lower weight class.
Some Mustang wrestlers will also participate Saturday in the Menlo Open tournament held in Atherton, California.
After facing Purdue, Cal Poly will host Cal State Bakersfield on Friday, November 14 as part of Alumni Weekend festivities inside Mott Athletics Center.
