DURHAM, N.C.—With one week left until the 2016-17 officially gets underway, the Duke wrestling team will roll out the mat to Krzyzewskiville Saturday, Oct. 29 for its annual Blue/White intrasquad event. The match is free and open to the public as the set of nine duals will determine the starting lineup for the upcoming season.

For the first time in program history, the intrasquad matches will take place outside on the lawn in K-Ville and will begin at 11 a.m. This will be the final tune-up for the Blue Devils before heading to the Hokie Open Nov. 6.

Beginning his fifth season as the head coach, Glen Lanham welcomes back five starters to the lineup and four NCAA qualifiers. For the first time in program history, Lanham is fielding a veteran squad. Duke's roster is comprised of 15 upperclassmen, including seven seniors. The five upperclassmen starters are a first for Lanham.

Leading the Blue Devils as captains in 2016-17 will be veterans Jacob Kasper, Jake Faust and Zach Finesilver. All have seen action at the NCAA Championships during their careers and are exceptional leaders on and off the mat.

Duke is set to wrestle five preseason top-20 teams, two of which come in the month of November. The Blue Devils will be looking for the Duke fans to come out in force for their home opener against No. 13 Wisconsin. It will be the ninth different Big Ten opponent Duke has faced under Lanham. The Blue Devils defeated No. 23 Purdue on the road last season and lost on criteria to Northwestern.

The Blue Devils finished fifth in the ACC Championships last year and tied for 31st at the NCAA Championships. Lanham has sent at least four wrestlers to the NCAA Championships in each of the past two seasons, a first for the program.

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