BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell returns home to the Pope Center / Gore Arena, hosting No. 17 Nebraska in a nonconference bout, as well as Gardner-Webb for its 2022-23 Southern Conference opener, on Saturday, January 7.

Select Camels will also head to the Franklin & Marshall Open on Friday, January 6.

Watch Sunday's matchup on ESPN+, and follow on Twitter @GoCamelsWrestle.

Wrestling general admission individual match tickets remain on sale at GoCamels.com/Tickets.

The Camels and Runnin' Bulldogs will kick off the action at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday following Campbell's 1:00 p.m. women's basketball game against UNC Asheville. Nebraska and GWU will then face off, followed by Campbell against the Cornhuskers to close the day (estimated start time 7:00 p.m.).

One ticket is good for all the action in Gore Arena, including the women's basketball game and all three wrestling matches.

CU will be hosting High School Appreciation Day on Saturday, with all high school age attendees receiving free admission.

The day's first 100 fans will also receive a free Cliff Keen Campbell Wrestling backpack.

Last time out, Campbell (5-4) swept all three of its matches at the Purdue Duals on December 20. The Camels topped the host Boilermakers 29-9, also defeating Drexel 19-16, and Utah Valley 17-16. CU's victory over Purdue marked the program's first ever over a Big 10 Conference opponent.

In the opener, Campbell's No. 12 Taye Ghadiali edged Utah Valley's Chase Trussell in the final bout, tying the team scoring at 16-all. The teams split five matches apiece, with Campbell taking the match on criteria, holding a 46-45 advantage in individual points scored.

Against the Dragons, Campbell built an 11-0 lead on the strength of major decisions from Anthony Molton, 12-3, at 125 pounds and Shannon Hanna, 11-0, at 141 before five straight Drexel wins, including a 6-4 decision in extra time for No. 9 Mickey O'Malley over Campbell's Cole Rees at 174. Levi Hopkins at 197 and Ghadiali at heavyweight, however, closed out the match with major decisions for the Camels, 12-4 and 14-4, to secure the 19-16 victory. 

Campbell notched eight of the 10 matches in its 29-9 win against the host Boilermakers. Molton's opening 6-4 overtime victory over No. 8 Matt Ramos highlighted the win for the Camels, who also closed out with three bonus point wins, starting with No. 21 Caleb Hopkins topping No. 32 Ben Vanadia 12-2. Levi Hopkins then pinned Hayden Filipovich (2:45), and Ghadiali collected his third win of the day with a 14-4 major decision over Tristan Ruhlman.

After an undefeated December, Ghadiali was named SoCon Wrestler of the Month.

Ghadiali extended his winning streak to nine with a perfect 4-0 month of December, with all four victories coming in dual competition. The redshirt junior heavyweight started the month with a 10-5 decision over Virginia's Jessie Knight, and followed with a 3-0 day at the Purdue Duals, that included a pair of 14-4 major decisions over Drexel's Santino Morin and Purdue's Tristan Ruhlman.

The Warren, Mich. native is now 10-2 on the season and ranked No. 12 nationally in his weight class.

Ghadiali is one of three Camels nationally ranked this week, along with 133 pounder Domenic Zaccone at No. 29, as well as No. 27 Caleb Hopkins at 184 pounds.

The Cornhuskers are 2-2 on the season, coming off a 22-17 win over South Dakota State. The Runnin' Bulldogs, meanwhile, are 1-4 overall, dropping their last dual meeting at Ohio, 23-15.

Saturday will mark the first dual meeting between the Camels and Nebraska. Campbell has topped GWU in five straight meetings. The Camels are seeking a win to open their SoCon slate for the sixth straight season.

Next up, Campbell will head to the Virginia Duals, January 13-14, in Hampton, Va., facing off against Kent State, Oklahoma, Maryland and South Dakota State.

CAMPBELL PROBABLE LINEUP (JANUARY 7 VS. NEBRASKA / GARDNER-WEBB)
125: Zak Thompson / Zander Phaturos
133: #29 Dominic Zaccone
141: Shannon Hanna
149: Chris Rivera
157: Troy Nation/ Hagen Heistand
165: Dominic Baker
174: Cole Rees
184: #27 Caleb Hopkins
197: Levi Hopkins
HWT: #12 Taye Ghadiali / Luke Davis
Individual rankings according to Intermat (as of 1/4/23)