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CHARLESTON, S.C.– The Citadel wrestling team returns to action, Wednesday Jan. 23 s it welcomes Gardner-Webb for the Southern Conference opener. Match time is set for 7 p.m. in McAlister Field House. The match will be streamed live on the SoCon Digital Network.
 
The Bulldogs and GWU will be using an experimental rule throughout the match where a coin toss will determine the order of the matches. The rule is further detailed below: 

• One to three hours prior to the weigh in for the dual meet, the head coaches of each institution will meet in a previously agreed upon location to perform a coin toss.
• The purpose of the coin toss is to determine which coach will select the first
• match of the dual meet.
• After the starting weight class has been selected, the opposing coach will
• select the second weight class to compete.
• The coaches will continue to alternate choosing the successive weight
• classes until each of the 10 weight classes are assigned within the match order.
• The pre-meet captains' coin toss to determine the odd and even matches for
• the meet is unchanged, with odd and even weight classes remaining as listed in Rule 3.4.2.
• Example of Experimental Rule in Action: Coach A wins coin toss and chooses start weight class of 157lbs. Coach B then chooses 184lbs as next weight class. Coach A chooses 125lbs, followed by Coach B choosing 197lbs, etc.
• Final weight class order- 157, 184, 125, 197, 149, 141, 165, 133, 285, 174.

 
Gardner Webb is currently 2-6 on the year and 0-1 in the SoCon after dropping a match to top-ranked Appalachian State. 
 
For the Citadel, Sawyer Root currently holds a 25-12 after going 2-0 in a pair of weekend duals against Hofstra and Northern Illinois. He tallied the lone win for the Bulldogs over NIU with a 6-3 decision over Max Ihry. Root is 5-1 on the year when participating in duals. 
 
The Bulldogs will also look to freshman Dazjon Casto to continue to step up for them as he holds the second-best record on the team at 22-15. He leads the team in pins with seven.
 
The next match for The Citadel will be Jan. 26 as they travel to Northfield, Vermont to participate in the All Academy Championship.
 
For more information, visit citadelsports.com or follow @CitadelWrestle on twitter.