CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State University wrestling team will kick off a new era this weekend as the Vikings will compete in a Mid-American Conference dual for the first time ever.

After joining the league as a wrestling affiliate member this past offseason, CSU's trip to Buffalo this Friday, Dec. 6, will mark the Vikings' first head-to-head matchup with a league foe.

Each of Cleveland State's last three dates of competition has occurred in tournament format, the most recent of which was the Navy Classic on the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Redshirt senior Evan Cheek placed at the Navy Classic as the Vikings were forced to compete without five possible starters in the event due to injury. Sophomore Ben Smith also won four matches at Navy at 197 pounds and finished one win shy of placing.

Cheek and Smith are tied for the team lead with 12 wins apiece, with both notching seven bonus-point victories thus far this season. Redshirt sophomore Brady Barnett is second on the team in wins, owning an 11-2 mark at 157 pounds, but he was forced to medically forfeit his final bout at Navy.

True freshman Logan Heil, who competed in a CSU singlet for the first time at Navy, owns a 9-3 mark at 125 pounds, combining his attached and unattached records. Additionally, redshirt sophomore Chase Archangelo, redshirt senior Justin Patrick and redshirt freshman Riley Smucker all have eight wins on the season.

Cleveland State fell to Buffalo in its season-opening dual last season, in a match that took place at Bucknell. Barnett is the lone returning Viking to have claimed a victory in that dual. The Vikings are 5-7 all-time against the Bulls and will be facing them in Buffalo for the first time since January 2008.

Buffalo was the 2019 MAC Championships runner-up with 113.5 points. The Bulls are off to a 1-4 start this season, but two of their setbacks have come against nationally ranked Big Ten foes. Friday's dual will also be the first MAC contest of the season for the Bulls. Senior Troy Keller is the reigning MAC champion at 165 pounds while redshirt junior Derek Spann was tabbed second in the league's preseason rankings at 133 pounds.

Cleveland State will continue action on the second weekend of December as it hosts the 15th annual Cleveland State Open.