One of Division II wrestling’s most intriguing events of the season kicks off Friday when the NWCA National Duals begin at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. This year’s field features nine of the top 10 teams in the Flowrestling Division II team tournament rankings — #1 West Liberty, #2 Indianapolis, #3 St. Cloud State, #4 Central Oklahoma, #5 Lake Erie, #7 Lander, #8 Upper Iowa, #9 Northern State and #10 Mary.

The National Duals are a grueling two-day event that will test the depth of each team in ways that a traditional tournament format does not. Every lineup member plays a role, and bonus points may separate the winners from the losers. Here are five things to watch for this weekend in Iowa. 

The Top Two Seeds

Top-seeded Central Oklahoma might be at full strength for the first time all season. The Bronchos' returning national champion heavyweight Shawn Streck is set to rejoin the lineup after sitting out the first semester due to semester limitations. He will join two-time national champion Dalton Abney (197) to anchor UCO at the two heaviest weights. 

UCO coach Todd Steidley is comfortable with where the Bronchos are given the number of young wrestlers he used in the first half of the season. 

"We did some good things the first semester and got a lot of mat time for our younger guys," Steidley said. "It's great to have a few days off for Christmas so we can get recharged and ready for the rest of the season.” 

One of the surprises for UCO is the quick rise of 184-pounder Garrett Wells. The redshirt freshman captured the Midwest Classic title just before the break and will be a force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the season. With a full stable of Bronchos ready to wrestle they will be tough to be at the National Duals. 

Streck’s return could push Central Oklahoma back to the top when the next set of team tournament rankings are released. 

The #1 spot is currently occupied by West Liberty, which drew the #2 seed this weekend. The Hilltoppers are led by returning national champion Ty McGeary at 184 pounds. 

West Liberty coach Danny Irwin loves McGeary’s leadership.

“He’s just a great role model both on and off the mat,” Irwin said. 

If the Hilltoppers and Bronchos meet in the finals, keep an eye on the possible 184-pound bout between McGeary and Wells. 

For Irwin, the National Duals represent a unique opportunity to compete at the highest level. “There is nothing like lining up your 10 guys versus their 10 guys in a team’s event,” he said. “You are either going to advance one way or the other and then do it again.” 

Lander Looking To Keep Momentum 

Third-seeded Lander has started the season with a 7-0 dual record and is coming off an impressive win at the Midwest Classic. The Bearcats will look to continue their hot streak and show that they are one of the top teams in Division 2 wrestling this weekend at the National Duals. 

Coach R.C. LaHaye confirmed that Zeth Brower will be back in the lineup, giving an already deep Lander team another weapon in the lower weights. 

For coach LaHaye, all of the work during the regular season serves to prepare his team for success at the NCAA tournament in March. 

“This is all practice until the national tournament, and so with our guys, the next event on the schedule is just an opportunity to get better and keep improving until the end of the season,” he said. 

For the Bearcats, the end goal has always been a national title and the National Duals are just another step on the way. 

“I really believe that Division 2 is wide open, there are six or seven teams that could win the national championship this year and this weekend we are going to see a lot nationally about where everybody is at,” LaHaye said.  

Can St. Cloud State Repeat?

St. Cloud State University is the returning NWCA National Dual Meet champions. In 2023, the Huskies knocked off the Central Oklahoma 19-16 in the title dual. The Huskies, led by returning 157-pound national champion Nick Novak, have won five of the last six D2 National Duals titles. 

The road to the title will not be easy for St. Cloud State. For the Huskies to win another dual title, they might have to get past a loaded Central Oklahoma squad in the semifinals. First, though, the Huskies will have to take care of Newberry in the opening round and before a potential battle with a tough Lake Erie squad in the quarterfinals. 

Lake Erie Gauging The Waters

For Lake Erie, this tournament is all about seeing how they stack up on the national stage. The Lake Erie Storm come into the tournament as the #4 seed and are led by returning All-Americans Christian Small (149) and James Penfold (174). 

“You watch those guys, they train they train at a super high level, you know, they aren’t All-Americans by mistake,” Lake Erie coach Boomer Fechko said. “Having those guys in the room is a great visual example to the other guys showing this is the level I need to train at if I want to be an All-American.” 

Coach Fechko hopes to learn a lot about his team during the National Duals. 

“I think we are going to learn a lot because you're going up against the best teams in the country, and it's back to back to back to back. So it’s an opportunity to see where we are at and where we need to get to be," he said.

Seven National Champions In The Field

The National Duals this year features a loaded field that boasts seven returning national champions from 2023 and dozens of returning All-Americans. The returning champions include: 

Gavin Quiocho (133-Glenville State) 

Zachary Donathan (141-Tiffin)

Nick Novak (157-St. Cloud State)

Chase Luensman (165-Upper Iowa) 

Ty McGeary (184-West Liberty) 

Dalton Abney (197-Central Oklahoma)

Shawn Streck (285-Central Oklahoma) 

In addition to the seven returning champions, Brower, a 2022 national champion, will be making his season debut this weekend for the Bearcats.