The top NCAA Division 2 teams in the country will convene Friday and Saturday at the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa. 

This year’s field features nine of the top 10 teams in the Flowrestling Division II team tournament rankings — #1 St. Cloud State, #2 UW-Parkside, #3 Central Oklahoma, #4 Glenville State, #5 McKendree, #6 Nebraska-Kearney, #7 Augustana, #8 Grand Valley State, and #9 Tiffin. 

The two-day event kicks off the second half of the season and provides a look at each team's top-to-bottom depth. Here are five things to watch for this weekend in Iowa. 

Can St. Cloud State Stay On Top?

St. Cloud State enters the tournament as the #1 team in the nation and the top-seeded team in the tournament. The Huskies are anchored by four wrestlers ranked in the top five including #1 Nick Novak (165), #2 La'Ron Parks (285), #3 Dominic Murphy (197), and #4 Colby Njos (149).   

While the Huskies are ranked #1, the NWCA National Duals will be a true test to see if they can stay on top. For coach Steve Costanzo, the focus isn’t on rankings. 

“It is all about continuing to make progress, being consistent and coming into the wrestling room each day and getting a little bit better and not worrying about where the rankings are at,” he said. 

Out of the gate, the Huskies will face unranked King University at 10 a.m. in Friday’s opening round. 

Will Central Oklahoma Defend Its Title?

In 2024 the Central Oklahoma Bronchos made a statement at the NWCA National Duals, outscoring their opponents 110-35 on their way to the D2 title. This season, the Bronchos are the #2 seed in the tournament and are coming off of a strong showing at the Midwest Classic where they took second. 

The National Duals marks the first time back on the mat since the Midwest Classic in December. “It was good to get a little break to let some of our guys heal up,” UCO coach Todd Steidley said. “This is a great event that will really push our guys. It’s an opportunity to wrestle some teams we don’t normally get a chance to compete against and every round is going to be tough. We’ll have to be ready to go every time we step on the mat.” 

Central Oklahoma may have a challenging task in front of them as they may face #2 UW-Parkside in the second round. But with a returning national champion in Gabe Johnson at 157 pounds and five wrestlers ranked in the top five, the Bronchos may have the firepower to defend their National Duals title. 

Upstarts

The UW-Parkside Rangers — led by #1 Cayden Henschel at 141 — are coming off a title-winning performance at the Midwest Classic and are looking to keep their momentum rolling into the National Duals. They could run into #3 Central Oklahoma in the quarterfinals. 

Another team hoping to cement its spot in the top 5 is #4 Glenville State. The Pioneers are coming off dual victories against #15 Lander and Gannon. 

For coach Dylan Cottrell this week is as much about development as it is about winning the duals. 

“If we go there and win this thing, awesome but I’m looking for individual good reps from our guys and getting better and seeing who really wants to lay it out there,” he said. “(It is) another good chance to wrestle the best guys in the country who they are going to see at the national tournament.” 

While Cottrell wants to see his wrestlers develop, he also understands the magnitude of this tournament. 

“This is the national tournament for duals, so we are trying to win this and put our best foot forward,” he said. 

The Pioneers are led by 2023 national champion #1 Gavin Quiocho, who is back wrestling at 133 pounds to start the new year after wrestling at 141 to start the season. 

First-Round Fireworks

The national duals could start with a bang as highly ranked teams are slated to face off in the first round. Duals to watch in the first round include: 

— #6 Nebraska-Kearney vs. #13 Indianapolis

— #7 Augustana vs #8 Grand Valley State

— #2 UW-Parkside vs. #17 Central Missouri

— #5 McKendree vs. #11 West Liberty

Six Champions in the Field

In a field loaded with dozens of All-Americans, there will be six NCAA champions in the field — Central Oklahoma’s Gabe Johnson (157), Grand Valley State’s Josh Kenny (174), West Liberty’s Ty McGeary (184), Indianapolis’ Derek Blubaugh (197), Glenville State’s Gavin Quiocho (133) and St. Cloud State’s Nick Novak (165).