CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Top-ranked Central Oklahoma resumes the 2025-26 campaign this weekend when the Bronchos journey to Iowa for the NWCA Division II National Duals.
UCO, 5-1 on the season, earned the No. 1 seed for the 16-team tournament at the UNI-Dome on the Northern Iowa campus and opens against unseeded but No. 9-ranked Ashland (3-1) at 2 p.m. Friday. The Bronchos will then face the winner or loser of the first-round match between eighth-seeded and T-No. 13 Augustana (4-3) and No. 25 King (5-4) at 4 p.m.
Central hasn't competed since a 34-6 home win over Maryville on Dec. 19, though a group of backups participated in the Jet Open Jan. 4. The Bronchos had a week off for the Christmas holidays before returning to practice Dec. 29.
"It was good to get a little break to let our guys rest and heal up," head coach Todd Steidley said. "We've been working hard since we got back in the room to get ready for this weekend. Obviously it's going to be a big challenge with most the best teams there and we're looking forward to it.
"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."
ABOUT THE NATIONAL DUALS: Thirteen of the 16 teams in the field are ranked in the top 25, including five in the top 10. There are also 76 of the top 150 individuals in the tournament, including eight of the 10 No. 1s.
Nebraska-Kearney is seeded second behind the Bronchos, followed by Wisconsin-Parkside, Lander, St. Cloud State, Grand Valley State, Tiffin and Augustana. Seeds for the NWCA Division II National Duals don't reflect the national poll, which is a tournament-style ranking that gives points to the top 15 individuals at each weight.
Other first-round pairings are and their rankings: No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney (4-1) vs. No. 8 McKendree (4-2), No. 3 Wisconsin-Parkside (4-1) vs. West Liberty (5-3), T-No. 6 Lander (11-1) vs. No. 19 Mary (4-0), T-No. 6 Tiffin (2-0) vs. Upper Iowa (1-1), No. 12 Grand Valley State (2-2) vs. Minnesota State (6-1), T-No.13 St. Cloud State (7-1) vs. Maryville (3-4).
All first-round matches are at 2 p.m., followed by quarterfinal and opening consolation bouts at 4 p.m. with another round of consolations at 6 p.m.
The tournament resumes Saturday with the consolation semifinals at 9 a.m. and championship semifinals at 11 a.m. Third, fifth- and seventh-place matches will be at 1 p.m., followed by the championship bout at 4 p.m.
The Bronchos have never faced five of the 16 teams in the tournament, including first-round opponent Ashland. UCO also hasn't wrestled Grand Valley State, King, Lander and Tiffin.
UCO IN THE NATIONAL DUALS: The National Duals started as the Showdown Duals in 1993-94 and the Bronchos have participated in 29 of 31 tournaments since then, having finished in the top six 26 times.
UCO has a 91-31 record in the tournament with six championships (1994, '95, '96, '02, '22, '24) and seven runner-up showings (1997, '98, '00, '01, '04, '23, '25).
The Bronchos have made four straight finals appearances, capturing titles in 2022 and '24 while finishing runner-up to St. Cloud State in 2023 and '25. The Bronchos toppled Mary (26-15), Wisconsin-Parkside (20-15) and Nebraska-Kearney (22-14) in making last year's finals before falling 21-16 to the Huskies.
UCO LINEUP: Teams are allowed to bring up to 20 individuals to the tournament and the Bronchos will take two wrestlers at each weight to the event.
125 –Guy Clevenger, Jr. (7-3) and Eli Kirk, So. (1-0); 133 – Jason Henschel, Sr. (6-0) and Easton Taylor, Jr. (13-1); 141 – Josh Taylor, Jr. (4-0) and Shaun Muse, Jr. (4-3); 149 – Cole Mayfield, Fr. (17-3) and Bam West, Jr. (2-2); 157 – Gabe Johnson, Sr. (5-0) and Brady Benham, RS Fr. (6-1); 165 – Bryce Dauphin, Sr. (6-5) and Cooper Zickefoose, Fr. (9-0); 174 – Hunter Jump, Sr. (7-4) and Tucker Waitman, So. (4-1); 184 – Branson Britten, Sr. (10-1) and Seth Sarasua, Sr. (12-3); 197 - Garrett Wells, Jr. (11-1) and Emmanuel Skillings, Sr. (4-1); Hvy – Judson Rowland, Jr. (4-2) and Ryan Nichols, So. (4-1)
ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO has won 65 of its last 68 duals, with two losses coming to St. Cloud State in the finals of the National Duals (2023 and '25) and the other to Division I Little Rock early this season.
The Bronchos won their final dual of the 2019-20 season, then went 5-0 in the COVID-shortened 2021-21 campaign, 13-0 in 2021-22, 13-1 in 2022-23, 15-0 in 2023-24 and 13-1 last season before this year's 5-1 start.
UCO has 10 individuals ranked at the top 15 at their respective weight – 133 Jason Henschel (first), 157 Gabe Johnson (first), 184 Branson Britten (second), 141 Josh Taylor (third), 197 Garrett Wells (fourth), 174 Hunter Jump (sixth), 149 Cole Mayfield (11th), Hvy Judson Rowland (12th), 165 Bryce Dauphin (14th) and 125 Guy Clevenger (15th).
Henschel (6-0), Johnson (5-0) and Tayor (4-0) are all unbeaten in limited action, while Britten (10-1) and Wells (11-1) have one loss each. Britten is riding a nine-match winning streak which includes a five-match run at the Midwest Classic in winning that prestigious tournament in mid-December.
Johnson, winner of the last two national championships, is closing in on his 100th career victory. He's 96-16 with 50 bonus-wins in his stellar career and has won 46 of his last 47 matches, including 18 straight.
Jump has a 74-27 career mark with 38 bonus wins and Wells is 65-18 with 36 bonus victories. Jump was an All-American in 2024, while Wells has earned All-America honors the past two seasons.
