KEARNEY, Neb. – Two of the premiere programs in NCAA Division II wrestling square off Friday night when top-ranked Central Oklahoma travels to No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney to start a two-day, two-match MIAA road trip. 
 
The Bronchos, 13-1 overall and 2-0 in the league, meet UNK (13-3, 3-0) at 7 p.m. in Kearney, Nebraska before moving on to Hays, Kansas to face Fort Hays State (3-7, 1-1) at 2 p.m. Saturday. 
 
UCO and the Lopers have combined to capture the last four Division II national championships, with UNK winning in 2022 and 2025 and the Bronchos in 2023 and 2024. 
 
"It's going to be a tough road trip," head coach Todd Steidley said. "Kearney has another great team, so our guys are going to have to be locked in. It's always a battle when we wrestle them and there's going to be a lot of close matches that could go either way. 
 
"We're looking forward to the challenge and it will help us get better. Then we have a short turnaround to get ready for another conference dual at Fort Hays and we certainly can't overlook them." 
 
The Bronchos have won five straight MIAA titles and are riding a 28-match league winning streak that dates to a 19-15 loss to UNK on Feb. 3, 2019.   
 
UCO owns a 27-12 series lead over the Lopers and has won the last eight meetings, including a 22-12 victory in the NWCA Division II National Duals finals on Jan. 10 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. 
 
The Bronchos hold a dominating 42-6 series advantage of FHSU and have won nine straight over the Tigers. 

It's the last road trip of the regular season for UCO, which finishes the dual schedule Feb. 15 at home against Central Missouri on Senior Day and Alumni Day. The 1985-86 NAIA national championship team will also be recognized during the dual.
 
UCO-UNK LINEUPS: Both teams have nine individuals ranked in the top 15 at their respective weight by the NWCA and there could be rematches in all but one weight from the first meeting between the two.  

Here's a look at the probable starters, with UCO listed first, and the result of the Jan. 10 dual: 

125 - #13 Eli Kirk, So. (6-1) or Guy Clevenger, Jr. (12-6) vs. #14 Caleb Coyle, Sr. (11-9). Kirk dec. Coyle, 8-1. 
133 - #1 Jason Henschel, Sr. (13-1) vs. #15 Zach Ourada, Jr. (13-6). Henschel MD Ourada, 8-0. 
141 - #8 Josh Taylor, Jr. (9-3) vs. #3 Joseph Airola, Jr. (16-3). Airola dec. Taylor, 4-1 (SV). 
149 - #12 Cole Mayfield, Fr. (21-5) or Bam West, Jr. (5-4) vs. Daniel DeRosier, Sr. (16-8). DeRosier didn't compete in the first dual. 
157 - #1 Gabe Johnson, Sr. (13-0) vs. #5 Cael Robb, So. (15-5). Johnson dec. Robb, 8-1. 
165 - #10 Bryce Dauphin, Sr. (10-8) vs. #6 Trent Munoz, Sr. (16-5). Dauphin dec. Munoz, 8-6. 
174 - #4 Hunter Jump, Sr. (15-4) vs. #8 Otgonbayar "Augie" Batsuuri, Jr. (12-6). Jump dec. Batsuuri, 1-0. 
184 - #3 Branson Britten, Sr. (17-2) vs. #5 Kaden Hart, Sr. (11-5). Hart MD Britten, 11-2. 
197 - #3 Garrett Wells, Jr. (16-2) or Jackson Blackburn, Fr. (18-6) vs. #4 Jackson Kinsella, Sr. (14-3). Wells dec. Kinsella, 4-1. 
Hvy – Ryan Nichols, So. (6-5) vs. #1 Crew Howard, Sr. (17-2). Howard TF Nichols, 18-3. 
 
ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO routed Drury 36-13 last Friday for its 12th straight win while stretching its home winning streak to 31 in a row. The Bronchos have scored 30-plus points in 10 of their 13 wins this season. 
 
Josh Taylor's 36-second fall at 141 highlighted six bonus-point wins against Drury. UCO also got technical falls from 133 Jason Henschel, 174 Hunter Jump and 184 Branson Britten, while 157 Gabe Johnson and 165 Bryce Dauphin received forfeits. 
 
Johnson is 13-0 with a 26-match winning streak and has won 54 of his last 55. The two-time national champion has moved into 19th place on UCO's career win list with a 104-16 record, which includes 56 bonus wins. 
 
Jump pushed his winning streak to nine in a row. He's 15-4 with nine bonus wins on the season and is 82-27 for his career. 
 
Henschel is 13-1 with 10 bonus wins. He's outscored his opponents a combined 138-23 in the 11 matches that didn't end with a pin. 
 
Britten has won 16 of his last 17 matches and has the most wins of UCO's starters with 17 (17-2). Wells is right behind with 16 (16-2) and he's now 70-19 for his career. 
 
SUNDAY AT HAMILTON FIELD HOUSE: Central Oklahoma will wrap up the 2025-26 regular season Sunday, Feb. 15 against Central Missouri in an action-packed day at Hamilton. UCO's seniors will be recognized at 2 p.m. before the dual begins. The 1985-86 national championship team will be recognized during an intermission halfway through the dual. It's also Alumni Day and former Bronchos will be celebrated throughout the afternoon. 
 
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: UCO isn't done with Hamilton following Central Missouri dual. The Bronchos are hosting the NCAA Division II Super Region IV Championships Sunday, March 1 at Hamilton Field House. The day-long tournament begins at 10 a.m. and regional champions and national qualifiers will be settled by the end of the night. Central Oklahoma has won five consecutive regional titles (2021-25) including two at Hamilton (2021, 2023).