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Iowa set for major early season test at National Duals Invitational

by: Tanner Lafever7 hours agoTannerLafever
BOK Center, Tulsa
The BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma will host most of the top men's wrestling programs in America for this weekend's National Duals Invitational. (Photo Credit: Bill Cobb/Skyline Scenes)

It’s a new era for both the Iowa Hawkeyes and the men’s college wrestling landscape.

Just three weeks into a new season, most of the nation’s top teams are descending upon Tulsa, Oklahoma for a revamped version of a familiar event.

That’s right – welcome to the 2025 National Duals Invitational, sponsored by Paycom.

This weekend, Iowa will compete as part of 16-team bracket to not only determine a champion, but to divvy up a total purse of more than $1 million dollars.

To do so, it’ll have to navigate a field featuring 15/16 teams ranked in the top 25 of the latest NCAA Division I Men’s Coaches Poll – including 10 of the top 12.

(The only exceptions being #1 Penn State – who declined to participate – and #6 Iowa state – who failed to qualify.)

The third-ranked Hawkeyes will be the top seed in Tulsa – as I detailed in a previous article – and coincidentally, will face #16 Missouri in their first dual on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. (CT).

No matter how you slice it, the weekend will be chock full of great action for wrestling fans everywhere. But as we’re here primarily focused Iowa, let’s get you ready for the days ahead – starting with whom will be representing the Hawkeyes at the BOK Center.

Meet the team

Per event rules, each team is allowed to bring a 16-man travel roster to Tulsa. And it wouldn’t be a surprise to see coaches strategically utilize that depth, either.

With the potential for a team to wrestle up to five duals over a span of 27 hours (if they lose in the quarterfinals or earlier), that’s a lot of high-level competition in a small window of time.

Iowa’s travel roster features all 10 starters from last week’s 40-0 dual victory against Bellarmine.

Additionally, Leo DeLuca (125), Jace Rhodes (141), Ryder Block (149), Victor Voinovich III (157), Gabe Arnold (184) and Gage Marty (285) will be options this weekend.

Among them, one could envision DeLuca/Block potentially getting the nod in a big spot – the former being the top-ranked recruit in Iowa’s 2025 class, and the latter seemingly battling with Kael Voinovich for pole position at 149 pounds.

At 184, Gabe Arnold’s inclusion also stands out.

After a rollercoaster 2024-25, the talented sophomore is focused on rediscovering the best version of himself – and challenging for the starting job at 174 this season.

So, perhaps the 184 listing is a clerical error, some cloak-and-dagger tactics by Iowa or merely part of Arnold’s descent plan. Regardless, if called upon he’s a guy with plenty of big match experience already.

How to watch

**All times Central Standard**

November 15-16 (Sat/Sun) – @ National Duals Invitational

  • Location: Tulsa, OK (BOK Center)
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. (Round of 16), TBD after
  • TV/streaming: live on FloWrestling (championship final on ESPN2)
  • Radio: AM 800 KXIC, Hawkeye Radio Network, YouTube

Outside of its opener against #16 Missouri, Iowa’s schedule this weekend will be determined by its win/loss record.

So too, will the viewing experience for Hawkeye fans.

Here’s how the entire bracket lays out at present:

At 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning, the Hawkeyes will battle the Tigers on Mat 4 for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Win that, and they’d face either #15 Illinois or #22 Little Rock next – at 5:00 p.m.

With a 2-0 showing on Day 1, Iowa would return to the mat the following morning for a 10:00 a.m. semifinal matchup against whomever emerges from the four-team pod featuring #5 Oklahoma State, #7 NC State, #12 Cornell and #14 Northern Iowa.

All those duals – and every dual that isn’t the final – will be streamed live on FloWrestling.

Were the Hawkeyes to reach the final, ESPN2 is set to carry the broadcast at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evening.

Matchups of interest

With so many quality teams and so many variables from dual to dual, it’d be foolhardy to try and project an entire tournament’s worth of matchups for the Hawkeyes.

That said, ‘foolhardy’ is a description I tend to flirt with from time to time – so here are several (potential) bouts I’ve got my eye on from Iowa’s half of the bracket.

(Rankings courtesy of InterMat)

#3 Iowa vs. #16 Missouri

  • (149) – #29 Kael Voinovich OR Ryder Block vs. #6 Joshua Edmond
  • (184) – #3 Angelo Ferrari vs. #8 Aeoden Sinclair
  • (197) – #16 Massoma Endene vs. #15 Evan Bates

149 is arguably Iowa’s most unsettled weight class. Whomever of Voinovich/Block gets the nod will have a chance to make a strong impression against Mizzou’s #6 Edmond – a three-time NCAA qualifier.

The standout matchup of this dual – and arguably the entire first round – is #3 Angelo Ferari vs. #8 Aeoden Sinclair.

Both were top-four recruits in the Class of 2024. Both redshirted last season with aims to take the country by storm in 2025-26.

A redshirting Aeoden Sinclair wrestled Iowa national champion Stephen Buchanan in the 2024 Soldier Salute final at 197 pounds.

And at 197, Friday’s opener presents an excellent litmus test for the still mysterious Massoma Endene.

He and Evan Bates may only be one spot apart in the national rankings, but we still don’t know exactly how the Hawkeye will translate to the Division I level – especially after his modest 3-0 debut win last week.

Bates – a two-time NCAA qualifier – presents a great foil in that regard. The Northwestern transfer finished eighth/seventh at the 2024/25 Big Ten Championships.

#3 Iowa vs. #15 Illinois (potential quarterfinal)

  • (133) #2 Drake Ayala vs. #1 Lucas Byrd
  • (157) #11 Jordan Williams vs. #10 Kannon Webster
  • (285) #5 Ben Kueter vs. #8 Luke Luffman

Ayala vs. Byrd is self-explanatory.

The top two 133 pounders in the country, Ayala will be looking to even their series at two-apiece after Byrd prevailed in both the Big Ten and NCAA finals last season.

At 157, can Jordan Williams keep the momentum going after a season-opening pin last Thursday? Returning Big Ten finalist Kannon Webster will be a step up in competition.

Both he and Williams competed at 149 a year ago.

As for the heavyweights, seventh-year collegian Luke Luffman (a four-time NCAA qualifier) eked out a 3-1 win against Ben Kueter at last year’s dual inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. One would imagine the Hawkeye sophomore would like to get that one back if presented the opportunity in Tulsa.

#3 Iowa vs. #22 Little Rock (potential quarterfinal)

  • (141) #9 Nasir Bailey vs. Little Rock
  • (157) #11 Jordan Williams vs. Little Rock
  • (165) #2 Michael Caliendo vs. #4 Matt Bianchi

For both Bailey/Williams, the individual opponent is immaterial in this potential quarterfinal dual.

Iowa’s first-year 141/157 pounders both won Pac-12 titles last season for Little Rock. The year prior, Bailey became the first All-American in program history.

One imagines there might be some extra motivation (on both sides) should they face their former team at National Duals.

As for 165, a top-four battle between #2 Michael Caliendo and #4 Matt Bianchi all but sells itself.

These two also met this summer in a wild freestyle bout at U23 Nationals, won 10-9 by Caliendo.

#3 Iowa vs. #5 Oklahoma State (potential semifinal)

Forget the individual matchups in this one – of which there would be plenty of absolute bangers.

Iowa/Oklahoma State needs no further explanation.

When these two teams meet – regardless of the date/location – fireworks typically follow.

(Look no further than February’s barnburner at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.)

Entering National Duals, the Hawkeyes and Cowboys share a combined 15 wrestlers ranked in the top 10 – plus another quartet who are ranked between 11-20.

And were they to square off in a semifinal in Tulsa, we’d get to see all that firepower and rivalry history come to a head at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.

Talk about getting up and at ‘em.

Money talks

Regardless of Iowa’s ultimate finish this weekend, we’re going to learn a heck of a lot about these Hawkeyes earlier than we have in any season in recent memory.

And while some have quibbled with this event’s placement on the calendar, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who isn’t stoked to watch the action take place.

Not that wrestlers typically need an extra excuse to throw themselves into competition, but the prize money that I mentioned in the intro (north of $1 million in total) ought to give things a little extra jolt as well.

The breakdown is as follows:

  • 1st place = $200,000
  • 2nd place = $150,000
  • 3rd place = $150,000
  • 4th place = $75,000
  • 5th place = $50,000
  • 6th place = $40,000
  • 7th place = $25,000
  • 8th place = $20,000

Every team will also receive $20,000 for attending the event – and can earn various cash bonuses for different accomplishments throughout the tournament.

(You can read more about the prize allocations, plus the entire background story of this event HERE.)

“The purse is unprecedented,” said Iowa head coach Tom Brands during a joint Zoom interview this week with coaches from the other top four seeds (Nebraska, Ohio State and Oklahoma State).

“You don’t do things – you certainly don’t wrestle – for money. There’s money to be made if you’re at the very, very best. But you don’t do it for that. It’s the self-satisfaction that’s first – and (along) with the purse, that’s why we’re here.”

Short time

I’ll have coverage of the Hawkeyes throughout the weekend’s action down in Tulsa.

So, be sure to follow along here on the site for daily recaps and/or my social media for more up-to-the-minute analysis – including live match-to-match updates on each Iowa dual.

As always, thanks to everyone for reading.

Enjoy an incredible weekend of wrestling, and I’ll talk to you guys again real soon.

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