The TL;DR version of the Multi-Divisional National Duals preview I released for the NWCA. The full text is available at the bottom of the show notes. If you'd like to SUPPORT THE SHOW and all the on-demand audio offerings, free newsletters and historical research AND you want to get some of that cool Compound gear, you can support this program by making a small monthly contribution to the network at patreon.com/mattalkonline. The Short Time Time Wrestling Podcast is proudly supported by Compound Clothing. And if you haven't already, leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts. SUBSCRIBE TO SHORT TIME Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Google Play Music | Spotify | iOS App | Android App | RSS GET DAILY WRESTLING NEWS! You like wrestling news, right? Of course you do. Did you know you can sign up for FREE to subscribe to the Mat Talk Online DAILY WRESTLING NEWS e-mail newsletter that's published EVERY morning with the previous day's top news stories from outlets all around the globe. It's free and it's a great way to start your wrestling day. Louisville, Kentucky – With nearly 320 wrestlers from 84 teams converging this weekend on the Kentucky Expo Center and Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky, the name Mat Mayhem remains an adequate descriptor of what’s to come on January 4-5 as NUWAY hosts the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals presented by the United States Marine Corps and Defense Soap. Five different collegiate wrestling divisions will come to Louisville for the first time in a dual meet advancement format to crown a national dual meet champion as the draws were also released on Wednesday. This year’s field features 65 ranked teams, with the three of the five divisions competing in 16-team brackets. Division III will stage a 24-team bracket, while the women’s teams, which compete in the Olympic freestyle style, compete in a 12-team bracket. Brackets & Event Links Division II (PDF | Web) – Division III (PDF | Web) – NAIA (PDF | Web) NJCAA (PDF | Web) – Women (PDF | Web) WHAT: NUWAY hosts the 2019 NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals presented by the Marines and Defense Soap WHEN: January 4-5, 2019 WHERE: Freedom Hall & Exhibition Hall – Kentucky Expo Center, Louisville, Kentucky TICKETS: All-Session Adult ($45), All-Session Student ($25); Single Day Adult ($25), Single Day Student ($17). WATCH: Trackwrestling.com (PPV) / Fox College Sports (Tape Delay) INFO: bit.ly/MatMayhem2019 SOCIAL: #MatMayhem COMPETING TEAMS: Division II (16): Central Oklahoma, Fort Hays State, Gannon, Indianapolis, Limestone, Lindenwood, McKendree, Nebraska-Kearney, Notre Dame College, Pitt-Johnstown, Seton Hill, St. Cloud State, Upper Iowa, UW-Parkside, West Liberty, Wheeling Jesuit Division III (24): Augsburg, Augustana (Ill.), Baldwin Wallace, Centenary, Chicago, Coe, Greensboro, Heidelberg, Ithaca, Johns Hopkins, Johnson & Wales, Luther, Millikin, Mount Union, Olivet, Roger Williams, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Whitewater, Wabash, Wartburg, Westminster, WPI, York (Pa.) NAIA (16): Baker, Bethany (Kan.), Campbellsville, Grand View, Indiana Tech, Life, Lindsey Wilson, Marian, Midland, Missouri Valley, Providence (Mont.), Southeastern, Southern Oregon, U. of the Cumberlands, Williams Baptist, York (Neb.). NJCAA (16): Barton, Cowley, Harper, Itasca, Jamestown (N.Y.), Joliet, Labette, Muskegon, Nassau CC, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Northwest Kansas Tech, Rochester (Minn.), Southwestern Oregon, Spartanburg Methodist, Triton, Western Wyoming Women (12): Campbellsville, Emmanuel, Gannon, King, Life, Lyon, McKendree, Missouri Valley, Nassau CC, Southern Oregon, U of the Cumberlands, Wayland Baptist Here is a breakdown of what to look for in each respective division. Division II Top Bracket St. Cloud State is looking to win its third straight National Duals crown and a fifth overall. Currently riding a Division II-best 35-match win streak, the Huskies will be the top seed and open with Seton Hill in a rematch of last year’s final which St. Cloud State won 41-0. The Huskies (7-0) also bring a Division II-best eight nationally ranked wrestlers to Louisville, led by top-ranked 125-pounder and 2016 NCAA Division II champion Brett Velasquez and top-ranked 197-pounder Vince Dietz, a Division II runner-up a year ago. The winner of the dual will face the winner of the Upper Iowa-West Liberty dual in the quarterfinals. Upper Iowa, seeded eighth, has four nationally ranked wrestlers to contend with, led by Justin Foley at 133 and Dalton Hahn at 184 pounds. The pair comes in ranked seventh. There’s one matchup between ranked foes that could take place and that’s at 197 pounds where West Liberty’s Logan Kemp is ranked seventh and Upper Iowa returning All-American Nick Baumler is ranked No. 12. Despite its amazing wrestling tradition, the Mountain Cats of Pitt-Johnstown have never finished higher than third at the National Duals. That third-place finish came back in 2016 and longtime coach Pat Pecora’s squad will come to Louisville with five ranked wrestlers, including top-ranked returning Division II national champion Chris Eddins at 149 pounds. The Mountain Cats open with Fort Hays State, which has placed in the top eight just once in school history. Coach Chas Thompson’s team finished fifth back in 2014. The key matchup is a possible national final at 133 pounds as 2017 All-American Brandon Ball is ranked second for Fort Hays State, while UPJ counters with third-ranked Joey Alessandro. The winner of this dual will advance to the quarterfinals to face either Indianapolis or No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney. While Nebraska-Kearney is ranked No. 1 in Division II, that ranking is based on a tournament point projection by how teams’ individual wrestlers are slotted in the rankings. The Division II Coaches Association seeded the National Duals based on dual strength as each region had a representative submit their votes for the top eight seeds. The Lopers will face a UIndy team that could make things interesting as the Greyhounds have three ranked wrestlers in the mix. The Lopers boast a pair of top-ranked wrestlers – Matt Malcolm at 157 and Calvin Ochs at 165. The top matchup comes at heavyweight as UIndy’s Dylan Faulkenberg comes in ranked third, ahead of returning All-American and fifth-ranked Jarrod Hinrichs. Bottom Bracket Third-seeded Notre Dame College is loaded again as the Falcons have five ranked wrestlers and return All-Americans Kelan McKenna (133), Tony Vezzetti (184) and Kameron Teacher (285). They’ll face UW-Parkside, which returns All-Americans Airk Furseth (133) and James Lehman, who was an All-American at 197 last season, but has competed at 184 this year. The winner will advance to face either No. 6 Lindenwood or Wheeling Jesuit. While Seton Hill was the unseeded team making a run to the finals last year, the year prior, it was Wheeling Jesuit that crashed the party. The Cardinals again find themselves unseeded, opening up with No. 6 Lindenwood. With 11 wrestlers ranked between the two teams and three matches head-to-head involving ranked wrestlers, the key for advancing in this tight dual will be bonus points. Third-ranked Carlos Jacquez of Lindenwood has been on fire recently, winning the Midwest Classic. He’ll face fifth-ranked Cole Laya. Danny Swan was a solid fifth at the Midwest Classic and he’ll match-up with returning All-American Tyler Warner of Wheeling Jesuit at 133. The dual could come down to a pair of ranked heavyweights as Wheeling Jesuit has a strong presence with returning national champion Terrance Fanning. Lindenwood can counter with 11th-ranked Courvosier Morrow. The rest of that quarter bracket involves seventh-seeded Central Oklahoma squaring off with Gannon and second-seeded McKendree drawing Limestone to open the round. UCO has placed in the top eight 15 times and was a 2002 winner of the event. The Bronchos (yes, with an h) have three ranked individuals, while Gannon’s top individual is fifth-ranked George McGuire at 157 pounds. McKendree is a solid No. 2 seed and the Bearcats are looking to set a new program record for highest men’s finish. The team finished fifth in 2017, while the school’s women’s program has two National Duals runner-up finishes to its credit. McKendree has been bolstered by the availability of Michael Pixley, a past NAIA national champion who transferred from Grand View and had previously been an NAIA finalist at Lindsey Wilson. With no ranked wrestlers, Limestone will have a monumental task ahead of itself should the Saints want to be this season’s Cinderella. Division II Ranked Wrestlers/Matchups #1 St. Cloud State vs. Seton Hill 125: #1 Brett Velasquez (SCSU) 133: #11 Garrett Vos (SCSU) 141: #9 Travis Swanson (SCSU) 149: #2 James Pleski (SCSU) 157: #7 Jake Barzowski (SCSU) 165: #4 Devin Fitzpatrick (SCSU) 174: #3 Kolton Eischens (SCSU) 197: #1 Vince Dietz (SCSU) #8 Upper Iowa vs. West Liberty 125: #10 Maleek Williams (UIU) 133: #7 Justin Foley (UIU) 184: #7 Dalton Hahn (UIU) 197: #12 Nick Baumler (UIU) vs. #7 Logan Kemp (WLU) #5 Pitt-Johnstown vs. Fort Hays State 141: #3 Joey Alessandro (UPJ) vs. #2 Brandon Ball (FHSU) 149: #1 Chris Eddins (UPJ) 157: #4 Efe Osaghae (FHSU) 165: #9 Devin Austin (UPJ) 174: #7 Brock Biddle (UPJ) 197: #6 Levi Niebauer (UPJ) #4 Nebraska-Kearney vs. Indianapolis 125: #2 Josh Portillo (UNK) 141: #4 Jon Killingsworth (UNK) 149: #7 Jacob Wasser (UNK) vs. #9 Kyle Barkovich (UIndy) 157: #1 Matt Malcolm (UNK) 165: #1 Calvin Ochs (UNK) 184: #5 Zach Stodden (UNK) vs. #8 Brody Connor (UIndy) 285: #3 Dylan Faulkenberg (UIndy) vs. #5 Jarrod Hinrichs (UNK) #3 Notre Dame College vs. UW-Parkside 125: #11 Joe Arroyo (UWP) 133: #2 Kelan McKenna (NDC) vs. #10 Airk Furseth (UWP) 141: #8 Jose Rodriguez (NDC) 174: #6 Cornell Beachem (NDC) 184: #2 Tony Vezzetti (NDC) vs. #11 James Lehman (UWP) 285: #1 Kameron Teacher (NDC) #6 Lindenwood vs. Wheeling Jesuit 125: #3 Carlos Jacquez (LU) vs. #5 Cole Laya (WJU) 133: #3 Tyler Warner (WJU