Name, Image and Likeness reshaped the landscape of NCAA wrestling. The re-established National Invitationals Duals took note.
After an 11-year hiatus, the National Duals bracket already includes the top 12 teams from last season, including fifth-place finishing Minnesota and four other Big Ten schools.
The brand new prize pool awards a seven-figure check to the winning university, $200,000 each for the second and third place finishers, with the fourth place team set to earn $75,000.
The defending national champions, Penn State Nittany Lions, did not accept an invitation.
Coming off his 12th NCAA Championship victory, Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson expressed concerns about the message the prize money sends to the NCAA about the sport.
“It’s sad that we think we have to have the national duals to create a big event,” Sanderson told reporters at State College, Pennsylvania.
Minnesota head coach Brandon Eggum is of a different opinion.
“It should be a really enjoyable weekend,” Eggum said.
The upcoming wrestling tournament will be Eggum’s first time coaching Minnesota during the event, given its hiatus. Eggum understands the caliber of opponents Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska and Iowa are heading into the 2025 season.
“The Big Ten is by far the toughest conference in the country,” Eggum said.
Last year, six Big Ten Teams finished in the top 12 in the nation. Minnesota finished its season ranked fifth, with heavyweight wrestler Gable Steveson taking home a bronze.
Steveson lost his first match against Oklahoma State’s heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson.
Oklahoma State coach David Taylor, whose Cowboys have accepted an invitation into the Duals, spoke about the importance of the event to wrestlers to FloWrestling.
“As we move forward, we have to figure out ways we can continue to market our teams, our programs and the guys that are on the mat,” Taylor said. “That’s the future.”
Eggum shared a similar approach to the tournament.
“In today’s world, it’s a constant battle with the financial situation,” Eggum said. “Anything helps.”
Currently, the West Virginia Mountaineers and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits are selected as the two alternates for the 2025 Duals Invitational.
Currently, Lehigh University, Northern Iowa University and Cornell are the three non-Power Four schools to accept an invitation.
Other Big Ten schools currently competing for a spot in the tournament include Indiana, Maryland and Purdue.
The National Duals Invitational is scheduled for November 15-16 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.