Wrestling Faces Loaded Field at NWCA National Team Duals

LAKELAND, Fla.- For the fourth time in program history, Southeastern wrestling will head to Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky. on Friday to compete in the NWCA National Team Duals featuring 16 of the Top 20 programs in the NAIA. Most recently, the Fire finished in seventh at the NWCA National Team Duals in 2022 and also have earned an eighth-place finish in 2020 and the fifth-place spot in 2019.
 
The Fire will open the 16-team, double-elimination tournament with a dual against No. 17 ranked University of the Cumberlands at 2 p.m. and will then face off with either No. 9 Campbellsville University or No. 7 Marian University pending outcomes.
 
The Fire and the Patriots recently met at the Fire Duals last month where the Fire took their first victory over the Patriots by an overall score of 26-9 to move the historical record to 4-1 in favor of the Patriots.
 
Southeastern and Campbellsville last faced off at Freedom Hall last season when the Tigers took the narrow 21-18 victory to over the Fire to take the 3-2 historical edge.
 
Also meeting at Freedom Hall last season was the Fire and the Knights with the Fire taking the 2-1 historical edge with a thrilling 20-19 victory.
 
The No. 3 ranked Fire have posted a 6-1 dual record thus far this season with wins over four Top 20 ranked opponents in No. 8 University of Providence, No. 17 University of the Cumberlands, No. 18 Cumberland University, and No. 12 Reinhardt University. Individually, the Fire have 12 wrestlers ranked in the Top 25 in their weight class, 10 of which sit in the Top 10.
 
At 125, Isaac Crowell sits at No. 3 nationally while Parker Dobrocky (141), Andreus Bond (149), Sal Silva (157), and Gage Braun (285) also come in at third in their weight classes.
 
Esau Bazilme ranks No. 8 in the 125-weight class while Trace Braun joins Silva in the Top 10 of the 157 class, coming in at No. 10. The Fire also have two of the Top 10 174-pound wrestlers in Stephen Kelle and Douglas Peppers as Kelle sits at fourth nationally and Peppers sits at seventh. Trillyon Fils-Aime has earned an eighth place ranking in the 197 weight class.
 
The Patriots have posted a 2-5 dual record this season with all five losses coming against Top 20 programs. Six Patriot wrestlers rank in the Top 20 in their respective weight classes including the seventh ranked wrestler at 125, Chandler Atkins. Also ranked in the 125-weight class is Austin Franco at No. 10 with a 4-2 overall record with one of those losses coming against the No. 8 ranked wrestler, Southeastern's Esau Bazilme. At 141, Bryce Nickel ranks eighth with a 12-4 overall record after going 3-0 at the Fire Duals.
 
The Tigers of Campbellsville have won four of their last five duals to move to 12-4 on the season, dropping their four contests to No. 11 Menlo College, No. 5 Indiana Tech, No. 6 Ottawa, and No. 12 Reinhardt. The lineup is highlighted by three individuals ranked in the Top 10 including Dayton Marvel at 149 (9^th), Gavin Smith at 165 (8^th), and Greyson Stevens at 197 (9^th).
 
The Knights of Marian come into the dual with eight wrestlers ranked in the Top 20 and six in the Top 10 including the No. 3 wrestler at 184, Sam Osho. Blake Mulkey sits at sixth nationally in the 133-pound weight class while two individuals rank in the Top 10 of the 141-pound weight class in Shea Ruffridge (7^th) and Asa Garcia (10^th). At 157, Bailey Moore ranks eighth while Anthony Hughes ranks ninth at 125.
 
Also on the Fire's side of the bracket is No. 6 Ottawa University, No. 14 Morningside University, receiving votes Cornerstone University, and No. 2 Life University.
 
The Fire will also have individuals competing in the NUWAY Invitational.