LAKELAND, Fla. -- No. 3 Southeastern Wrestling opens the 2026 portion of its schedule this weekend as the Fire travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships, set for January 9–10 inside the University of Northern Iowa's UNI-Dome. The event marks SEU's first competition of the new calendar year and serves as a measuring stick against one of the deepest dual-meet fields in the country.
The Fire enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed in the NAIA Men's bracket and will open action Friday at 11 a.m. ET against No. 15 Arizona Christian. The National Duals feature consolation brackets, ensuring each team multiple matches regardless of outcome. As a result, Southeastern is guaranteed a second dual on Friday and will face either No. 7 Campbellsville (Ky.) or No. 12 Cumberlands (Ky.) later in the day, setting up a demanding opening slate inside the UNI-Dome.
Southeastern brings a deep and balanced lineup into the weekend, beginning at the lower weights with
Brodie Christmas and
Erick Hair at 125 before turning to one of the nation's elite competitors at 133 in No. 1
Aaron Lucio. The Fire are particularly strong in the 141–149 range, where No. 2
Andrew Voiles and No. 9
Drew Jones provide multiple ranked options at 141, followed by No. 2
Mario De La Torre and No. 12
Raymond Cavey at 149, giving SEU flexibility and scoring potential in key swing matches.
Depth continues through the middle of the lineup at 157, where No. 12
Austin Scott and
Justin Krebs offer solid dual-meet production, while the Fire boast two ranked wrestlers at 165 in No. 6
Anthony Federico and No. 7
Jovon Mitchell. That strength carries into 174 with
Ty Rodriguez and No. 11
Husam Mustafa, as Southeastern maintains consistency through the heart of the lineup.
The upper weights remain a major advantage for the Fire, highlighted by No. 14 August Boston and
Tyler Hanna at 184 and one of the deepest weight classes in the field at 197. Southeastern features three options at 197, led by No. 5
Gentry Smith and No. 9
Kasten Grape, along with
Ralph Sanchez.
Bryce Wheatley anchors the lineup at heavyweight, rounding out a roster built to withstand the demands of multiple duals over two days.
The NAIA Men's bracket features a strong top eight, including Grand View, Indiana Tech, Life, Southeastern, Campbellsville, Oklahoma City, Southern Oregon, and Embry-Riddle. This year's tournament includes seven of the top eight teams from last season's National Duals, with defending champion Grand View earning the No. 1 seed and headlining a field loaded with national contenders.
Competition continues Saturday with placement and championship duals, culminating in the national title match scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. Fans can follow every match on FloWrestling as Southeastern looks to open 2026 with a strong showing at one of the premier dual-meet lineups in collegiate wrestling.
