Iowa Earns Top Seed at Major Competition

The National Duals Invitational is touted as the highest and most prestigious of stages for college wrestling, hosting the most refined athletes and programs in a seeded competition for the entire relevant world that surrounds the sport to see.

As the event draws closer, the Iowa Hawkeyes have officially earned the top, #1 seed. In other words, the black and gold are the (predicted) best in the world.

While the National Duals format in men's wrestling is ever-changing, the last time it occured as a bracketed event, as it will this season, was an entire decade ago in 2015. Now, similarly to the women's team - coming off a 2025 title run of their own - the men's unit will look to capitalize on their favorable bracket and bring a trophy back to Iowa City.

The news of the Hawkeyes top-seed was broken on X (Twitter) by insider Ross Bartachek:

The Hawkeyes will be the #1 seeded team at the National Duals. That will put them on the same side of the bracket as #4 seed Oklahoma State.

Nebraska #2 and Ohio State #3 are the other top seeds. pic.twitter.com/aR42mpvvNB
— Ross Bartachek (@rossbchek) October 7, 2025

Iowa, situated in the same bracket as #4 seed Oklahoma State - and firmly across from #2 and #3 seeds Nebraska and Ohio State, respectively - will be tasked with the Missouri Tigers in the first round of the competition. All-time, the Hawkeyes hold a winning 4-2 record against the Tigers; although, their last meeting came in the aforementioned 2015 National Duals, in which Missouri came out on top, 18-12. Now the favorite between the two, Iowa will be searching for some overdue revenge in the first round of the duals.

Against the tournament field as a whole, the Hawkeyes hold a scorching 392-137-9 record, shining a historically golden light on the battles yet to be fought.

The event, beginning on Nov. 15, will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and see a total monetary prize of more than $1 million divvied across all participating teams. Of course, the number increases the better a team places. The overall winner will receive the majority $200,000 payout.

Whether or not the Hawkeyes win the entire thing - although that is, of course, the goal - to be back on the national stage of competition is both good for the program and a compelling sign of the times. It's only up from here for Iowa Hawkeyes men's wrestling either way.

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