The National Duals Invitational, a major collegiate wrestling event with a substantial prize pool of $1 million, has disclosed its top four seeds for the upcoming tournament. This event, sponsored by Paycom, is scheduled to take place on December 12 and 13 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The tournament’s seeding committee has ranked Oklahoma State as the top seed, followed by Virginia Tech at the second position, Ohio State at third, and Stanford at fourth. These rankings are based on projections for the 2026-27 season and current national standings. The top four teams will be placed in separate quadrants of the bracket, ensuring they do not face each other in the initial rounds. The remaining 12 teams will be randomly assigned to the other bracket slots. The full lineup of 16 teams includes Arizona State, Arkansas-Little Rock, Iowa State, Minnesota, Missouri, NC State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Stanford, Virginia Tech, and Wyoming.
A bracket reveal event is set for December 1 at 6 p.m. CST, hosted by FloWrestling. This reveal will be streamed live across FloWrestling’s platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, and X channels, allowing fans to engage with the tournament’s setup.
“Seeding this field was no easy task. Every team in this tournament has a legitimate shot at taking home prize money, and our committee spent a lot of time weighing results, rankings and what these rosters look like heading into the season,” explained Matt Surber, the tournament director. “Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, and Stanford have earned those top spots, but with a random draw for the rest of the bracket, nobody is going to have an easy path to the championship.”
The prize fund for 2026, exceeding $1,230,000, marks one of the most significant financial contributions in the realm of college wrestling. The top eight teams will receive financial rewards, with the champion team earning a substantial $250,000. This amount represents a $50,000 increase from the $200,000 prize that Ohio State won as the inaugural champions in 2025. The teams finishing in second and third place will each receive $175,000, while the fourth and fifth place teams will secure $100,000 each. The payouts for the sixth through eighth places are set at $40,000, $25,000, and $20,000, respectively. Additionally, all participating teams will receive a $20,000 attendance fee and have the opportunity to compete for $50,000 in team takedown bonuses.
FloWrestling will provide comprehensive live coverage of the first 27 duals of the tournament, ensuring fans do not miss any action. The championship dual will be broadcast on ESPN on Sunday, December 13, at 7:30 p.m. CST, offering a wider audience the chance to witness the culmination of the event.
Tickets for this highly anticipated event are currently available for purchase through Ticketmaster and the BOK Center Box Office, providing fans with the opportunity to experience the action live.
For further details and updates, interested parties are encouraged to visit the official website at nationaldualsinvitational.com, where comprehensive information about the event is available.
About the National Duals Invitational
The National Duals Invitational stands as a premier collegiate wrestling event, featuring 16 of the top NCAA Division I teams competing for a total prize pool that exceeds $1 million. Hosted at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Invitational offers significant financial incentives to participating programs, including a $250,000 reward for the championship team. This prestigious event is proudly sponsored by Paycom, a leading provider of human capital management software.
Footnotes:
- The National Duals Invitational is a $1 million collegiate wrestling event sponsored by Paycom. Source.
- The seeding committee ranked Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, and Stanford as the top four seeds. Source.
- The 2026 prize purse exceeds $1,230,000, with the champion team earning $250,000. Source.
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