Eleventh-ranked and three-time defending champion Wis.-Eau Claire highlights a group of 16 teams, including six in the national rankings, that will head to Lamade Gymnasium on Friday for the start of the two-day 37th annual Budd Whitehill National Duals hosted by Lycoming College.

One of the premier events in Division III wrestling, the tournament, which moved to Lycoming College 30 years ago in 1995, is named for legendary coach Budd Whitehill, who coached the Warriors for 37 years and won 376 matches and 10 Middle Atlantic Conference titles.

The tournament will feature four groups of four competing in a round robin on Friday, with the winners of the groups being reseeded into a championship bracket on Saturday, Jan. 11, and competing in a four-team tournament for the championship. Brackets for Friday’s second, third and fourth-place group finishers on Saturday will also take place.

Wis.-Eau Claire, ranked 11th in the Dec. 30 NWCA Division III dual meet rankings, earned the top seed and will head Group A, which also features Wilkes, Ithaca and TCNJ. The group will begin its run at the tournament at 9 a.m. on Friday.

Washington & Lee, ranked 12th by the NWCA, earned the second seed and will head Group B, which also features Springfield, MSOE and York (Pa.). This group will begin competition at 9 a.m.

Group C, which begins competition at 10:30 a.m., will feature third-seeded Stevens, ranked 16th by the NWCA, 24th-ranked Ohio Northern, Wis.-Stevens Point and Oswego.

Group D is headed by fourth-seeded Messiah, ranked 22nd in the country, and also features 23rd-ranked Williams, Cortland and Lycoming, beginning competition at 10:30 a.m.

Six rounds of the duals will take place on Friday, Jan. 12, with four matches taking place in each round on mats spread across Lamade Gymnasium. On Saturday, Jan. 13, the tournament will conclude with four rounds of wrestling. The championship round is set for 1:30 p.m. with the tournament awards following at 3 p.m.

Lycoming enters the duals with a 3-1 overall record, which includes a 24-21 win over 22nd-ranked McDaniel College on Nov. 23.

The Warriors feature four wrestlers in the regional rankings, with junior Kaiden Wagner (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) the top-ranked grappler in Region 2 and ranked seventh nationally at 165 pounds. Sophomore 174-pounder Nolen Zeigler (Loysville, Pa./West Perry) is second in the region and ranked 10th nationally. Senior 184-pounder Eli Crum (Carlisle, Pa./Boiling Springs) is fifth and senior 157-pounder Kobin Karper (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) sits seventh.