The 2025 Division II season culminates this weekend at the Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET Friday, with the finals scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Saturday.

The two-day tournament will showcase the best wrestlers in Division II, including five returning national champions and four other finalists. Nebraska-Kearney enters the tournament as heavy favorites after qualifying all 10 wrestlers, while St. Cloud State and Central Oklahoma have the top-end firepower to contend for the title. 

Can Nebraska-Kearney Win It All?

After a third-place finish in 2024, Nebraska-Kearney appears poised to bring home a title. The Lopers qualified at all 10 weights and enter the tournament with eight wrestlers seeded in the top eight, including three in the top four. 

The biggest star for the Lopers is heavyweight Crew Howard, who placed third in 2024 and has his sights set on winning it all this year. 

“I was happy to be an All-American because that’s an important stepping stone, but at the same time, the only goal I have ever written down is to be a national champion,” Howard said. “I felt like I was that close and I just kind of fell short.” 

In addition to Howard, Nebraska-Kearney will also lean heavily on returning national runner-up Nick James. The top-ranked 149-pounder enters the tournament as the #4 seed, setting up a challenging run to the finals that could include a quarterfinal match up with #4 Colby Njos (St. Cloud State) and a semifinal bout with #2 Chris Donathan (Grand Valley State).   

St. Cloud State And Central Oklahoma As Spoilers

Although Nebraska-Kearney has the advantage in qualifiers, perennial powerhouses St. Cloud State and Central Oklahoma have the top-end firepower to upend the Lopers. St. Cloud State enters the tournament with eight qualifiers, including six seeded in the top eight. 

For the Huskies, #1 Joel Jesuroga (157 pounds) and #1 Dominic Murphy (197 pounds) enter the tournament undefeated. Additionally, St. Cloud State’s Nick Novak, ranked fourth at 165 pounds, took second at 157 pounds in 2024 and won the championship at the same weight in 2023. If these wrestlers can make a run, the Huskies could walk away with their sixth team title in 10 years. 

Central Oklahoma enters the tournament as back-to-back national champions. The Bronchos have six qualifiers, including four returning All-Americans in Dylan Brown (149 pounds), returning national champion Gabe Johnson (157 pounds), Hunter Jump (165 pounds) and Garrett Wells (184 pounds). 

“We don’t have as many qualifiers as a lot of teams, but I have great confidence in the six guys we’re taking,” UCO coach Todd Steidley said. “It should be a great tournament, and I think several teams have a chance — including us.” 

Returning Champs and Top-Level Talent 

The NCAA tournament is always loaded with top-level talent. In the field this year, there are five returning national champions:  

Gabe Johnson (157) – Central Oklahoma

David Hunsberger (165) – Lander

Josh Kenny (174) – Grand Valley State

Ty McGeary (184) – West Liberty

Derek Blubaugh (197) – Indianapolis

Outside of the returning champions, the field also includes four more finalists from 2024: 

Jaxson Rohman (125) – Augustana

Nick James (141) – Nebraska-Kearney

Nick Novak (165) – St. Cloud State

Matt Weinburg (184) – Kutztown

McGeary Three-Peat

McGeary is chasing his third title. He’s undefeated at the Division II level this season with 27 bonus-point wins. In his career, McGeary has amassed an impressive 129-7 record and is currently a three-time All-American. 

To secure his third title, McGeary may need to overcome Glenville State’s #5 Kyle Homet in the quarterfinals, and he could be destined for a rematch with #2 Matt Weinberg (Kutztown) who is 28-0 on the year with his last loss coming in to McGeary in the finals last season.     

Moving Forward

Glenville State and Grand Valley State have both put together solid seasons and enter the NCAA tournament ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. Glenville State has seven qualifiers, including four seeded in the top eight, with Hayden Pummel securing the top seed at 174 pounds. If Pummel can win a championship, he would be just the second NCAA wrestling champion for the Pioneers. 

Grand Valley State is a young team with incredible top-level talent, with #2 Chris Donathan (149 pounds) securing the top seed and #4 Josh Kenny (174 pounds) receiving the number two seed. 

After regionals, coach Joey Simcoe said his team's grit and determination bode well for the future. 

“We are a young team with no seniors, and when you crown two champions, have two more in the finals, and three in the third-place match, you have a gritty bunch of kids,” he said.  

For Grand Valley State, this year may be a stepping stone. 

“For our program to be in its second year as a varsity sport after a 32-year hiatus and finish second at NCAA Super Regional, you have a special program,” Simcoe said.