Kearney, Neb. - The 4th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team begins a very busy and tough stretch with the 2012 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals this weekend in Springfield, Ill.

The Lopers have yet to take part in a dual this season and have been off since mid-December.

On Saturday at 9:00 a.m. in the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, UNK will tangle with the Ouachita Baptist (Ark). Tigers. Kearney will then wrestling at 1:00 p.m. against either 5th-seed Augustana or Findlay (Ohio).

Additional duals will be based on the Lopers performance. For brackets, click HERE. The top three seeds are Newberry (S.C.), Upper Iowa and St. Cloud State (Minn.).

UNK will have a short break before it heads South next Wednesday, January 11th, to face Division II Newman and NAIA power Oklahoma City U. in OKC. The next night, the Lopers have its annual showdown with Central Oklahoma in Edmond.

Those wrestlers not going to Illinois or Oklahoma will take part in the Hastings College Open (Jan. 7th) and the Midland U. Open (Jan. 14th).