Nebraska USA Wrestling

Heartland USA National Duals 

2026 Live Stream Link: Coming Soon!

Heartland USA National Duals 2026
Boys Elementary, Boys Middle School and Girls 1st-8th grade will be at the Mid America Center, Council Bluffs, Iowa

Heartland USA National Duals 2026 High School division for Boys and Girls will be at the Iowa West Field house right next to the Mid America Center.

April 2nd, 3rd and 4th of 2026 (Easter weekend and we don't wrestle on Sunday)  We are always done before 3pm the last day of the event.
This is a USA event and you must have a USA wrestling card.
This Event will be run on USA Bracketing.

We are expecting about 100 plus teams this year.  We will have the High School boys and girls division again this year and open to all States that want to bring a team.  The HS Boys and Girls will be Folkstyle only this year. 

Hotel Accommodations

All hotel accommodations will be handled through Sports Stay through this link:  2026 Heartland USA Wrestling Duals: 

Click here for Hotel accommodations      

The link includes rates and booking links making reservations very simple.

Boys Elementary Team entry fee is $875 for the first team and $825 for each additional team.

Boys Middle School Team entry fee is $875 for the first team and $825 for each additional team.

Women's division 1st-8th team entry fee is $875 for the first team and $825 for each additional team.

High School Boys Team entry fee - $875

High School Girls Team entry fee - $875

A link will be sent to the team leaders to pay for your teams.  An email will be sent to the team leaders with a link to pay.

Team Leaders contact info:  An email will be sent with a google form to fill out.

Officials contact info: An email will be sent with a google form to fill out.

Elementary weight classes (There are no weight allowances for this event. Must weigh with singlet on.  A wrestler can step on the scale as many times as they want until they make weight. Weight classes for the event are as follows: 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 112, 120, 130, 140 and 160. Each team is limited to 20 wrestlers per team and must be listed on your roster. All wrestlers on a team must be from the same state. Grade verification (report card or official letter from an elementary school authority) will be required for all wrestlers. This event is for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. A wrestler cannot be in this event if he or she is 14 years old or older. Please be prepared to show proof of age if challenged. Each team will be allowed 4 coaches. From your coaching staff, you must provide table help for each dual. There will be an official score keeper, a camera operator, and a bopper. These duties should be divided between the 2 dual teams competing. NE USA will provide the notebook computers for each table.  All mats will be live streamed.

Middle School weight classes (There are no weight allowances for this event. Must weigh with singlet on.  A wrestler can step on the scale as many times as they want until they make weight. Weight classes for the event are as follows: 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 102, 110, 117, 125, 132, 140, 150, 160, 175, 195, 220, 275. Each team is limited to 20 wrestlers per team and must be listed on your roster. All wrestlers on a team must be from the same state. Grade verification (report card or official letter from a Middle School authority) will be required for all wrestlers. This event is for 6th, 7th and 8th graders. A wrestler cannot be in this event if he or she is 16 years old. Please be prepared to show proof of age if challenged. Each team will be allowed 4 coaches. From your coaching staff, you must provide table help for each dual. There will be an official score keeper, a camera operator and a bopper. These duties should be divided between the 2 dual teams competing. NE USA will provide the notebook computers for each table.  All mats will be lived streamed.  See link below:
Coming Soon!

Women's division - Grade 1st through 8th grade.  A wrestler can not be 16 and wrestle in this event.  All other criteria is same as other divisions mentioned above. (There are no weight allowances for this event. Must weigh with singlet on.  A wrestler can step on the scale as many times as they want until they make weight.  Weight classes are as follow:   55, 59, 64, 69, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 135, 150, 165, 185  – 19 weights. (The women's teams will have to provide an official for this event.  See details below)

The High School division will be held at the Iowa West Field House right next to the Mid America Center.  The address is 5 Arena Way, Council Bluffs, IA 51501

There are no weight allowances for this event in the High School Division. Must weigh with singlet on.  A wrestler can step on the scale as many times as they want until they make weight. Weight classes for the event are as follows:

High School boys division - Currently enrolled or wrestled in the HS division in your State - 109, 116, 123, 129, 135, 141, 148, 155, 163, 173, 185, 198, 223, 288 (The boys HS teams will have to provide an official for this event.  See details below)

High School girls division - Currently enrolled or wrestled in the HS division in your State - 103, 110, 117, 123, 129, 135, 141, 148, 155, 168, 188, 238 (The women HS teams will have to provide an official for this event.  See details below)

States or clubs to provide Certified Officials (Must be USA Wrestling Leader or volunteer)  based on number of total teams. (Example 1 elementary team and 1 middle school team = 1 official)  Must show credentials
  
Elementary, Middle School, Girls 1st-8th, Boys HS & Girls HS - All States or clubs with 2 to 3 teams = 1 Official, then 4 to 6 teams = 1 additional Official, 7 to 9 teams = 1 additional Official, 10 to 12 teams = 1 additional official, 13 to 15 teams = 1 additional Official

The above Officials count is based on the total number of teams from your State in all divisions.

NEUSAW will pay each official $250 on Friday and $250 on Saturday, provide lunch on event days and social meal on Friday evening.  Each State or club is responsible for travel, lodging and any meals not mentioned (breakfast and Thursday evening meal after weigh-ins) of their officials. 
States or clubs may not contract Nebraska officials to meet this criteria. 

Address of Venue

1 Arena Way, Council Bluffs, IA 51501

Event Dates and times

April 2nd, 3rd & 4th - Thursday- Weigh-ins from 4:00pm to 8:30 pm at a designated building. (main arena, Expo Hall or Ball room).  More info will be sent to team leaders prior to the event with a map and instructions.
Teams do not have to weigh in together.

April 3rd Friday - Doors open at 6:30am and wrestling begins at 8:00am - 5:30pm approximate.
(We will wrestle in pools to determine the bracketing for Sunday)

April 4th Saturday- Doors open at 6:30am and wrestling begins at 8:00am - 2:30pm approximate.
(Championship brackets will be wrestled to completion) We are usually done with awards and all brackets by 3:00pm. The airport is 15 mins from venue.  Plan accordingly.

Team Awards
There will be awards for the top 8 teams in the Diamond championship pool. Then 8 awards for the top 8 teams in the Platinum pool, Gold and/or additional pools. 

Individual Awards
Only wrestlers the Diamond division will receive an event medal based on their team place in the tournament. 

Each team that has a wrestler that is undefeated will be acknowledged as All Americans (must have a minimum of 6 matches.) The Head coach of each team will be responsible for keeping track of their wrestler’s record and then getting that info to the tournament director. Awards will be given to each All-American. There will be 2 MVP awards given to the teams that placed in the top 8 of the Diamond pool of the Elementary Boys, Middle School boys and the Girls 1st-8th.  There will be 2 MVP awards given to the top 4 teams of the Boys HS and Girls HS divisions. Then 1 MVP award given to the rest of the teams in the tournament. Your coaching staff must decide which wrestlers on your team get the MVP awards. We will not have extra MVP awards available. 

Rules of Engagement
All wrestlers must be from the same State.  This means the wrestler must reside in the State in order to compete for that State.

Alternates that are brought from States will be put on an Alternate team to the duals and compete within the tournament just like all the other teams.  Alternates must be listed on their respective State team for potential use during the event.  An Alternate from a State can be used for a different State to fill holes but that Alternate cannot score points in the dual.  That Alternate will be counted as a forfeit.

National Federation High School Rules--- Head gear not required.
45 minute rest between matches not in effect
Must make weight in singlet/ skin ailment must have doctors release
Time periods are: 1 ½ minute (all 3 periods)

Exceptions---Mouth pieces are not required for wrestlers with braces.  Shoe laces do not have to be secured but strongly encouraged. Hair nets are not required but encouraged.  Competition singlet can not be low cut singlets. Must meet High School singlet criteria.  

Example of criteria for championship bracket in each division: For elementary and middle school there will be a bracket of 8 that will make the top championship bracket.  It's the Diamond bracket.  Top pool winners on Friday get automatic birth.  If there aren't 8 pools on Friday for MS, Elem, Girls, HS Boys and HS Girls, the next teams needed to make the championship bracket of 8 will be the teams that scored the most points in their pool that did not win their pool.  

Online USAW Registration payment only this year.  See link below - Coming Soon!!

This link is for payment only.  You will get another link sent to your email about entering in your teams roster through USA Bracketing. We will issue you a user name and password. You will be able to update or edit your team up till the time of weigh-ins.

Link will be sent to by email.

Adult pass and student pass
Adult pass is $30 includes tax and fees. student pass is $20. This is a per day fee. If child is not in school yet they are free.  All tickets will need to be purchased right at the venue.  Tickets will be available on Thursday during weighins and all weekend.

Coaching/Table worker passes for teams - Each team will be given 5 coaching passes.  Each team is responsible for working their dual tables.  Use one of your coaching passes for someone to run your scoring table.  Please make sure everyone is a USA Wrestling Leader.  

Hotel Accommodations

All hotel accommodations will be handled through Sports Stay through this link:  2026 Heartland USA Wrestling Duals: 

https://presto.eventpipe.com/event/9e5be1e9-9b96-4f30-be57-dc0420ab368b        

The link includes rates and booking links making reservations very simple.

Future tournament dates will be as follows: 

• April 2nd, 3rd and 4th of 2026
• April 2nd, 3rd and 4th of 2027
• March 31st, April 1st and 2nd of 2028

Contact info
Tournament Director- Fred Franklin
Mobile number- 402-380-1939
Email- statechair@neusaw.com

Saturday Bracket Placement Criteria:

1)  Pool Placement
2)  Record
3)  Head-to-Head
4)  Most Team Points
5)  Least Team Penalty Points
6)  Most Individual wins
7)  Coin Flip