For the past 30 years, the Virginia Duals has showcased wrestling talent in Virginia and around the nation. The 31st edition will be no different as the field was announced for the annual event held at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Va., January 7-8, 2011.

Started as a fundraiser for the Peninsula Wrestling Association back in 1981, the Virginia Duals was the innovator in college dual meet advancement formats. 
Leading the college field this season is sixth-ranked Penn State. The Nittany Lions and head coach Cael Sanderson return to Hampton after finishing third in last year’s National College Division. 

Other ranked teams in the field include: #16 Arizona State, #17 Lehigh, #18 Michigan and #23 Virginia.

The National College Division field is rounded out by Bucknell, Buffalo, Edinboro, Kent State, Liberty, UNC Greensboro, Old Dominion, Rider, UT-Chattanooga, VMI and Wyoming. 

The Nittany Lions have twice won the event, taking home the title outright in 1991 and settling for a tie with Oklahoma State in 1987. That season, all the criteria came up even, except the final criteria – a coin toss. Coaches Rich Lorenzo and Joe Seay agreed to be co-champs, or disagreed with the coin toss, whichever story you prefer.

Edinboro has won the National College Division three times, most recently in 2007 when the Fighting Scots bested Penn State for the title. Lehigh captured the title in 2003. In all, 16 different colleges have won the Virginia Duals National College Division, which from 1989-1991 was the National Duals, currently held in Cedar Falls, Iowa as the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. 

Edinboro, Kent State, Old Dominion and Wyoming start the season receiving votes in the NWCA/USA Today Division I Coaches Poll.

The Virginia Duals, known for its hospitality, will see half of the National College Division making at least a 10th trip to Hampton. Old Dominion leads all schools in appearances with 2011 being the 24th time the Monarchs have wrestled in the event. 

Virginia will be making its 18th appearance, while Edinboro and Rider will make its 15th. Schools making their 10th appearance will be Lehigh, Penn State, Arizona State and Kent State.

The American College Division will showcase eight small college programs in Division II and Division III, the NJCAA and the Newport News Apprentice School, a long-time participant in the event representing the National Collegiate Wrestling Association.

Nassau Community College will be making its second trip and looks to improve on last year’s runner-up finish. 

Apprentice is making its 20th appearance and has strong local ties with the community, as it’s a trade school owned by Northrup Grumman, a large industry in the Hampton Roads area.

Johns Hopkins University and King College (Tenn.) will be making their first appearances in Hampton, as will NYU. York College (Pa.) has competed once prior, while St. Andrews Presbyterian and Brockport are also return participants. Brockport is second to Apprentice in appearances in the American College Division, with 10. 

Since the inception of the American College Division in 1998, formerly known as the Small College Division, 10 different programs have claimed the title. Brockport is the only team in this year’s field to previously hold the first place trophy. There have only been two multiple-time champions of the event – the University of the Cumberlands in 2001-2002 and South Dakota State, winning in 2005 and 2007.

The National High School Division is highlighted by nationally ranked programs from Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The top-ranked program coming in is Wyoming Seminary under first-year head coach Scott Green. Sem, as they are known in the wrestling world, has been one of the top prep school programs in the country.

They will field challenges from local favorite Cox High School of Virginia Beach, Va., ranked 23rd by Amateur Wrestling News, and Timber Creek of Sicklerville, N.J., ranked 36th. 

Returning champion St. Mark’s of Wilmington, Del., makes its 18th appearance at the Virginia Duals, tops among all out of state teams who have come to Hampton in January. 

Along with defending Virginia AAA state champions Cox, the field is bolstered by nine-time defending Virginia AA state champions Christiansburg. Cox has missed only one Virginia Duals in the tournament’s history, back in 1982 and will be wrestling in its 29th straight.  

Several out of state schools are returning for yet another go. Camden Catholic (N.J.), is making its 14th appearance and Nazareth (Pa.), making its 16th.

Rounding out the field are: Canon-McMillan (Pa.), Franklin County (Va.), Grassfield (Va.), Grundy (Va.), Matoaca (Va.), Middletown (Pa.), South Plainfield (N.J.) and Schuylkill Valley (Pa.). Grundy won last year’s American Division Championship. 

Franklin County, Matoaca, Middletown, Wyoming Seminary and Schulkill Valley will compete in the event for the first time. 

The American High School Division has six non-Virginia teams in the event, including Liberty High School of Bethlehem, Pa., making its 11th appearance. They’re joined by Columbia (N.Y.), Currituck County (N.C.), Eastern Regional (N.J.), Haddonfield Memorial (N.J.) and Lexington (S.C.) to complete the out of state field.

Brookville of Lynchburg, Va., moves up to the American Division after winning last year’s Black & Blue Division. Haddonfield, last year’s American Division runner-up is ready for the challenge. 

Rounding out the American Division field are Virginia teams Fauquier, Hanover, Hermitage, Hopewell, James Wood, Kempsville, Lake Braddock, Menchville and Western Branch.

Kempsville leads all American Division teams in appearances with 2011 counting as the 28th time the Chiefs have traversed the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. 

Menchville will be wrestling in its 24th, while Western Branch in its 22nd. Currituck, situated just across the state line in North Carolina, is making its 10th. 

Every team in the American Division has previously participated in the Virginia Duals.

The Black & Blue High School Division is the tournament’s most wide-open. Since the inception of the High School Divisional championships in 1996, 12 different teams have earned the crown. 

It’s hard to say who leads the pack, with last year’s champions, Brookville, up in the American Division. Every team has previously competed in the event, led by host Poquoson, which is the only school (college or high school) to compete in all 31 events. All teams in the Black & Blue are from Virginia.

Ocean Lakes was last year’s runner-up, while Chancellor was third and Langley fourth. 

This tournament has the most local flavor, with 12 of the 16 teams from the Hampton Roads region and seven of those from the Peninsula or Middle Peninsula. 

Chantilly, Gloucester, Grafton, Great Bridge, Hampton, Lakeland, Nansemond River, Phoebus, Riverbend, Smithfield, Tabb and York round out the field. 

The Virginia Duals will hold a press conference on January 4, 2011 at noon in the Lobby of the Hampton Coliseum. Coaches present will include Old Dominion’s Steve Martin, Apprentice’s Bruce Shumaker, Cox’s Matt Small, Western Branch’s Chris Martin and Poquoson’s Mike Casey.