National Duals Invitational Set for November in BOK Center

When David Taylor speaks, people listen.

Oklahoma State on Tuesday announced the National Duals Invitational — an event that will take place Nov. 15-16 at the BOK Center in Tulsa. It will feature 16 Division-I wrestling teams with $1 million on the line. Paycom is set to sponsor the event. Oklahoma State will serve as the host school.

Taylor last week tweeted “We should bring back National Duals. Do it in November before competitions.” Well, boom, there it is. Paycom CEO and wrestling supporter Chad Richison was an instrumental piece in bringing Taylor to Stillwater, so Paycom’s investment in this event is just a further example of Richison’s commitment to the sport.

“I am excited for the sport of wrestling to have a competitive field at the inaugural National Duals Invitational,” said Richison in the release. “Investing in student athletes and non-income-generating sports is important in today’s ever-evolving collegiate landscape.”

Teams weren’t initially announced, though one could assume the Cowboys would be a part of it given they will host the festivities. But the release states the 16-team event will “feature some of the top NCAA Division I teams.”

Each team will receive $20,000 for participating, with the top eight teams earning further payouts as follows:

1. $200,000
2. $150,000
3. $150,000
4. $75,000
5-8. “between $50,000 and $20,000”

“Bringing a prestigious wrestling tournament of this magnitude to Oklahoma is exciting for the sport, and the winnings will be significant in helping universities build out their programs at an even higher level,” said OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg in the release. “We continue to be grateful for Mr. Richison and Paycom’s support of wrestling in the state of Oklahoma and nationally.”