CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The No. 9-ranked Falcons return from their holiday break this weekend, as they travel to the campus of Northern Iowa to compete in the 2009 NAIA National Duals.    This will be the Blue and White's first action since hosting Purdue on Dec. 21. 

The National Duals is an event for the top-16 teams in Division I, II, III, NAIA, National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), and Women's programs.  This is the fourth consecutive year that UNI has hosted the event.  The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) recently granted a two-year extension to keep the National Duals at the UNI-Dome through 2011. 

In last year's event, attended by over 15,800 spectators, Notre Dame lost their first two matches of the double-elimination tournament.  NDC fell to Southern Oregon, 24-16, and Morningside (Iowa), 31-15.  Those two teams ended up facing off in the championship round, with Morningside prevailing to finish in seventh place. 

This year, the No. 8-seeded Falcons will face-off with Briar Cliff (Iowa) on Saturday at 9 a.m.  The Chargers did not participate in last year's event.  Briar Cliff enters the match with an overall record of 1-3 in dual matches.  BCU is led by senior Julian Gunnels, the No. 3-ranked wrestler in the 133-pound weight class.   

In their next match, NDC will face either Lindenwood (Mo.), the top-ranked team in the NAIA and the defending National Duals Champion, or Oklahoma City, who finished in fifth place in last year's event.   

For complete tournament information, including updating results, log-on to the 2009 National Duals website.