The Championships feature the top 16 wrestling programs from each intercollegiate division, and is considered to be the most prestigious college wrestling duals tournament in the country. The Cliff Keen/NWCA Duals, which will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, include just one team from New England, and features nationally renowned programs such as Wartburg, Augsburg, College of New Jersey, Wisc.-LaCrosse, and King’s (Pa.). Wartburg defeated Augsburg in the 2002-03 Championship finals, while Springfield finished 1-2 last season as the NECCWA representative.

The Bantams, coached by 2002-03 NECCWA Coach of the Year Sebastian Amato (17 seasons, 135-168-3), return all but two letterwinners from a year ago, led by All-American sophomore heavyweight Michael Blair (Plymouth, N.H.), former All-American senior Mark Foresi (West Springfield, Mass.), and all-New England senior co-captains Wesley Connell (Simsbury, Conn.) and Michael Doros (East Hartford, Conn.).