It’s just a few more days before collegiate wrestling fans are treated to the biggest show of the year. The NCAA D1 Championships are inching closer, and athletes are getting their last-minute preparations in a hurry. However, it’s not only the wrestlers who have a lot to go over before the big rumble, and one Big Ten wrestling staff is bracing up for the responsibilities ahead.

As the NCAA Championships arrive, the organizers also need their best hands on deck to ensure the tournament ends without any hiccups. And for Big Ten wrestling official Conrad Duffy, it’ll be a little different than just going through his usual to-do list.

KRTV’s Will Charlton hopped on X on February 18 to share how Duffy has been bestowed with a special honor ahead of the national wrestling showdown. ‘Montana wrestling official Conrad Duffy was recently selected to officiate the NCAA DI Championships in March,” reads the post’s caption as the accompanying video highlights the Big Ten wrestling staff’s feelings about it.

“To get to be considered out of 458 of us in the country, to be regarded in the top-20 in the country to get to make those calls, is just tremendous,” Duffy noted his elation for being selected to officiate the upcoming NCAA Championship bouts. His overwhelmed feelings are justified considering how Conrad will only be the second referee from Montana to be given the responsibility.

Duffy called the opportunity the “ultimate reward” and shared how it was almost a numbing feeling when he found out first. “To have the opportunity to go and referee on that stage is just tremendous. I had done the Division II tournament, I’ve been doing college wrestling for seven years, and I’ve done six Division II national tournaments. But to get that letter and see that you’re chosen to do the Division I national championships was absolutely overwhelming. Man, brought tears to my eyes for sure,” said the referee who has accumulated considerable knowledge as a steady Big Ten wrestling official.

Conrad further noted that the Montana state tournament has helped him prepare for the upcoming NCAA championship as well. And yet, Duffy will need to pull up his socks fast, because this year’s national wrestling championship is already shaping up to be one to remember.

A bigger affair than the Big Ten wrestling awaits Conrad

One of the main attractions for this year’s NCAA D1 Wrestling Championships would definitely be seeing how Penn State fares in the tournament. The NLWC lifted the trophy three years in a row, and fans hope to see Cael Sanderson’s boys defend the title this time as well. On top of that, the Lions finished the regular season with their 11th Big Ten wrestling title, and it shouldn’t be too far-fetched to believe the momentum would carry on to the nationals as well.

Furthermore, Penn State senior Carter Starocci will take to the mat next month with the goal of making history. The 184-pounder could become the first-ever 5x individual national champ, and officials including Duffy would need to make sure that Starocci doesn’t get carried away to fulfil the objective. If that wasn’t all, the 2025 NCAA will also see the return of AJ Ferrari.

The Cal State wrestler has been showing off his unusual training before the tournament kicks off and has noted his desire to finish this year on a high. With all that’s on the table, do you think the Big Ten wrestling official has what it takes to keep things under control when the rumble descends upon Philadelphia? Tell us your thoughts below!