GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Starting on Friday, the Colorado Mesa women's wrestling team will compete at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals in Louisville, Ky. It is the first time the program will compete at the National Duals against the top women's NCAA programs.
 
NATIONAL LEVEL SUCCESS
Redshirt freshman Marissa Gallegos turned heads with her sixth place finish at the US Senior Nationals and Olympic Trials qualifier back in mid-December. Gallegos defeated a former Olympian, a former WCWA National Champion and a former NAIA National Champion on her way to the sixth place finish in Fort Worth.
 
The Denver native is 12-2 on the college season and 2-0 in duals heading into this weekend's National Duals.
 
LINEUP CHANGE
The New Year could see a couple of small changes in the Maverick lineup for the National Duals this weekend. Anja Tschohl could see some mat action at 109 to maximize the lineup at National Duals. Tschohl is 5-4 on the year with four wins coming by technical fall.
 
The other option head coach Travis Mercado will have is what to do at 130, 136, 143 and 155. Sierra Brown Ton, Cindy Zepeda, Dalia Garibay and Alma Mendoza are all at those weights but compacted into only three of them with Zepeda and Brown Ton at 130 pounds. There are multiple options for Mercado to use.
 
NWCA RANKINGS
The National Wrestling Coaches Association released their first-ever NCAA women's rankings on December 17. The NWCA released individual weight class rankings, tournament team rankings and dual meet rankings.
 
Colorado Mesa was ranked No. 3 in the tournament team rankings and No. 5 in the dual team rankings. McKendree was picked as the top school for both the tournament and team rankings.
 
The Mavericks had seven wrestlers ranked in the top eight of their respective weight classes. Freshman Cindy Zepeda was ranked the highest at No. 2 at 130 pounds with teammate Sierra Brown Ton No. 5 in the weight class.
 
Jennesis Martinez (101), Marissa Gallegos (123) and Dalia Garibay (136) all received No. 4 rankings at their weights. Alma Mendoza was No. 5 at 143 pounds while freshman Anja Tschohl was No. 7 at 116 pounds.
 
NWCA NATIONAL DUALS
The NWCA National Duals is hosting the first-ever NCAA women's division this year after having a combined event previously. 15 schools are entered with top seeded McKendree receiving a bye.
Colorado Mesa is seeded fifth and will compete against unseeded Limestone at 7am on Friday morning in the first round. They will then take on either fourth seeded Emmanuel or North Central depending on outcomes.
 
Simon Fraser is seeded second with King seeded third.
 
THE COACH
Second-year head coach Travis Mercado has the Mavericks prepared for the season ahead. Mercado led Colorado Mesa to a 2-6 mark in the inaugural season. This season should be different with a full lineup and a roster of over 20 girls.
 
Prior to Colorado Mesa, Mercado was an assistant coach at King University in Tennessee where he oversaw the women's program and assisted with the men's team. At King, Mercado trained ten USA Olympic Trials competitors and nine USA Junior National Team members.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Mavericks will head back out on the road and will compete in the York College Duals and York Open in Nebraska. This will be the second straight year they compete in those events.