The Colorado Mesa men's wrestling team will open the season on Thursday with a pair of duals against perennial power Nebraska – Kearney and west slope rival Western Colorado on Thursday in Brownson Arena.
 
PRESEASON RMAC
Colorado Mesa was picked to finish third in the RMAC during the dual season after finishing with a 5-2 mark during the 2019-20 season. The Mavericks earned 33 points and garnered one first place vote.
 
Colorado School of Mines was picked to finish first with 39 points and four first-place votes followed by Adams State with 35 points and a first-place vote.
 
Seth Latham (174), Nolan Krone (184) and Donnie Negus (197) all were named as wrestlers to watch after qualifying for the NCAA National Championships a year ago.
 
MURDER'S ROW
The Mavericks have built their own version of murder's row and will rely heavily on them this season. From 174 to 197, they feature a returning NCAA Championship qualifier in each weight with Seth Latham, Nolan Krone and Donnie Negus.
 
Latham finished his sophomore season with a 20-10 record and placed third at the NCAA Super Region VI tournament despite losing his first match of the tournament. Three of Latham's losses came at the hands of one of the top wrestlers nationally in Robert Gambrell of Colorado School of Mines who has since graduated.
 
Krone was named a NWCA All-American at 184 pounds after finishing the season 25-6. He also placed third at the NCAA Super Region VI tournament, defeating Nebraska-Kearney's Tony Mancini 10-3. The Henderson, Colo. native had a stretch last season where he won 13 matches in a row.
 
Negus finished his junior season with a 15-7 record with four of his losses coming to Division I competition. The Elizabeth, Colo. native placed second at the NCAA Super Region VI tournament falling to Chadron State's Wade French 4-1 in the final. Negus had beaten French, who was nationally ranked, in the dual earlier in the season 5-0.
 
LINEUP NEWCOMERS
The current projected lineup has just two wrestlers that have never been in the lineup for the Mavericks in the past. Redshirt freshman Daniel Magaña will hold down 141 pounds this opening weekend. The Santa Ana, Calif. native went 10-13 as an unattached wrestler last season wrestling in six open tournaments.
 
Freshman Gabriel Carranza steps into the 285 pound role this season. The Victorville, Calif. native was a top-4 placer at the CIF Championships last season and wrestled for legendary coach CT Campbell at Victor Valley High School.
 
THE COACH
Head coach Chuck Pipher is in his 14^th season at the helm of the men's wrestling program which was reinstated at Colorado Mesa in 2006. Pipher led the Mavericks to the RMAC title during the 2015 season which was highlighted by James Martinez winning the 157-pound national title in thrilling fashion.
 
He has had at least one all-American in nine straight seasons and his teams have been in the top-ten of the National Academic standings three straight seasons.
 
Pipher was a three-time NAIA National Champion at Southern Colordado (now CSU Pueblo) and was named the RMAC Wrestler of the Century in January of 2009.
 
FREE YEAR
With uncertainty rampant during the college wrestling season this year, the NCAA granted all winter sports student athletes (Basketball, Wrestling, Indoor Track, Swimming & Diving) an extra year of eligibility similar to what took place during the fall season with football, volleyball, soccer and cross country.
 
So in terms of eligibility, the year you see on the roster for the Colorado Mesa men's wrestling team this year, will also be there year next year as well.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Colorado Mesa is scheduled for a home dual with Adams State on January 14 in Brownson Arena as the next scheduled matchup. The Mavericks could pick up a dual or two the weekend of January 7 but nothing is scheduled at this time.
 
QUICK HITTER
*New Mexico Highlands has opted out of winter sports and will not compete this winter. Those sports include basketball, wrestling and volleyball which was originally moved from the fall to the winter. This will take away a scheduled home dual for the men's wrestling program.
 
*The NCAA announced on Tuesday that the bracket size for the NCAA Championships would be reduced for the 2021 Championships. The announcement only stated that the field would be reduced to 132 wrestlers but not how many each bracket would hold, which would be an odd number.
 
Schedule of Events
12pm – Exhibition matchups between the three teams
3pm – Nebraska-Kearney vs. Western Colorado
4:30pm – Colorado Mesa vs. Nebraska-Kearney
6pm – Colorado Mesa vs. Western Colorado
 
Probable Lineup
125:   Cian Apple, RSr., Arvada, Colo. / Northeastern JC (0-0 Overall)
133:   Collin Metzgar, RJr., Colorado Springs, Colo. / Northeastern JC (0-0 Overall)
141:   Daniel Magaña, RFr., Santa Ana, Calif. / Servite (0-0 Overall)
149:   Erik Contreras, RSo., Berthoud, Colo. / Western Colorado (0-0 Overall)
or       Zander Condit, Fr., Littleton, Colo. / Jefferson (0-0 Overall)
157:   Dyllan Fuchs, So., Spring Creek, Nev. / Spring Creek (0-0 Overall)
or       Dylan Ranieri, So., Centennial, Colo. / Grandview (0-0 Overall)
165:   Hayden Harris, RJr., Norwood, Colo. / Norwood (0-0 Overall)
174:   Seth Latham, Jr., Grand Junction, Colo. / Grand Junction (0-0 Overall)
184:   Nolan Krone, RJr., Henderson, Colo. / Pomona (0-0 Overall)
197:   Donnie Negus, RSr., Elizabeth, Colo. / Douglas County (0-0 Overall)
285:   Gabe Carranza, Fr., Victorville, Calif. / Victor Valley (0-0 Overall)