The Colorado Mesa wrestling team heads out on the road for the second time during the 2020-21 season but will be taking on two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foes this time around. The Mavericks will head to Nebraska to take on the Chadron State Eagles on Thursday before a trip to Golden for a matchup with conference favorite Colorado School of Mines on Saturday.


WEEKEND RECAP
Colorado Mesa pulled off the upset of #10 Adams State to make it three in a row against ranked opponents. The Mavericks won seven of the ten bouts falling to only the three ranked Grizzlies in the Adams State lineup. Five of the seven wins came for bonus points with Nolan Krone, Donnie Negus and Gabe Carranza all earning pins.
 
RAIN MAN
Sophomore Dylan Ranieri has been a spot starter in both of his years on the Maverick wrestling team. Last season, he spelled Payton Tawater at times at 157 pounds and this season he is doing the same with Dyllan Fuchs at the same weight.
 
Ranieri earned a big win on Saturday against Adams State that sparked the Mavericks to win the final six bouts of the dual. He picked up an 8-3 win over veteran Dylan Udero and is now 1-1 on the season.
 
BIG RED
Senior Donnie Negus has rebounded nicely since dropping the opening match of the season. Negus has won four straight matches including a pin against Adams State last Saturday in the first official RMAC dual.
 
The 2020 NCAA National Qualifier has won three of his four matches via a pin.
 
SCOUTING CHADRON STATE
The Eagles have wrestled in just one dual this year which was on Saturday against in-state rival No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney. They won just one bout in the dual that came at 174 pounds where Rowdy Pfeil earned an 8-5 decision over Terrell Garraway.
 
Colorado Mesa is on a two-match win streak against the Eagles winning last season's dual 32-17 in Grand Junction. The Mavericks and Eagles have split the all-time series dating back to when wrestling was reinstated in 2006.
 
Chadron's Tate Allison is the lone wrestler currently ranked. Allison is ranked No. 11 at 157 pounds but is slated to wrestle at 165 pounds this weekend.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
The Orediggers have wrestled just one dual as well this year, picking up a 31-6 win over No. 12 Fort Hays State last weekend in Golden. They won eight of the ten bouts in the dual highlighted by pins from Noah Ottum (149) and Skyler Lykins (165).
 
Mines is on a two-match win streak against the Mavericks winning in Grand Junction 28-11 last season. Colorado Mesa owns a 21-8-1 all-time mark against Colorado School of Mines and have won six of the last eight against the Orediggers.
 
Lykins, Anderson Salisbury (184), and Weston Hunt (285) are all ranked in the nation's top eight at their individual weight classes.
 
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 Colorado (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 their year next year as well.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Mavericks will have an off week with the trip to San Francisco State canceled due to the Gators opting out of the winter season. Their next competition will be on February 11 for the Battle in Brownson against Western Colorado at 6pm.
 
Schedule of Events
Thursday January 21
6pm – Dual with Chadron State
Extra Matches to run simultaneously on second mat
 
Saturday January 23
1pm – Dual with Colorado School of Mines
Extra Matches to follow dual
 
Probable Lineup
125:   Cian Apple, RSr., Arvada, Colo. / Northeastern JC (4-1 Overall)
133:   Collin Metzgar, RJr., Colorado Springs, Colo. / Northeastern JC (3-2 Overall)
141:   Daniel Magaña, RFr., Santa Ana, Calif. / Servite (2-2 Overall)
149:   Ryan Wheeler, Fr., University Place, Wash. / Curtis (1-2 Overall)
157:   Dylan Ranieri, So., Centennial, Colo. / Grandview (1-1 Overall)
Or       Zander Condit, Fr., Littleton, Colo. / Jefferson (1-1 Overall)
165:   Fred Green, Sr., Port Orchard, Wash. / Boise State (2-1 Overall)
174:   Seth Latham, Jr., Grand Junction, Colo. / Grand Junction (2-3 Overall)
184:   #7 Nolan Krone, RJr., Henderson, Colo. / Pomona (5-0 Overall)
197:   Donnie Negus, RSr., Elizabeth, Colo. / Douglas County (4-1 Overall)
285:   Gabe Carranza, Fr., Victorville, Calif. / Victor Valley (3-2 Overall)