The No. 5 Colorado Mesa women's wrestling team will host their final home dual of the season on Friday night as they host first-year program Chadron State in Brownson Arena. The Mavericks were originally scheduled to have a pair of competitions next weekend at home but have since been canceled.
 
SENIOR NIGHT
The Mavericks will honor four student-athletes competing in their final home competition on Friday evening. The four have been a part of the program for multiple seasons and have seen the program grow from a fledgling, start-up program to one of the national powers.
 
Kaylee Haynes (Lacy) was the first signee for the program and head coach Travis Mercado back on June 19, 2018. Since then, all the Grand Junction native has done is win 58 matches and become a two-time all-American. She is currently ranked No. 4 at 143 pounds and is all but assured a chance at becoming a three-time all-American in a few weeks.
 
Gypsum, Colorado native Lexi Valdez will compete in her final matches at home this weekend. Valdez transferred in from Colorado Northwestern where she was playing softball and has since gone on to win nine matches in her career including placing in two opens this year.
 
Senior Mayte Villada will compete for the final time in Brownson Arena. Villada is competing in her first matches of the year last weekend at York but has a career mark of 11-14 in her two years with the program.
 
The final senior competing is Jolynn Harris a transfer from the University of Iowa. Harris, a two-sport star for the Mavericks, is 9-6 on the season and recently placed second at the York Open and placed third at the Maverick Open earlier this season. Harris is 21-17 in her career and has competed in one National Tournament on the mat.
 
TATERS ON TOP
True freshman Tatum Heikkila was on a tear at last weekend's York College Open. Heikkila, ranked No. 8 at 170 pounds, won all four matches on her way to her second open championship of the season. The Aberdeen, Wash. native outscored her opponents 34-3 in the four bouts and improved her season record to 9-3 overall.
 
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
As mentioned earlier, Chadron State is in their first season of competition with the women's wrestling program. The Eagles picked up their first-ever dual meet win back on January 8, a 19-15 win over Avila University.
 
The Eagles have a pair of wrestlers that could make some noise at the National level according to head coach Travis Mercado. Ryleigh Dye comes in with a 7-4 record split between 143 and 136 pounds. Dye placed fifth at the Hastings College Open and was one match away from placing at York last weekend.
 
At 170 pounds, Kamila Montenegro is now 16-5 on the season with a pair of placings at tournaments this season. Montenegro was third at the Maverick Open in November then placed second at the Lindenwood Invitational. On January 9, she went 4-1 at the Hastings Open with three of those wins by pin.
 
ON THE HORIZON
The last competition the Mavericks will compete in prior to the Southwest Regional Tournament at McKendree will be on February 5 when they head to Des Moines, Iowa for the Grand View Open. Several other schools, both NAIA and NCAA, are scheduled to compete at the Open on February 5.