The No. 16 Colorado Mesa men's wrestling team will continue its string of home duals with a pair of important ones in Brownson Arena. The Mavericks will take on CSU Pueblo (2-3, 0-1 RMAC) in the seventh annual Bank of Colorado Battle in Brownson on Thursday evening then a matinee showing on Sunday as they take on No. 21 Colorado School of Mines (5-1, 3-0 RMAC) at 3pm.
 
BANK OF COLORADO BATTLE IN BROWNSON
The Mavericks will be hosting CSU Pueblo in the 7^th-annual Bank of Colorado Battle in Brownson Arena. The Battle in Brownson took a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic but is back in full swing this year. For the second straight time, the Mavericks will be taking on CSU Pueblo in the event. The Mavericks came away victorious in the last matchup 23-22 back on January 24, 2020.
 
The Mavericks are 4-2 in the previous six Bank of Colorado Battle in Brownson events. In the first event, 1,983 fans showed up and cheered on the Mavericks to a 23-17 upset of No. 5 Western Colorado in Brownson Arena back on February 5, 2015.
 
BACK TO FULL STRENGTH
For the first time since the dual with Western Colorado on December 9, the Mavericks are set to have their full lineup in place this week barring any midweek setbacks. Dawson Collins is set to go at 125 pounds and Ryan Wheeler at 157 pounds after setbacks just before the NCAA mandated winter break.
 
Collins, ranked No. 5 at 125 pounds, is 13-2 on the season thus far and was the runner-up at the prestigious Midwest Classic in December while Wheeler is 11-4 and went into the rankings after the Midwest Classic but hasn't wrestled since.
 
LOCAL STANDOUT
Grand Junction native Seth Latham has wrestled well since the break. He is 9-6 on the year and 4-2 coming off the break with the two losses coming to a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers. Latham earned an 11-0 win last Wednesday in the dual with San Francisco State as the lone bonus point win in the matchup for Colorado Mesa.
 
SCOUTING THE THUNDERWOLVES
CSU Pueblo is one of the dangerous teams in the RMAC as they don't have the strongest record but the wins they possess are impressive. They defeated San Francisco State in California then returned and have a 37-9 win over Western Colorado.
 
Parker McBride at 125 pounds may be on the biggest roll of anyone at the weight. McBride is coming off a win over No. 9 Isaiah DeLaCerda of Adams State and comes in with a 3-6 record but a winner in three of his last four bouts.
 
Gavin Nye has been a stalwart for the ThunderWolves and has been in and out of the rankings all season. He enters the week with an 11-3 mark and three finals appearances in open tournaments.
 
SCOUTING THE OREDIGGERS
Colorado School of Mines has been one of the top teams in the RMAC for the past three seasons. They own a 5-1 overall record and are 3-0 in the conference heading into the week where they take on Western Colorado and Colorado Mesa.
 
The Orediggers have won the past three matchups with the Mavericks including a 24-18 win in last season's dual in Golden. Colorado Mesa owns a 21-9-1 record in the all-time series that dates back to the time the school transitioned becoming a 4-year institution.
 
Mines has a pair of ranked wrestlers with both going in the upper weights. 184-pounder Anderson Salisbury ranked No. 11 and is set to take on Nolan Krone on Sunday. Salisbury enters the week at 12-2 and won the UNK Open and placed seventh at the Midwest Classic. Weston Hunt enters at No. 5 at 285 pounds and was the NCAA National runner-up last season. He is 11-3 this season and placed sixth at the Midwest Classic.
 
COACHING STAFF
Head coach Chuck Pipher returns to the bench for his 15^th season with Colorado Mesa. Last season, Pipher led the Mavericks to the RMAC Championship as the top placing team at the NCAA Super Region VI Tournament. He had two wrestlers qualify for the NCAA National Championships and was able to come home with two all-Americans in Donnie Negus at 197-pounds and national champion at 165 pounds in Fred Green.
 
Pipher has amassed a 118-112 record in duals since the program was brought back in 2006. He has also had an all-American in 10 straight seasons which is the longest running streak in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
Also returning to the bench is assistant coach Mike Mendoza who is entering his third season in the program after successful coaching stints at Adams State, Cal State Bakersfield, Boise State and Northeastern Junior College. He brings over 20 years of coaching experience to the staff.

New to the coaching staff this season is another Pipher. Bo Pipher is in his first season on the staff after spending the past five years competing and earning his degree at Penn State. Pipher wrestled for the Nittany Lions under Cael Sanderson and amassed a 27-31 record in his time. 
 
THE RETURN OF THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT
The Mavericks are once again slated to host the NCAA Super Region VI Tournament and it is looking more and more like it will be a full field. Last season, Simon Fraser and New Mexico Highlands did not compete at the regional tournament due to COVID restrictions in New Mexico and Canada.
 
The tournament is scheduled to be on Saturday February 26 in Brownson Arena.
 
ON THE HORIZON
Colorado Mesa will be on the road next week when they take on New Mexico Highlands and No. 14 Adams State on the road in Las Vegas and Alamosa. The two road matches could play a huge role in determining the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Champion pending this week's outcomes.
 
Projected Lineup
125 –   #5 Dawson Collins, RFr., Grand Junction, Colo., 13-2 overall
133 –   #7 Collin Metzgar, RJr., Colorado Springs, Colo., 17-4 overall
141 –   Erik Contreras, RSo. Berthoud, Colo., 7-7 overall
149 –   Nick Gallegos, RFr., Denver, Colo., 13-5 overall
157 –   Ryan Wheeler, RFr., University Place, Wash., 11-4 overall
165 –   Alex Holguin, Fr., Arenas Valley, N.M., 13-7 overall
174 –   Seth Latham, RJr., Grand Junction, Colo., 9-6 overall
184 –   Nolan Krone, RJr., Henderson, Colo., 9-4 overall
197 –   #8 Donnie Negus, RSr., Elizabeth, Colo., 14-3 overall
285 –   Gabe Carranza, RFr., Victorville, Calif., 11-5 overall