The No. 12 Colorado Mesa men's wrestling team will look to remain unbeaten in RMAC duals this season as they will have a split week in the final week of the regular season. They will host arch-rival Western Colorado in the annual Bank of Colorado Battle in Brownson on Thursday at 6pm before a trip to Chadron, Neb. for the reschedule of the dual with Chadron State on Saturday at 11am.
 
COMING IN HOT
Redshirt sophomore Kash Anderson may be one of the Mavericks hottest wrestlers right now heading into the important part of the season. Anderson is a winner in five of his last six matchups dropping only the match to Zach Farris of New Mexico Highlands.
 
Anderson was victorious in both of his matchups last weekend against CSU Pueblo and Colorado School of Mines. Against the Thunderwolves, he earned a 15-2 major decision victory over Donn Greer before a looming showdown with Oredigger Anderson Salisbury. The Boise native trailed early in the matchup with Salisbury, a returning all-American and currently ranked No. 5 in the NWCA national rankings, before earning five points in the third period on an exhausted Salisbury for the 8-5 upset victory.
 
The win clinched the dual for the Mavericks and kept their undefeated RMAC slate intact and earned him RMAC Wrestler of the Week honors.
 
THREE-PEAT?
A win in one of the Mavericks final two duals of the season would give Colorado Mesa a piece of their third straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title after claiming wins during the COVID season at the NCAA Super Region VI Tournament and last season's unbeaten slate.
 
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Western Colorado comes into Thursday's contest a little banged up as they will likely be without 197-pounder Porter Fox who suffered an injury in mid-January.
 
Despite that, the Mountaineers have plenty of firepower in their lineup with regulars Patrick Allis (125), Jason Hanenberg (149), Hunter Mullin (165) and Cole Hernandez (184) all slated to compete. That crew and all the Mountaineers would like nothing more than to wreck the Mavericks perfect RMAC schedule.
 
Heading into Saturday, no one really knows what to expect. The Mavericks could rest wrestlers with the RMAC Championship potentially clinched or they may have to fight like crazy to keep that share. Conversely, does Chadron State rest wrestlers or continue to fight for seeding at the Region Tournament?
 
The Eagles feature three wrestlers that could garner high seeds in Quade Smith at 125 pounds, Quentrevion Smith at 133 pounds and Brody Lamb at 157 pounds.
 
COACHING STAFF
Longtime coach Chuck Pipher officially announced his retirement from coaching wrestling just as the season started. Assistant coach Mike Mendoza was named the full-time head coach just after the season started and Bo Pipher was named the full-time assistant coach.
 
Mendoza has been with the program since 2019 after making stops at Northeastern Junior College, Boise State, Cal State Bakersfield, and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foe Adams State. He spent time as the head coach at Northeastern JC where he elevated the program from an 0-6 dual record when he took over to an 11-3 mark in his final season. He was also the head coach at Boise State the year prior to the school dropping the program.
 
Bo Pipher, nephew of Chuck Pipher, was a three-time Colorado State Champion and wrestled for Cael Sanderson at Penn State for four seasons before graduating. He is in his second season with the program after assisting with the team a year ago helping Dawson Collins and Collin Metzgar to the NCAA National Championship Tournament.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Colorado Mesa will take the next 10 days off to train for the NCAA Super Region VI Tournament that will take place in Chadron, Neb. on February 25. The top three finishers at each weight during the Super Region tournament will advance to the NCAA Championships on March 10 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
Projected Lineup
125: #6 Dawson Collins, RSo., Grand Junction, Colo. (17-6 overall)
133: #9 Collin Metzgar, RSr., Colorado Springs, Colo. (18-5 overall)
141: Andrew Silva, RSo., Fullerton, Calif. (7-11 overall)
149: Alex Castaneda, Fr., Eaton, Colo. (12-10 overall)
157: #6 Ryan Wheeler, RSo., University Place, Wash. (15-6 overall)
165: #9 Gus Dalton, RFr., Emery, Utah (9-4 overall)
174: Braeson Lewis, RSr., Eaton, Colo. (3-6 overall)
184: Jason Bynarowicz, RSo., Broomfield, Colo. (15-7 overall)
197: Kash Anderson, RSo., Boise, Idaho (12-8 overall)
285: Ruben Samuelson, RFr., Carbondale, Colo. (10-10 overall)