The No. 4 ranked Colorado Mesa women's wrestling team will head to the Midwest for the NWCA National Dual Meet Championships in Cedar Fall, Iowa. The Mavericks are coming off the NCAA mandated winter break and will compete in a dual meet style tournament against some of the best teams in the NCAA. Action is scheduled to begin on Friday at 1:30pm mountain time.
 
SWISS ARMY KNIFE
One could argue that sophomore Isabella Morales is one of the MVPs of the team as she has provided supreme value with her flexibility to cover so many weights. The Toppenish, Wash. native is 11-5 on the season and has garnered dual team points at three different weights.
 
She has earned forfeit victories at 109 and 116 pounds while going 2-1 at 101 pounds with her lone loss to No. 2 ranked Sterling Dias of Iowa. She placed eighth at the always difficult Missouri Valley Open, second at the Maverick Open and won the Bob Smith Fort Hays State Open.
 
Morales is on the trip to the NWCA National Duals and will likely make an appearance or two at either 101 pounds or 109 pounds this weekend.
 
MOVING DOWN
Redshirt junior Dalia Garibay is expected to be in the lineup this weekend but not at the weight most would expect to see her at. This weekend, she will make her debut at 143 pounds, the weight she will likely stay at the rest of the season. The two-time national finalist was at 155 pounds last season and the beginning of this season went 2-1 in matches this fall, her lone loss being an injury default at the Maverick Open.
 
The Brentwood, Calif. native is 48-12 in her career and reached the National Championship bout as a freshman at 136 pounds and last season at 155 pounds. She has the potential to matchup with three ranked wrestlers if seeds hold this weekend.
 
THE BEAUDOZER SHINES
Redshirt sophomore Isabeau Shalack made her debut at the Desert Duals in Las Vegas and wrestled extremely well in her first action at 191 pounds this season. She went 4-1 after only expecting to wrestle three time but was thrust into action when injuries changed that course. She fell narrowly to No. 4 ranked Julia Richey of Simon Fraser for her only loss and defeated No. 8 ranked Alivia White of Iowa 6-4 to pick up a ranked win.
 
For that, the Evergreen Park, Ill. native was named the RMAC Wrestler of the Week for the first time in her career. She is now 7-2 on the season and 23-11 in her Colorado Mesa career.
 
SCOUTING THE NWCA NATIONAL DUALS
The NWCA National Dual Meet Championships have moved to the Northern Iowa Dome after several years of being held in Louisville. This year's version features 13 of the 15 teams in the field ranked in the most recent NWCA National Team Rankings. Colorado Mesa will enter the field ranked No. 4 but will be seeded No. 5 in the tournament.
 
The Mavericks are set to open the NWCA National Duals with Elmira College from Elmira, N.Y. It is the first time the two schools will meet in a dual with the Soaring Eagles establishing their program just one year after Colorado Mesa in 2019. Elmira comes into the matchup with a 5-5 dual record with two dual wins over ranked opponents in Tiffin and New Jersey City University.
 
With a win, the Mavericks would take on one of their perceived rivals in the McKendree Bearcats who are seeded fourth in the tournament. The Mavericks are 0-4 all-time against the Bearcats including a 41-3 loss at last season's NWCA National Duals. McKendree is 8-1 in duals this season while going 5-0 at the Jewell Duals and 2-1 at the Adrian Duals.
 
ELEVATING TO A CONFERENCE
In April, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference announced it would be sponsoring the sport of women's wrestling marking it as one of only two conferences (Conference of the Carolinas) to do so. The conference will feature Colorado Mesa, Adams State, Chadron State, Texas Woman's, and Simon Fraser as members with each doing a single round robin for duals. They will conclude with the RMAC Tournament on February 3 at a site yet to be determined.
 
Colorado Mesa was the inaugural pick to win the conference in the preseason coach's poll.
 
THE STAFF
Head coach Travis Mercado is in sixth season in charge of the program and is the only coach the program has ever had. He is 32-15 in dual matches and scored a program best 108 points at the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship giving the program a fourth-place finish at the National Meet in 2023. He has had 29 All-Americans since starting the program ahead of the 2018-19 season and has had an All-American every season.
 
New this season, the Mavericks added a full-time assistant that most Maverick fans will recognize. Marissa Gallegos enters her first season on the coaching staff and will assist in the day-to-day operation with duties including but not limited to work-out plans, recruiting, and advanced scouting. Gallegos capped her career with an undefeated season and the program's first National Champion.
 
Also, back to help in a volunteer role is Jolynn Harris who spent last season as a diving graduate assistant coach and part-time wrestler at McKendree.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Mavericks will take a select group of wrestlers to the York Open on Saturday January 13 where they will take on a variety of wrestlers from the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA ranks. They will return home for the final time this season on Saturday January 27 at 6pm when they take on Adams State for senior night.
 
COLORADO MESA PROJECTED LINEUP
101: #3 Jennesis Martinez, RJr., Albuquerque, N.M. (10-0 overall)
109: #8 Adriana Gomez, Fr., Laveen, Ariz. (15-5 overall)
116: Elisha Allen, Fr., Arvada, Colo. (1-5 overall)
123: Hania Halverson, So., Kalispell, Mont. (15-3 overall)
130: Kaydence Boyd, Fr., Bakersfield, Calif. (11-7 overall)
136: #7 Holly Beaudoin, RJr., Poulsbo, Wash. (6-1 overall)
143: #2 Dalia Garibay, RJr., Brentwood, Calif. (2-1 overall)
155: Celina Cooke, So., Sparks, Nev. (14-4 overall)
170: Caylee Collins, RJr., Burien, Wash. (1-0 overall)
191: Isabeau Shalack, RSo., Evergreen Park, Ill. (7-2 overall)