GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University men's wrestling team looks to start the dual portion of their 2026-27 season on a high note this Friday evening when they face off against fellow Super Region VI Vanguard University for just the second time in program history in a neutral-site match-up in Golden, Colorado.
 
Hoping to follow up on a 35-11 win over the Lions last season, several of the Mavericks' more familiar names and two nationally-ranked wrestlers will compete and hope to get their 2026-27 season off to a winning start.
 
The neutral-site dual will be hosted by the Colorado School of Mines in the Orediggers' Volk Gymnasium and will be streamed live on the RMAC Network.

Live results can be accessed at the link above.
 
Action is now slated to begin at 5:15 p.m. with extra matches preceding the official dual, which has been slated to begin at 5:30.
 
The Lions and Orediggers will then square off later in the evening at 7 p.m.
 
Saturday Tournament
 
On Saturday, four Maverick reserves are entered to compete in the Luke Cornerman Open in Richfield, Utah.
 
Live results of that tournament can be found on Flo Wrestling at the link above.
 
The Mavs scheduled to compete include Ian Bacon and Riley Valdez at 125 pounds, Murphy Harris at 141 pounds and Tommy Thomas at 165 pounds.
 
The Mavs will have a larger contingent in the women's portion of that event in the Sevier Valley Center.
 
Last Time Out
 
A host of Maverick youngsters started off their seasons on a strong note last week in Golden at the Mines Rookie Open, taking first in two different weight classes while 13 of the 20 Mavericks who competed placed amongst the top six of their respective weight classes on Sunday.
 
Maverick sophomores Levi DiCugno and Devin Kinlicheenie wrestled outstanding tournaments last weekend, both placing first in the 174 and 197-pound weight classes while scoring bonus- point margin victories in all nine of their combined matches.   These performances were not the Mavs only successes, as seven of the Mavs' 13 top six placers were freshman who placed in their collegiate debuts.
 
Lineup Look
 
Here is a  look at the Mavs' probable lineup for Friday's dual, as announced by Head Coach Mike Mendoza earlier this week.  Each wrestlers' 2025-26 season record is listed in parenthesis.
 
Both of the Mavs' two nationally-ranked individuals are slated to make their season-debuts on Friday.
 
Although the Mavs have some veteran talent, as many as five Maverick newcomers, including up two three freshman could also make their dual debuts against Vanguard.
 
125 - #9 Dayson Torgerson (0-0) or Teagan Young (3-2)
133 - AJ Hague (0-0)
141 - Apollo Cruz (0-0) or Steve Caday (5-1)
149 - #5 Alex Castaneda (0-0) or Keyton Young (0-0)
157 - Izzy Acosta (0-0) or Juan Garcia (0-0)
165 - Christian Pebley (0-0)
174 - Levi DiCugno (5-0)
184 - Gunnar Neal (0-0)
197 - Devin Kinlicheenie (4-0) or Joe Trygstad (2-2) or Adam Avila (3-2)
HWT - Xander Rose (3-1)
 
RMAC Network News
 
The RMAC Network will again use a pay-per-view model for the 2026-27 season.  This season, all RMAC athletic events broadcast by its 15 full-member institutions and associate members will only be available for purchase via a single-game pass or a monthly or annual subscription. Revenue generated by the network will be redistributed to the league's membership to enhance their programs.
 
RMAC fans can purchase monthly and annual subscriptions that will provide them with access to all regular-season, championship, and archived broadcasts on the RMAC Network. A monthly subscription costs $25, and an annual subscription costs $130. Single-game passes are available for $12.50, which grants access to a single game for 24 hours.
 
A championship pass, available for $15, will also be available for the RMAC Championships and is included in the monthly or annual subscription.
 
To purchase a pass, visit https://rmacnetwork.com/purchase/
 
Preseason Predictions
 
The Mavericks have been predicted to take second in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings, according the conference's preseason coaches' poll.  The Mavs fell just shy one point shy of the top spot in the poll as Adams State finished with 32 points while the Mavs garnered 31.  The Mavs and Grizzlies both claimed three first place votes and two second place selection.
 
Colorado School of Mines also picked up a first place vote and finished third in the poll with 28 points.
 
The RMAC also announced the Preseason All-RMAC team in conjunction with the poll.  133-pound junior AJ Hague was the lone Maverick to pick up an honor.  The preseason all-conference team is made up of the top returning vote-getter from last year's all-conference voting process at each weight class.
 
About the Lions
 
The Lions have already made their dual debut this season, beating Victor Valley College by an impressive margin of 47-6 last Wednesday (Nov. 4). The Southern California based Lions also had a successful performance last Sunday at the Menlo College Open, taking first in three separate weight classes and placing seven individual wrestlers in the top six.
 
The win over Victory Valley was at the Lion' home in Costa Mesa while the tournament was further north in the Silicon Valley community of Atherton.
 
Friday's match-ups with Colorado Mesa and Mines will come on their first of two trips to Colorado this year.
 
Relatively new to the Division II scene, Vanguard made the leap from NAIA to Division II just over two years ago for the 2024-2025 season, after a history of finding success at the NAIA National Championships.
 
Head Coach Caleb Flores has been at the helm of the Lions' program since their reinstatement in 2019 after previously fielding a program in the 1970's.  Last season, he was named the program's first coach of the year in known history, as he was picked by his peers for that honor in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
 
Before their recent jump to the Division II level, Flores and the Lions found success in the NAIA National Championships producing five NAIA All Americans in three seasons.
 
They went 8-7 in duals last season and had two fourth-place finishers at last year's Super Region VI Championships, including 133-pound Zachary Klarcyk and 184-pounder Marquize Brown, both of whom are in the Flores' lineup for Friday.  Herclues Windrath also returns as a possible 149-pound starter after placing sixth at the regional last year.
 
Here is a look at the Lions' full lineup for Friday's dual, as announced by Flores.
 
125 - Jiovanni Evangelista or Troy Montero
133 - Zachary Klarcyk
141 - Fernando Barreto or Andrew Williams
149 - Hercules Windrath or Anthony Peraza
157 - Vince Partington
165 - Anthony Manno
174 - Kelan Stever
184 - Marquize Brown
197 - Isaiah Johnson
HWT - David Baxter
 
Series History
 
The Mavericks and Lions have only faced off once in dual before, resulting in a Maverick win (35-11) on Jan. 10 of this calendar year.  The dual was held at a neutral site in Gunnison, Colorado as part of Western Colorado's Tracy Borah Duals, where the Mavs went 3-0.
 
To see the full recap of that day's action, please click here.

Mavs to Watch
 
The Mavericks are expected to put out their best talent this Friday, fielding nationally-ranked wrestlers Dayson Torgerson and Alex Castaneda. Torgerson, ranked ninth at 125 pounds, ended his sophomore season as an all-American, placing seventh place at 125 pounds at the 2025 NCAA National Championships. After redshirting last season, the Aurora, Utah native looks to pick right back up where he left off and continue on his winning ways.
 
Fifth-year Alex Castaneda is tabbed fifth at 149 pounds in the NWCA's Preseason Polls after qualifying for the 2026 NCAA Division II Championships with a third place finish at the Super Region VI Championships. Castaneda ended the 2025-26 season with a 17-12 record and 11 bonus point victories.
 
Momentum-building
 
Sophomore Levi DiCugno hopes to keep the momentum rolling at 174 pounds after dominating his way to a first place finish last week at the Mines Rookie Open.  He went 5-0 last Sunday, recording two pins and three other wins by major decision, including a 14-1 win in the finals.  The Lake Tapps, Washington native and Orting High School product also had an impressive 12-4 season in three tournaments last season and hopes to make an impression in his first career dual start on Friday.
 
Fast Cowboy-to-Maverick transisition
 
Likewise, sophomore teammate Devin Kinlicheenie is riding a hot and high-scoring start from the Mines Rookie Open, taking first in the 197-pound bracket of Sunday's tournament.  He outscored his four opponents by a combined 63-13 margin and recorded three major decisions, including a 14-2 triumph over teammate Kai Ford in the finals, as well as a technical fall win.
 
A native of Snowflake, Arizona, Kinlicheenie recorded a 16-11 record at New Mexico Highlands last season as the Cowboys' primary starter.
 
Up Next
 
The Mavs will return to tournament action next Saturday (Nov. 21), heading to Kearney, Nebraska to compete in the Younes Hospitality Open, one of deepest and largest tournaments in the entire country and a staple on the Mavs' annual schedule providing an opportunity for the Mavs to get a good amount of mat time against a variety of opponents from around the Midwest and Mountain Region portions of the country.