GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— After a week off, the No. 22 Colorado Mesa University men's wrestling team will close out the home portion of their schedule with a pair of intriguing Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference duals.
 
The Mavs will host CSU Pueblo in the program's annual Bank of Colorado Battle in Brownson match-up on Thursday at 6 p.m. before facing No. 17 Chadron State on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the first half of the  men's and women's doubleheader against the Eagles.
 
Tickets for both duals can be purchased here.
 
Both will also be broadcast on the RMAC Network (more info below).
 
Live results can be found on TrackWrestling at the links above.
 
The Mavs will enter the weekend with a 4-2 dual record. They are 1-2 in RMAC duals and will be looking to snap a 2-dual slide.
 
Last Time Out
 
The Mavericks were last in action on Jan. 23 against the Colorado School of Mines, which claimed the final five bouts of the dual to take a 24-16 win over the Mavs in Brownson Arena.
 
The Mavs had jumped out to a 16-4 lead at the intermission after winning four straight bouts from 133-157 pounds.  AJ Hague started that run with a 15-2 major decision win at 133 before Apollo Cruz pinned Ryan Espiritu at 141.
 
Alex Castaneda then knocked off third-ranked and previously unbeaten Cody Thompson at 149 before Owen Cline claimed a 12-11 win at 157. 
 
Probable Lineup
 
Here is a look at the weight-by-weight look at the Mavs' probable lineup for this weekend's dual.  Each wrestler's 2025-26 overall and dual meet records are listed in parenthesis.
 
125: Adonias Cantu (16-7 overall, 6-2 in duals)
133: AJ Hague (12-5, 4-0)
141: Apollo Cruz (10-8, 4-2)
149: Alex Castaneda (11-7, 4-3)
157: #7 Owen Cline (6-2, 5-1)
165: Will Alvarado (12-11, 4-4)
174: Christian Pebley (11-8, 7-2)
184: Noah O'Dougherty (10-8, 6-3)
197: #8 Gabriel Carranza (12-4, 5-1)
285: Ruben Samuelson (10-5, 6-3)
 
Senior Night
 
Prior to the Mavs' dual on Saturday against Chadron State, the Mavs will recognize a group of six seniors for their contributions to the program.  That list includes Gabriel Carranza, Hector De La Cruz, Oran Huff, Jorge Torres, Ruben Samuelson and Ryan Wheeler.
 
All have been with the program for multiple years and helped the Mavericks win RMAC team titles.
 
Community Fundraising
 
The Maverick wrestling squad will be selling t-shirts at Thursday's dual against CSU Pueblo to raise funds for the Central High School wrestling team, which suffered tragedy in December.
 
The Warriors' bus was struck while returning home from a tournament on December 6, 2025.  The bus was carrying ten student athletes and two coaches from the program, all of whom were rushed to area hospitals ranging from broken bones to other severe trauma, with three requiring extended hospital care.
 
In the immediate aftermath, families were forced to stay in the Denver area for medical care. Many have faced unexpected lodging costs, meals away from home, lost wages because of time off work, medical expenses, and replacing team equipment that was lost or damaged in the crash. 
 
Thursday's fundraiser is focused squarely on supporting those young athletes and coaches who were on that bus.
 
If supplies last, T-shirts will be sold at Saturday's dual as well.
 
Late Wins
 
Two of the Mavs' match victories in the Jan. 23 dual against the Colorado School of Mines came in thrilling and dramatic fashion.
 
At 149 pounds, Alex Castaneda was credited with a takedown at the final buzzer after the Maverick coaching staff threw their challenge brick, triggering a video review.  Their challenge proved successful as Castaneda was credited with three points to give him a 6-4 win over Mines' Cody Thompson, who had come into the match undefeated and ranked third in the nation.
 
Minutes later, Owen Cline then scored a takedown in the waning seconds of his 12-11 decision over Mines' Brandon Cody at 157 pounds.  Cline had trailed 7-5 after two periods and 10-5 earlier in the third before mounting his comeback.
 
Looking at the rankings
 
The latest National Wrestling Coaches Association NCAA Division II Coaches Rankings came out last Thursday.  After being ranked 18^th throughout the season, the Mavs dropped to 22^nd and now have two individually ranked wrestlers.
 
Owen Cline remained seventh in the rankings at 157 pounds while Gabriel Carranza dropped a spot to eighth at 197.
 
Cline is 5-2 this season, posting a 4-1 record in duals.  He has won three of his last four.
 
Carranza is 12-3 overall and 5-0 in duals.  He has won eight out of his last nine matches.
 
Alex Castaneda had been ranked sixth in the previous set of rankings (Dec. 18) but fell out in this latest set.
 
Four RMAC teams in No. 16 Adams State, No. 17 Chadron State, the Mavs and co-No. 22 Colorado School of Mines are ranked.
 
About the ThunderWolves
 
The ThunderWolves are receiving votes in the team portion of the NWCA National Rankings and have a pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers in Jacob Myers (No. 11, 133) and Eddie Bowman (No. 13, 141), neither of whom are in the Pack's probable lineup for this week.
 
The ThunderWolves are 4-6 in duals this season and are still looking for their first RMAC win after three losses.
 
They went 2-1 at the Tracy Borah Duals earlier this month and were 4-2 before their current stretch of four straight defeats, which includes losses to three nationally-ranked foes, including No. 1 Central Oklahoma and their 33-13 loss to Western Colorado in their last outing on Jan. 29.
 
Brandon Bigler, Deacon Pickett and Solomon Arnds-Volcin were all winners in that dual at 141, 165 and 174 pounds, respectively.  All three are in the Pack's probable lineup for Thursday's dual.
 
About the Eagles
 
The Eagles are currently 5-2 overall and are contending for a share of the RMAC title with a 3-1 conference mark.  They will be at Western Colorado on Thursday night before matching up with the Mavs on Saturday.
 
If they are able to win both duals, they would win at least a share of the RMAC title.
 
The Eagles had won their first three conference duals before falling 22-10 to Adams State last Saturday.
 
They are ranked 17^th in the NWCA National Rankings and have three individual nationally ranked wrestlers in No. 4 Quade Smith (125 lbs.), No. 4 Keegan Gehlhausen (184) and No. 14 Caleb Chaves (141).
 
Series Histories
 
The Mavs have won 12 of the 16 duals with CSU Pueblo since re-starting their program in 2006-07.  The Mavs have triumphed nine in each of the last five and nine of the last 12.  CSU Pueblo's last win came on Feb. 7, 2019 by a 25-18 margin in Pueblo in the last of three straight ThunderWolf victories.
 
CMU has won six of the eight previous dual match-ups at home.
 
The Mavs are also 11-8 against Chadron State during the modern era.  They are 5-4 at home against the Eagles.
 
CMU won last year's dual, 21-19 in Chadron although the Eagles were 25-15 victors in their last trip to Grand Junction on Jan. 28, 2024, snapping  a run of five straight Maverick victories from 2019 through 2023.
 
RMAC Network News
 
The RMAC Network has moved to a pay-per-view model for the 2025-26 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 $10, which grants access to a single game for 24 hours.
 
Additionally, a discounted annual subscription price will be available to students, faculty, and staff of each member institution throughout the year. Purchasing options and pricing for individual RMAC Championships will be announced closer to each event.
 
Colorado Mesa turns 100
 
The CMU Century Celebration stands as the cornerstone of Colorado Mesa University's year-long centennial celebration. This ambitious initiative unites our community in honoring a rich heritage while boldly envisioning the next hundred years of academic excellence.

Led by the Steering Committee and six specialized sub-committees, we're orchestrating a transformative experience that will resonate through generations. Each committee brings unique expertise to create an unforgettable commemoration of our past, present and future.
 
To learn more about Colorado Mesa's 100-year celebration, visit cmucentury.com.
 
Up Next
 
The Mavericks will conclude the dual portion of their schedule next Friday (Feb. 13), taking on rival Western Colorado at 6 p.m. in Gunnison. 
 
A contingent of less-experienced Mavericks will also be there next Sunday (Feb. 15), competing at the Rocky Mountain Open, which has been moved to a different day and location.