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GOLDEN, Colo. - For the first time in the 96-year history of the program, Colorado School of Mines can call itself RMAC Champion.

The #13-ranked Orediggers clinched at least a share of the 2019 RMAC championship Wednesday night, beating Colorado Mesa 23-11 to finish the dual season with an 11-3 record and 6-1 mark in-conference. The first team in the RMAC to finish their schedule, Mines could potentially share the title up to three ways with a combination of Adams State, CSU-Pueblo, and Western Colorado, or even earn the title outright should all three of those teams lose.

It was a competitive and at times testy dual between the two rivals as Mines won six bouts including four with bonus points. Things got off to a perfect start at 125 pounds when Matt Lavengood pinned Tyler Johnson at 3:15, but CMU drew even with back-to-back wins thanks to Bracken Lovell's 4-3 decision over Jake Woods at 133 pounds and #7 Eduardo Penha's 5-1 decision over Lukas Erickson at 141.

Noah Ottum got Mines back on track with a 6-3 decision against Daniel Van Hoose at 149, using a third-period takedown and near-fall two to break open the match, and Skyler Lykins dominated Kyle Kintz at 157 with six takedowns in a 16-4 major decision to put Mines up 13-6.

Colorado Mesa pulled points back with Jason Buhr's hard-fought 11-7 decision over Keenan Willits at 165 pounds, but Mines all but sealed it up with back-to-back wins at 174 and 184. Robert Gambrell overcame an early deficit to major Seth Lathem 12-3 in a four-takedown effort, while Connor Ventura showed his mat skills in a terrific 10-4 win over Nolan Krone in a bout that featured four reversals.

That put Mines ahead 20-9 heading into 197 pounds between Jake Feldman and Anthony Lodermeier. The Mines bench was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct during the match to reduce their score to 19-9, and after Lodermeier sealed up the 7-2 win, both teams were docked a point for unsportsmanlike conduct after the bout. That left the score at an unassailable 18-11, however, making heavyweight academic as Weston Hunt dominated Hunter Mooring with three near-fall four tilts in a 16-0 technical fall.

NOTABLES
- Mines' 11 wins are a program record in the NCAA era dating back to 1992.
- With no one-day RMAC Tournament this season, the RMAC championship is determined by the best regular-season dual winning percentage. Mines can do no worse than .857, and no other team can be better than that. In the case of ties, the RMAC recognizes co-champions.
- Mines is the 15th different program to win an RMAC title. Former RMAC affiliate Cal Baptist won the 2018 crown. 
- Mines Wrestling is the fifth different Oredigger team to win a conference regular-season championship in 2018-19, joining football, men's soccer, women's soccer, and volleyball.
- The win was Mines' first over Colorado Mesa since 2011-12.
- Before the dual Mines honored its five seniors - Noah Au-Yeung, Lukas Erickson, Keenan Willits, Ben Krantz, and Brandon Saunders - as they competed in their final home meet.
- Lavengood's fall was his second of the season.
- Ottum notched his 10th win of the season (10-7) including a 9-5 dual record.
- Lykins improved to 9-6 with his first major decision of the season.
- Gambrell extended his team-best record to 15-2 including 12-1 in duals, ending with a team-high 53 dual points. He went 7-0 in RMAC bouts this year.
- Ventura is now 9-5, while Hunt is 9-4. It was Hunt's first technical fall of the season.

NEXT UP
Mines will host the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Open on Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. in Steinhauer Fieldhouse.
 

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#13 Colorado School of Mines 23, Colorado Mesa 11 [Full Scoring]
125: Matt Lavengood (MINES) over Tyler Johnson (CMU) (Fall 3:15) 
133: Bracken Lovell (CMU) over Jake Woods (MINES) (Dec 4-3) 
141: Eduardo Penha (CMU) over Lukas Erickson (MINES) (Dec 5-1)
149: Noah Ottum (MINES) over Daniel Van Hoose (CMU) (Dec 6-3) 
157: Skyler Lykins (MINES) over Kyle Kintz (CMU) (MD 16-4) 
165: Jason Buhr (CMU) over Keenan Willits (MINES) (Dec 11-7) 
174: Robert Gambrell (MINES) over Seth Lathem (CMU) (MD 12-3) 
184: Connor Ventura (MINES) over Nolan Krone (CMU) (Dec 10-4) 
197: Anthony Lodermeier (CMU) over Jake Feldman (MINES) (Dec 7-2)
285: Weston Hunt (MINES) over Hunter Mooring (CMU) (TF 16-0 4:19) 

(Mines deducted 2 team points for unsportsmanlike conduct)
(Colorado Mesa deducted 1 team point for unsportsmanlike conduct)