#16 Colorado School of Mines vs. #12 Fort Hays State, Thursday, 5 p.m. [RMAC Network] [Live Results]
 

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A NEW SEASON BEGINS
After a delayed start, the 2020-21 wrestling season gets underway this week as #16 Colorado School of Mines hosts #12 Fort Hays State on Thursday; the previously announced Western State dual on Sunday has been postponed. The Orediggers (9-2 last season) return a veteran group hungry for a third straight RMAC championship as they face two tough tests right out of the gate. Thursday's dual will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network.
 
TWICE AS NICE
With open tournaments on hold this season, Mines and many other teams will hold extended duals, wrestling the main 10 bouts and adding on additional matches to follow allowing more mat experience for the entire roster. Thursday's meeting with Fort Hays State will feature nine extra bouts.
 
NO SPECTATORS FOR MINES WINTER SPORTS
Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado, Colorado School of Mines' policy of not admitting spectators will continue for all winter sports – including wrestling - until further notice. Although Jefferson County was recently moved back to Level Orange by the state, facility capacity restrictions still make it impossible to welcome fans to campus at this time. Mines Athletics will continuously re-evaluate this policy as government guidance changes in the future.
 
IN THE POLLS
Mines enters the season sitting at #16 in the NWCA Division II poll, after reaching an all-time high of #9 last year and finishing at #12. Individually, Skyler Lykins is ranked #8 at 165 pounds, Anderson Salisbury #6 at 184, and Weston Hunt is #5 at 285. The Orediggers were also picked as the RMAC preseason favorite over Adams State.

THE CHAMPS ARE HERE
Mines enters the season in a position it has never been in – two-time defending RMAC champion. The Orediggers ran the table last year going a perfect 7-0 in the conference; under regional coach of the year Austin DeVoe, Mines was 9-2 overall which included four wins over ranked opponents.

THE RMAC PICTURE
Six of the eight RMAC wrestling programs will be competing this winter, with New Mexico Highlands and San Francisco State opting out of competition. The Orediggers will wrestle a round-robin with the other five active teams (Adams State, Chadron State, Colorado Mesa, CSU Pueblo, and Western Colorado) and an RMAC champion will be crowned if at least five teams complete 50 percent of their round-robin. All competing teams are following the NCAA's COVID-19 testing and contact tracing protocols.

WHO'S BACK
Mines returns starters at seven weight classes this year, including three 2020 NCAA qualifiers – 184-pounder Anderson Salisbury, 197-pounder Nolan Funk, and 285-pounder Weston Hunt – along with 2019 NCAA qualifiers Skyler Lykins at 165 and Noah Ottum at 149. In addition, Mines has veterans with dual starting experience back in Jake Stogdill at 125, Taylor Gambill and Wes Rayburn at 141, Jack Damenti at 157, Ryan Fidel and Perry Rodenbeck at 174, and Mike True at 285.

WHO'S NEW
The Orediggers will have a number of new faces in the lineup making their Mines debuts this week. Redshirt freshman Gabe Martinez is the slotted starter at 133, and redshirt freshman KJ Kearns will wrestle at 174. In Thursday's extra matches, true freshman Christian Lopez will debut at 125 while Brown graduate transfer Zach Krause will compete at 149. True freshman Tristin David will feature at 157 and redshirt freshmen Levi Farris at 174 and Anthony Atria at 285. The Orediggers also have a new face on the bench in assistant coach Seth Ecker, who joined the program from Kutztown University in the fall.
 
LEADING THE WAY
Mines has selected three captains for the 2020-21 season, with veteran leaders Skyler Lykins and Noah Ottum returning along with redshirt freshman KJ Kearns.
 
MINES VS. FORT HAYS STATE
Mines and Fort Hays State meet up for the 35th time since 1958, with the Tigers holding a 22-12 series advantage. Mines, however, has won two in a row, with their last meeting a 16-15 win over then-#12 FHSU in the 2018-19 season. Thursday's dual is setting up to be a good one featuring two nationally-ranked bouts at 184 pounds (#9 Aryus Jones vs. #6 Anderson Salisbury) and heavyweight (#10 AJ Cooper vs. #5 Weston Hunt); the Tigers also feature #6 Marty Verheaghe at 174 and Mason Turner, ranked #2 at 125 but wrestling this week at 133.
 
 

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#16 Colorado School of Mines vs. #12 Fort Hays State
125: Broderick Green vs Jake Stogdill
133: #2 Mason Turner vs Gabe Martinez
141: Rhett Edmonson vs Wes Rayburn
149: Josh Lenker vs Noah Ottum
157: Anthony Scantlin vs Carter Noehre
165: Nick Lucas vs #8 Skyler Lykins
174: #6 Marty Verheaghe vs KJ Kearns
184: #9 Aryus Jones vs #6 Anderson Salisbury
197: Tereus Henry vs Nolan Funk
285: #10 AJ Cooper vs #5 Weston Hunt
 
Extra matches
125: Rhett Koppes vs Christian Lopez
125: Colin Cole vs Tyler Krause
149: Josh Lenker vs Zach Krause
157: Cody Hicks vs Jack Damenti
157: Kadin Heacock vs Tristin David 
174: Clint Herrick vs Levi Farris
174: #6 Marty Verheaghe vs Ryan Fidel
285: Tony Caldwell vs Mike True
285: Caleb Willis vs Anthony Atria