2023 Midwest Duals (hosted by Nebraska-Kearney)
Mines vs. Newman, 9 a.m. CT [FloSports] [Live Results]
Mines vs. Central Missouri, 10:30 a.m. CT [FloSports] [Live Results]

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OREDIGGERS VISIT KEARNEY FOR SATURDAY'S MIDWEST DUALS
For the second time this season, Colorado School of Mines heads to Kearney, Neb., this time for the 2023 Midwest Duals at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. Mines has two duals in the tournament, facing off against Newman at 9 a.m. and Central Missouri to follow at 10:30 a.m. The tournament will stream live for FloSports subscribers and live results are available on TrackWrestling. It will Mines' final non-RMAC dual action of the season and a last chance to mix up the lineup before the Orediggers hit the stretch run.

LAST TIME OUT
Mines (6-1) split a pair of road duals last weekend, falling 26-15 at #6 Adams State before bouncing back with a 34-9 win at New Mexico Highlands. On Saturday in Alamosa, Mines received wins from Anderson Salisbury, Deandre Rucker, Grayston DiBlasi, and Jack Damenti, but ASU's bonus points made their advantage too steep to overcome. On Sunday in Las Vegas, the Orediggers had pins from the quartet of Weston DiBlasi, Grayston DiBlasi, and Jack Damenti, and Teague Dilbeck and set the tone early with seven consecutive victories to put the dual out of reach. 

HISTORY
Mines and Newman match up for the fourth time in their history dating back to 2008. Their last two meetings have been at the Midwest Duals, with Mines winning 19-18 in 2018 and then 31-8 in 2019; Mines leads the series 2-1. Mines and Central Missouri have wrestled five times dating back to 1989 with Mines ahead 3-2 all-time. Their last four meetings have all been in Kearney, and Mines won 24-15 in 2018 and then 38-6 last year at the Midwest Duals. The Orediggers won nine of 10 bouts last year including bonus-point wins by Christian Lopez, Tyler Krause, Grayston DiBlasi, Cody Thompson, Carter Noehre, and Perry Rodenbeck. 

IN THE POLLS
Mines is receiving votes in the third regular-season NWCA coaches' poll out this morning, with both Grayston DiBlasi (up two spots to #9 at 141) and Anderson Salisbury (holding at #5 at 197) in the individual rankings. In the latest Open Mat rankings out on Wednesday, Mines moved up two spots to #21 in the dual team rankings and appeared at #25 in the tournament rankings, and has three wrestlers in the individual top-20: DiBlasi (up three spots to #8 at 141), Christian Lopez (debuting at #14 at 125), and Salisbury (up one to #5 at 197). 

LEADING THE WAY
The Orediggers have selected four captains for the 2022-23 season: Jack Damenti, KJ Kearns, Tyler Krause, and Anderson Salisbury. Both Kearns and Salisbury are returning captains from the 2021-22 season. 

MOVING ON UP
Anderson Salisbury continues to rack up wins in his career, and the two-time all-American is in elite company on the all-time wins list. At 77-24 all-time in his career, Salisbury is one of only 13 Oredigger wrestlers to reach 75 wins, a mark most recently achieved by former teammate Weston Hunt (78); Salisbury is now 11th all-time at Mines in wins and his next win would tie him with Hunt for 10th. Meanwhile, another Oredigger is shooting up the records in just his second season as Grayston DiBlasi continues his winning ways. The sophomore is already an eye-popping 45-11 (his 80% winning percentage ranks third in program history), and his 18 falls already has him tied for 11th all-time at Mines in just a season and a half of action. He is Mines' active leader in pins with Salisbury second at 15. 

COUNT ON IT
Through five dual meets this season, two Orediggers are 7-0 as starters - Grayston DiBlasi at 141 and Jack Damenti at 165. DiBlasi, as mentioned, continues to rip off wins at a team-leading 19-4 this season, but Damenti has emerged with a career-best super-senior season going 11-4 overall at 165 pounds. DiBlasi leads Mines with 35 dual points and Damenti is right behind with 30. 

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will have plenty of home action coming up, visiting CSU Pueblo next Friday, Jan. 27 but then finishing the dual season with three straight Volk Gym dates starting Sunday, Jan. 29 against Western Colorado.

ALUMNI WEEKEND COMING UP
Next weekend is Alumni Weekend for the Orediggers, and all alumni are invited to join Mines Wrestling on Saturday, Jan. 28 for an Open House at the Jack Hancock Wrestling Center in Volk Gym to meet the team, watch practice, and tour the facility starting at 4 p.m., followed by a social at Miners Saloon at 1109 Miners Alley in Golden at 5:30 p.m. Then Sunday cheer on the Orediggers as they host Western Colorado at 2 p.m.
 

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Mines Probables - at Midwest Duals
125 - Christian Lopez (11-5)
133 - Weston DiBlasi (11-6)
141 - #9 Grayston DiBlasi (19-4) or Will Loecke (11-4) or Dylan Yancey (1-2)
149 - Teague Dilbeck (8-6) or Carson Dulitz (9-6)
157 - Daniel Caddy (7-6)
165 - Jack Damenti (11-4) or Tristin David (7-5)
174 - Levi Farris (3-1)
184 - Garrett Bakarich (6-6) or Ryan Cody (13-6) or David Leck (0-0)
197 - #5 Anderson Salisbury (14-4)
285 - Anthony Atria (5-3) or Deandre Rucker (9-6)