Photo by Gabe Taylor Photography
Colorado School of Mines (0-0) vs. Fort Hays State (0-0) [Live Results] [Live Video]
Mines opens its 2015-16 home dual slate Wednesday night against Fort Hays State. The Orediggers sport a rapidly-improving lineup with only one senior, as it looks to its youth to make an impact.
ON THE AIR
All Mines home duals in 2015-16 will be seen live and for free on RMAC TV. Live results are available through TrackWrestling.com
OREDIGGERS STAND OUT AT COWBOY OPEN
Keenan Willits and Rocky Michaelson battled back to earn third-place finishes at the Wyoming Cowboy Open to start the season on Nov. 7. Willits went 6-1 in his 165-pound bracket while Michaelson, a true freshman at 174, was 5-1. Other standout performances include Ethan Ruby, who was 3-2 at 157 lbs., and Ian Cheatum, who was 3-2 at 285 lbs.
WITH HONORS
John Crowley picked up preseason all-RMAC accolades at 165 lbs. on Oct. 27. The redshirt junior went 18-12 with four falls at 157 lbs. last year and will move up a weight class in 2015-16. He led Mines with a 6-2 record as he seeks to repeat his all-America finish from 2012-13.
IN THE RANKINGS
Mines 197-pounder Paul Wilson starts the season nationally ranked eighth in his weight class according to the D2Wrestle.com Coaches' Poll. Wilson is the top-ranked wrestler at 197 in Super Region IV coming off a 25-12, 13-fall junior season. John Crowley is regionally ranked third at 165.
NEW FACES
Mines' 13-man recruiting class is arguably the best in program history, and two true freshmen – Lukas Erickson and Rocky Michaelson – are projected starters vs. Fort Hays.
LAST YEAR
Fort Hays won 31-15 at home in 2014-15. Two Orediggers in this year's projected line-up – Zachary Gracia and Paul Wilson – picked up wins as Gracia edged Lawson Ludwin 9-8 and Paul Wilson earned a 1:25 fall over Cash Drylie. There are no projected rematches from a year ago. Fort Hays leads the all-time series 20-9. [2014-15 Results]
NEXT UP
Mines returns to tournament wrestling at the UNK Holiday Inn Open Nov. 21 at Nebraska-Kearney, then heads to Fort Hays for the FHSU Bob Smith Open Dec. 6. The Orediggers return home Dec. 9 to host Northwest Kansas Tech in a dual at 7 p.m.
PROBABLE MATCHES
Fort Hays State vs. Colorado School of Mines
125 – Adam Ludwin (4-2) vs. Zachary Gracia (1-2)
133 – Anthony Calderon (4-2) vs. Caleb Micho (1-2)
141 – Jacob Schoenfeld (2-6) vs. Lukas Erickson (1-2)
149 – Noah Killip (4-1) vs. Jacob Gerken (0-2)
157 – Bradley Little (5-3) vs. Ethan Ruby (3-2)
165 – Kregg Clarke (6-4) vs. Keenan Willits (6-1)
174 – Nathan Shipley (4-4) vs. Rocky Michaelson (5-1)
184 – #6 Jon Inman (4-0) OR Ethan Dale (2-3) vs. Karl Breidenbach (2-2)
197 – Open vs. #8 Paul Wilson (1-2)
285 – Justin Scott (2-2) vs. Ian Cheatum (3-2)
