Mines at the Younes Hospitality Open [Live Video PPV / Live Results]
Kearney, Neb. - Buffalo County Fairgrounds - Saturday - 9 a.m. CT

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OREDIGGERS HEAD TO KEARNEY FOR EARLY TEST
With two home dates under their belts, Colorado School of Mines heads out on the road for the first time this season for a key early-season test at the Younes Hospitality Open, hosted by Nebraska-Kearney. The largest collegiate open tournament in the nation, the meet will have more than 700 wrestlers competing on 16 mats at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, Neb., split between "Elite" and "Amateur" weight class brackets. The tournament is live streamed (pay-per-view) with live results on TrackWrestling.

THE FIELD
The Younes Hospitality Open is one of the toughest tournaments in the country outside of the NCAA Division II Championship meet, with a who's-who of D-II teams attending along with top NAIA and NJCAA talent. Among the NWCA-ranked teams in attendance are #9 Mary, #13 Chadron State, #15 Augustana, #18 UNK, #22 Western Colorado, and #25 Fort Hays State. 

A WINNING START
Mines got its dual season off to a winning start on Nov. 9 as they were nearly perfect in defeating Otero College 56-0. The Orediggers won four times via fall and had bonus points in every match as they dominated every weight class, surrendering only one takedown and one escape in the dual. Trebor Moreno (133), Grayston DiBlasi (141), Cody Thompson (149), and Cade Whish (285) all recorded first-period falls, with both Moreno's and DiBlasi's coming in the first minute. Jakob Smith and Wyatt Reisz worked back points to technical falls at 165 and 174, respectively, as Smith won 18-0 in the second period, and Reisz opened the third period with a takedown to seal an 18-1 win. Daniel Caddy's 157-pound bout was the only one to go the distance, but Caddy did not surrender a point in a 9-0 major decision. It was Mines' most points scored in a dual since the 1985-86 season when they had a "perfect dual" winning 60-0 against Dubuque. 

AT THE HELM
Head Coach Austin DeVoe is in his 11th season in charge of the Mines Wrestling program, having rebuilt the Orediggers into a national contender with a pair of RMAC titles, seven all-Americans, and seven Academic All-Americans in his tenure. With 69 dual wins under his belt, Mines has had six consecutive winning dual seasons including the only three double-digit win seasons in program history, and Mines tied the program record for wins last year at 11-2. On the national stage, Mines has had team success as well including an 11th-place finish in 2022 which was the program's best finish since the 1990s. 

IN THE POLLS
Mines appeared in fifth place in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll, with favorite Adams State topping the list ahead of Colorado Mesa, Western Colorado, and Chadron State. The NWCA national preseason poll had the Orediggers receiving votes with Grayston DiBlasi ranked #10 at 141 pounds; DiBlasi is also ranked #10 in this week's OpenMat poll, and Christian Lopez is #18 at 125 pounds as well. 

DIBLASI MOVING UP THE RANKS
Speaking of Grayston DiBlasi, the junior has been putting up wins at a historic pace in his two years in Golden, and he is already climbing up the Orediggers' all-time falls list. His 22 career pins already has him tied for seventh ll-time at Mines, and at 55-14 in two seasons, DiBlasi is on pace to potentially be the first Oredigger in 30 years to challenge for 100 career wins.

DOUBLE DIGITS
At 11-2 in duals last season, Mines tied the program record for wins (11-3 in 2018-19) and racked up double digit wins for the third time overall under Austin DeVoe. Prior to DeVoe taking over the program, Mines had never won 10 or more duals in a season dating back to 1920. 

NEXT UP
Mines returns home for their RMAC opener Nov. 30 against New Mexico Highlands at 6 p.m.
 

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PROJECTED ENTRANTS - MINES at YOUNES HOSPITALITY OPEN
Garrett Bakarich
Daniel Caddy
Ryan Cody 
Grant Crownhart 
Tristin David 
Grayston DiBlasi 
Mason Diel 
Carson Dulitz 
Levi Farris 
Charlie Holub 
Laith Ibrahim 
Avery Krippner 
Jaron Mahler 
Niko Mayo 
Trebor Moreno
Jeffery Morosini 
Timber Parlin 
Wyatt Reisz 
Deandre Rucker 
Jakob Smith 
Alexander Sweeney 
Cody Thompson 
Trevor Thorn 
Cade Whish