Mines vs. Otero College [RMAC Network] [Live Results]
Volk Gym - Thursday, Nov. 9 - 6 p.m.

---

OREDIGGERS SET FOR DUAL OPENER
After opening the season Sunday with the Mines Rookie Open, Colorado School of Mines begins its dual schedule Thursday hosting Otero College at Volk Gym. The non-conference dual is the first of five scheduled at home this season, and will stream live on the RMAC Network with live scoring on TrackWrestling.

WHO'S BACK
The Orediggers have a young but experienced roster back with 22 returners on this year's squad. Mines brings back starting experience seven weight classes, including at 125 pounds (Christian Lopez), 141 (Grayston DiBlasi), 157 (Daniel Caddy), 165 (Tristan David), 174 (Levi Farris), 184 (Ryan Cody), and 285 (Deandre Rucker, who moves to 197). DiBlasi is the leading returner in wins after a 28-7 season, with Cody also racking up a 20-win season at 20-9 and Will Loecke (16-9), Lopez (14-8), and Caddy (11-10) all have double digit victories. Mines adds to that experience seven freshmen and three transfers, several of whom are in Thursday's lineup including Trebor Moreno (133), Wyatt Reisz (174), Mason Diel (184) and Laith Ibrahim (285), plus having Cody Thompson (149), Jakob Smith (165), and Cade Whish (285) coming off redshirt years.

THE SERIES
Mines and Otero are squaring off for the first time since 2018, when Mines won 46-3 at Volk Gym. 

ROOKIE OPEN RECAP
Sunday's Rookie Open marked the official start to the season and Mines had three placers out of eight attached entrants at the event. Cade Whish, in his debut for the Orediggers, took fourth at 285 pounds, with Jaron Mahler winning the consolation bracket for fifth at 157 and Carson Dulitz coming in eighth at 149 pounds.

AT THE HELM
Head Coach Austin DeVoe enters 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 68 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 was also ranked #11 by OpenMat, 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 21 career pins already has him eighth all-time at Mines, and at 54-14 in two seasons, DiBlasi is on pace to potentially be the first Oredigger in 30 years to challenge 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 will wrestle at the Younes Hospitality Open in Kearney, Neb. on Nov. 18, and returns home for their RMAC opener Nov. 30 against New Mexico Highlands at 6 p.m.
 

---

PROJECTED BOUTS - MINES vs. OTERO COLLEGE
125 - Christian Lopez vs. open
133 - Trebor Moreno vs. Damian Lopez
141 - #10 Grayston DiBlasi vs. Jed Garcia
149 - Cody Thompson vs. Joe Zamora
157 - Daniel Caddy vs. Dakota Taavialma
165 - Jakob Smith vs. Colton Tyra
174 - Wyatt Reisz vs. Joe Shaver
184 - Mason Diel vs. open
197 - Deandre Rucker vs. open
285 - Laith Ibrahim or Cade Whish vs. Jeremy Horn
285 EXTRA - Charlie Holub vs. Xander Wills