Mines at #12 Chadron State - Friday - 6 p.m. [RMAC Network] [Live Results]

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OREDIGGERS LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK AT CHADRON STATE
Colorado School of Mines hits the road again this weekend, heading to the Nebraska panhandle to face #12 Chadron State in an important RMAC dual. The Orediggers (4-1, 2-1 RMAC) are looking to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season last week, while the Eagles (4-1, 2-0 RMAC) hope to extend an unbeaten conference start. The dual will take place in Chadron's Nelson Physical Activity Center and will stream live on the RMAC Network.

LAST TIME OUT
Mines was tripped up at Western Colorado last weekend, suffering the first dual loss of the season 29-15 in Gunnison. The Orediggers had three technical fall victories - by Grayston DiBlasi, Cody Thompson, and Ryan Cody - but the Mountaineers were tough in the other seven bouts, winning four of them with bonus points. That sent the Orediggers' record to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the RMAC.

THE SERIES
Mines and Chadron State have a long history wrestling each other going back to 1962 as they meet for the 39th time. CSC holds a 24-12-2 all-time series lead but Mines has won five in a row dating back to the 2017-18 season, including 26-18 in Golden last year. 

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. In the newest NWCA rankings out just before the new year, both the Orediggers and Eagles are well-represented; Mines is receiving votes in the team poll and has three individuals ranked in Grayston DiBlasi (#8 at 141), Cody Thompson (#12 at 149), and Wyatt Reisz (#11 at 174). Chadron State is ranked #12 in the last NWCA team tournament rankings, featuring four top-12 ranked individuals: #7 Quade Smith at 125 pounds, #2 Quen Campbell at 133, #10 Logan Berger at 14, and #5 Mason Watt at 285.

LEADING THE WAY
As the season hits its halfway point, Grayston DiBlasi tops the team in wins sitting at 14-4, with three grapplers at 13: Wyatt Reisz (13-5), Cody Thompson (13-2), and Cade Whish (13-6).  Thompson leads the team in dual points produced at 27 in five outings, with DiBlasi at 25. Whish leads the Orediggers with seven falls followed by Moreno, Bakarich, and Carson Dulitz at four, with Ryan Cody owning the season's fastest pin in 29 seconds. 

DIBLASI MOVING UP THE RANKS
Speaking of Grayston DiBlasi, the junior has been putting up wins at a historic pace in his two-plus years in Golden, and he is already climbing up the Orediggers' all-time falls list. His 24 career pins has him now tied for fifth all-time at Mines, and at 68-18 in less than three full seasons, DiBlasi is on pace to potentially be the first Oredigger in 30 years to challenge for 100 career wins.

PINNED DOWN
Speaking of falls, Garrett Bakarich's winning performance at the Western Colorado Open earlier this month also put him into the all-time top-20 of pins at Mines, vaulting him to 14th with 17 in his career. Impressively, Bakarich has produced those 17 pins out of 19 career wins, and all four of his wins this year have come via the pin. 

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 72 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. 

GET THAT SILVER
Mines Wrestling can count one more alumnus among its ranks, even though he's still on the team. Levi Farris earned his silver diploma with a B.S. in engineering physics during Mines' winter commencement on Dec. 15; the fifth-year senior from Palmer, Alaska is continuing his studies in his final year of eligibility with a master's in materials science. 

NEXT UP
Mines will stay on the road for a dual at Colorado Mesa next Saturday before returning home to host Adams State on Feb. 3.
 

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PROJECTED LINEUP: Mines at #12 Chadron State
125 - Christian Lopez (7-4) 
133 - Trebor Moreno (9-2) 
141 - #8 Grayston DiBlasi (14-4)
149 - #12 Cody Thompson (13-2) 
157 - Jaron Mahler (9-5) 
165 - Tristin David (9-5) 
174 - #11 Wyatt Reisz (13-5) 
184 - Mason Diel (8-5) 
197 - Ryan Cody (5-5) 
285 - Cade Whish (13-6)