#25 Mines at Fort Hays State w/ Ouachita Baptist [MIAA Network] [Live Results]
Saturday - 4 p.m. CT/5:30 p.m. CT - Hays, Kan.

#25 Mines at the FHSU Bob Smith Open [Live Results]
Sunday - 9 a.m. CT - Hays, Kan.

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OREDIGGERS HEAD TO KANSAS FOR PACKED WEEKEND
After a week off for Thanksgiving, #25 Colorado School of Mines (2-0) returns to action this weekend with a trip to Hays, Kan. for a pair of duals and an open tournament. The Orediggers will take on both the host Fort Hays State (4 p.m. CT Saturday) and Ouachita Baptist (5:30 p.m. CT Saturday) in a tri-meet to start, then stay over for Sunday's FHSU Bob Smith Open starting at 9 a.m. CT.

FAN INFO & LIVE COVERAGE
Saturday's duals will stream on the MIAA Network (pay-per-view). There is no stream for the Bob Smith Open. Live results for both events are on Trackwrestling at the links above.

LAST TIME OUT
Mines hasn't competed since Nov. 22 at the Younes Hospitality Open when it had three placewinners in Nebraska. Cade Whish led the way as the 285 Intermediate runner-up with Marcus Caro finishing fourth at 157 Intermediate, and Deringer Hollenbeck was sixth at 157 Amateur. 

IN THE RANKINGS
Mines entered the national rankings for the first time this season in the latest NWCA coaches' poll at #25. Cody Thompson moved up a spot to #2 at 149 pounds while 285-pounder Laith Ibrahim advanced two spots to #8 in the late November rankings. In this week's OpenMat rankings, Mines is ranked #19 in the team tournament poll with Thompson at #2, Ibrahim at #9, Wyatt Reisz #10 at 174, and Jakob Smith #13 at 165. 

Mines was selected third in the preseason RMAC coaches' poll on Oct. 15, trailing Colorado Mesa and Adams State in a tight top three spots. Jakob Smith and Wyatt Reisz - both all-RMAC selections a year ago - were recognized as Preseason All-RMAC picks.

THE HISTORY
Mines takes on two Tigers this weekend in Fort Hays State and Ouachita Baptist, both members of the MIAA. It will be the Orediggers' first-ever meeting with OBU, but Mines and Fort Hays State are old RMAC rivals, meeting 39 times previously dating back to 1958 with FHSU holding a 22-17 series lead. Mines, however, has won seven in a row over the Tigers, including a 37-4 win in Golden last year. It will be the Orediggers' first visit to Hays since the 2018-19 season.

THE CHAMPS ARE HERE
The Orediggers won the outright RMAC championship in 2024-25 with a perfect 7-0 RMAC dual schedule. It marks the third title for the Orediggers, all coming since 2019 under RMAC Coach of the Year Austin DeVoe. Mines was well-rewarded for their title win in the RMAC's postseason honors, as Jakob Smith earned First-Team All-RMAC honors at 165 pounds while four Orediggers took Second-Team All-RMAC accolades: Christian Lopez (125 lbs.), Grayston DiBlasi (141 lbs.), Wyatt Reisz (174 lbs.), and Ryan Cody (197 lbs.) in addition to DeVoe's major award.

LEADING THE WAY
Cody Thompson enters the weekend as Mines' active leader in career wins at 51-17, while Wyatt Reisz, who ended his sophomore year in his first NCAA Championships appearance, is 45-14. Freshman Deringer Hollenbeck leads the team in wins at 8-3, while Kaleb Valdez-Lemos and Marcus Caro are right behind at 7-2 and 7-4, respectively. Cade Whish is Mines' active pins leader with 12 among his 30 career victories at 285 pounds, but Hollenbeck holds the season lead with an impressive five pins among eight victories.

AT THE HELM
Head Coach Austin DeVoe is in his 12th season in charge of the Mines Wrestling program, having rebuilt the Orediggers into a national contender with three RMAC titles, eight all-Americans, and eight Academic All-Americans in his tenure. With 91 dual wins under his belt, Mines has had seven consecutive winning dual seasons including the only three double-digit win seasons in program history, including tying the program wins record in 2022-23 with an 11-2 record and surpassing it with 13 in 2024-25. 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. 

NCAA ADDS NEW FRESHMAN RULE
Starting this season, NCAA Division II wrestling programs (and all D-II sports) will be able to have their true freshmen compete in up to 30 percent of their contests without losing a season of eligibility. Previously, only football had that option at the Division II level. The rule change opens up exciting opportunities for young wrestlers, and Mines has already made good use of it with nine freshmen competing in the blue and silver singlets this season.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Orediggers will close the semester hosting the four-team, two-mat Jack Hancock Duals on Dec. 20 at Volk Gym.
 

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MINES PROJECTED LINEUP - at Fort Hays State/Ouachita Baptist
125 - Jake Goodin (2-1)
133 - Izaiah Padilla (1-1) or Hunter Samora (5-4)
141 - Coen Schmidt (3-4)
149 - #2 Cody Thompson (2-0)
157 - Brandon Cody (5-0) or Marcus Caro (7-4)
165 - Jakob Smith (1-1)
174 - Wyatt Reisz (2-0)
184 - Mason Diel (2-0)
197 - Cain Tigges (2-0) or Jeffery Morosini (0-1)
285 - #8 Laith Ibrahim (2-0)

FORT HAYS STATE PROJECTED LINEUP
125 - D'Andre Brown
133 - Jett Schwartz
141 - Will Burchard or Kaiden Hoffman
149 - Jarrett Mader or Corbin White
157 - Cash Thomas or Micah Castro
165 - Hunter Harris or Cason Lindsey
174 - Houston Frank or Ernesto Duenez
184 - Matt Rodriguez
197 - Ryan Patterson
285 - Riah Ostrander or Jaxson Thomas

OUACHITA BAPTIST PROJECTED LINEUP
125 - Justin Shaw
133 - #5 James Anderson
141 - Iziah Tusler or Abdul Hashimi
149 - Caleb Andrews
157 - Johnny White
165 - Sam Schmidt
174 - Ethan Day
184 - Luke Brooks
197 - Cayden Byrd
285 - BK Seago