Men's Wrestling | 2/10/2015 11:34:00 AM
Live Stats |
Live Video
This dual preview is presented by MAA Corporate Partner Schmalz Construction and Gunnison Construction
GUNNISON, Colo. - Two duals remain for No. 5 Western State Colorado University wrestling in 2015. Both duals will be hosted in Gunnison, Colorado, home of the Mountaineers. The first dual, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, will come against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponent New Mexico Highlands University. Thursday night in Paul Wright Gym is also Community Schools / Youth Night, where all kids, ages K-8th grade, receive free admission with valid coupon. Parents accompanying kids will receive $3 admission.
The Gunnison Dusters and Montrose Youth Wrestling Club will kick things off Thursday, with a dual at 5 p.m. There will be approximately 22 matches between the two youth squads prior to the Western dual. Each match will feature three one minute periods.
After the youth dual, Western (9-2, 5-1 RMAC) and Highlands (8-6, 2-4 RMAC) will go up against each other, under the spotlight. The Mountaineers have won 13 consecutive duals against the Cowboys and hold a 16-3 lead in the overall series. The last Highlands dual victory over the Mountaineers came during the 1983-84 season.
Western is currently ranked second in the RMAC standings. The Mountaineers are one dual victory behind Colorado Mesa University. NMHU sits seventh in the conference standings heading into the week.
Western is led by three seniors ranked in the top eight of their respective weight classes.
Elliot Copeland (Sr., Bennett, Colorado) is ranked second at 174 pounds, while teammate
Kyle Piatt (Sr., Olathe, Colorado) is ranked fifth at 184 pounds, and
Sam Mangum is ranked sixth at 197 pounds (Sr., McAllen, Texas). The three seniors have a combined record of 15-0 with two falls in RMAC duals this season.
Following the dual against NMHU, Western's final dual of the season will be Wednesday, Feb. 18 in Gunnison against Colorado School of Mines. The Mountaineers will then try and qualify for the Division II National Tournament on Feb. 27-28 at the NCAA Region IV Championships in Pueblo, Colorado.
Probable Lineup for the New Mexico Highlands University dual Wt. Wrestler Yr. Hometown / Previous School Overall (Falls) RMAC (Falls)125
Trenton Piatt Fr. Olathe, Colo. / Olathe HS 22-9 (9) 3-3 (1)
133
Zach Shank RSo. Olathe, Colo. / Olathe HS 15-10 (6) 3-2 (0)
141
Corbin Bennetts Jr. Buena Vista, Colo. / Buena Vista HS 22-13 (2) 4-2 (0)
149
Ian Steen So. Graham, Wash. / Graham-Kapowsin HS 11-5 (8) 2-1 (2)
157
Shawn Beiriger RFr. Del Norte, Colo. / Del Norte HS 16-16 (8) 4-2 (1)
165
Austin Harris Jr. Windsor, Colo. / Windsor HS 21-8 (7) 2-3 (1)
Or
Travis Bradford RFr. Houston, Texas / Saint Thomas HS 0-5 (0) 0-1 (0)
174 #2
Elliot Copeland Sr. Bennett, Colo. / Bennett HS 9-2 (4) 3-0 (2)
184 #5
Kyle Piatt Sr. Olathe, Colo. / Olathe HS 26-3 (9) 6-0 (0)
197 #6
Sam Mangum Sr. McAllen, Texas / McAllen HS 19-7 (1) 6-0 (0)
HWT
Peter Anguiano Sr. Elk Grove, Calif. / Franklin HS 20-12 (7) 5-1 (4)
