GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado wrestling team gets right to RMAC action in its first dual of the season as the Mountaineers take on No. 24 Chadron State 7 p.m. Thursday at Paul Wright Gym.
WCU is coming off its seventh RMAC team championship last season after going 6-1 in conference - including a 34-12 win over the Eagles last season in Chadron, Nebraska. However, only three wrestlers for the Mountaineers from last season's win over CSC are in their probable lineup for Thursday night -
Jason Hanenberg,
Hunter Mullin and
Ruger Wyneken. WCU's probable lineup includes four freshmen, three sophomores and three juniors. Hanenberg enters Thursday ranked nationally No. 6 by NWCA and No. 15 by Open Mat while Mullin is ranked No. 16 by Open Mat at 157.
The Mountaineers opened the season at the Cowboy Open in Laramie, Wyoming, on Nov. 2 with
Ruger Wyneken highlighting the event for WCU as he took third place in the Elite Division at 184 pounds. After dropping his first match, Wyneken won three consecutive matches - all against D-I opponents - to take third as he earned RMAC Wrestler of the Week for his performance. Two other WCU probable wrestlers for Thursday's match did well at the Cowboy Open in the Amateur Division with freshman
Giovanni Cassioppi taking second at 149 pounds and
Patrick Allis taking fourth place at 125 pounds.
Chadron State opened their season with a 37-3 loss on Nov. 7 to Nebraska before beating Hastings College 45-3 later in the day. Chase Clasen comes in ranked No. 5 at 149 pounds - but is a probable for the Eagles at 157 for Thursday night.
Western Colorado is 20-7-1 all-time against Chadron State and have won 11 of the last 12 duals against the Eagles.
