GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado wresting embarks on its 2022-23 schedule beginning Thursday at home in Paul Wright Gym with a 6 p.m. bout against visiting Northeastern (Colo.) Junior College. The Mountaineers compete twice over the weekend, first at the U.S. Air Force Academy on Saturday followed by a trip by Western's rookies and redshirts on Sunday to the Colorado School of Mines Rookie Open.

WESTERN HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
The Mountaineers kicked off their season one week ago with the Crimson and Slate Intrasquad Dual, won by the Slate, 33-19.

Winners for the Slate at the match were Patrick Allis at 125, Alex Alvarez at 133, Jason Hanenberg at 149, Walker Heckendorf at 157, Ryan Dirksen at 165 and Hayden Grice at 285. The Crimson captured wins from Dean Noble at 141, Cole Hernandez at 174, Cole Gray at 184 and Porter Fox at 197.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association preseason poll for 2022-23 has the Mountaineers tied at No. 18 in the national ranking. Three from Western are ranked in their weight classes: Allis (ninth, 125), Hanenberg (ninth, 149), and 2021-22 All-American Hunter Mullin (fourth, 165).

The preseason Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference coaches poll slots Western in at No. 4 with 33 points, seven points behind Colorado Mines and Colorado Mesa University which are tied for the No. 2 spot.

NORTHEASTERN JC HEADING INTO THE SEASON
The Plainsmen lost to visiting Western last season, 40-13. They also lost to the RMAC's Chadron State College, 43-0.

NJC finished second in the team scoring at the 2022 Regional Tournament, qualifying seven wrestlers for the NJCAA national tournament.

At the national championship, Braydon Mogle earned All-American status with a seventh-place finish at 125. That placing helped the Plainsmen to a 21st-place team finish.

Returning for the 2022-23 season from the national qualifiers are Mogle, Connor Davis, Tucker Naccarato and Deegan Palmer.

AIR FORCE HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
The Falcons finished the 2021-22 campaign with a 3-9 overall record, which included a 44-3 victory over the visiting Mountaineers. The other two wins came against Cal Baptist (32-11) and Cal State Bakersfield (25-9).

Air Force finished 10th at the Big 12 championships, earning one individual champion in then-sophomore heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson.

Hendrickson concluded his season in the wrestlebacks at the NCAA Division I championships. His season record was 26-2, a mark he'll look to match or better heading into this, his junior season.