COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.  The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference on Tuesday afternoon announced its wrestler of the week award, honoring Western Colorado's Cole Hernandez for his dominating match in the No. 23 Mountaineers' narrow loss at No. 12 Colorado Mesa University.

Ranked ninth in the January 20 National Wrestling Coaches Association 174-pound Division II rankings, Hernandez overpowered the Mavericks' Braeson Lewis in a lopsided technical fall.

In the first period Hernandez registered four takedowns, then added three takedowns and a near fall in the second to build a 18-5 advantage heading into the final period. Hernandez elected bottom to start the period, got a quick escape (19-5) and a match-ending takedown in 20 seconds to go along with a final riding time point for the 22-5 tech.

Mesa overcame that loss and a 17-6 deficit, rallying over the final three weights to escape the upset with a 21-17 win.

Hernandez and the Mountaineers will head to Chadron, Nebraska, on February 25 for the NCAA D-II Super Region 6 Tournament at Chadron State College.