KEARNEY, Neb.  Winners of its last five dual matches, Western Colorado wrestling will take that streak into the Midwest Duals on Saturday, when the Mountaineers square off against Maryville (Mo.) University, top-ranked Central Oklahoma, and Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) University.

WESTERN COLORADO HEADING INTO THE DUALS

• The Mountaineers swept their three matches at the Jan. 6 Tracy Borah Duals, then added a fifth consecutive victory -- initiated with a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win Dec. over S.F. State -- with a 29-15 RMAC victory over visiting Colorado School of Mines on Jan. 13.
• Cole Hernandez, ranked fourth in the NWCA individual rankings at 174 pounds, earned his second straight RMAC wrestler of the week award following the Mines match, at which he registered a 9-1 major decision over 11th-ranked Wyatt Reisz of the Orediggers.
• The previous week Hernandez was voted the weekly conference honor after registering first-period pins in each of his three matches at the Borah Duals. Those four victories improved his season record to 19-2.
• The Mines match was tied at 10-10 before decisions by Ryan Wilson at 157 and by Walker Heckendorf at 165. Hernadez' major put Western up by 10 points, setting up Cole Gray at 184 with a chance to clinch the team victory.
• That win came emphatically as Gray, following a scoreless opening period, earned an escape for the first point then swung back with a takedown that put Mines Mason Diel on his back, the match ending 53 seconds into the second period on a Gray pin.

MARYVILLE HEADING INTO THE DUALS

• The Saints are 1-1 overall in duals, and 1-0 in Great Lakes Valley Conference action. Their win came in a 23-22 upset of McKendree University, and the loss came against No. 1 Central Oklahoma.
• Maryville's Evan Binder is the lone wrestler ranked in the NWCA individual rankings, No. 10 at 133, but Jeremiah Larson was voted the most recent GLVC wrestler of the week.
• Larson recorded a fall at 197 over 2023 national qualifier Logan Kvien in the McKendree match, then two days later recorded a major in the match at Central Oklahoma.
• The Saints joined the Mountaineers at the Dec. 17 Midwest Classic, placing 21st overall, three spots behind Western Colorado in 18th.

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HEADING INTO THE DUALS

• Broncho wrestlers are nearly represented at each weight class in the NWCA individual rankings:
  • 141 pounds – Dylan Lucas (2nd)
  • 157 – Gabe Johnson (4th)
  • 165 – Hunter Jump (12th)
  • 174 – Anthony DesVigne (12th)
  • 184 – Garrett Wells (3rd)
  • 197 – Dalton Abney (1st)
  • 285 – Braedon Morgan (9th)
• UCO is unbeaten in duals, at 7-0, and are 2-0 in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) matches. It finished third at the Midwest Classic in December.
• In common opponents with Western, the Bronchos have defeated Ouachita Baptist (42-0) and Maryville (42-4).

OUACHITA BAPTIST HEADING INTO THE DUALS

• The Tigers are 1-4 overall and 0-1 in the MIAA. The lone win was a 28-21 victory at the University of the Ozarks (Ark.) on Dec. 6, revenge for a home loss to the Eagles (27-15) two weeks prior.
• OBU finished 42nd at December's Midwest Classic.
• Jaylen Otero at 157 was voted the Nov. 14, 2023 MIAA wrestler of the week. Otero also wrestled to a first-place finish at the Dec. 2 Drury Open.

UP NEXT

• Western Colorado re-enters RMAC action following the Midwest Duals, beginning with a Fri., Jan. 26 match at Colorado State University Pueblo.
• The next Mountaineer home match is the next day, Jan. 27, against Chadron State College.