Sitting at 6-0 earlier this year, the Maverick wrestling team looked to be in perfect position to once again dominate the conference and make some national noise. Despite their youth, they held onto a 17 straight RMAC dual win streak and had accrued at least a share of the RMAC title consecutively since 2021.
However, they then uncharacteristically dropped their next three duals versus Adams State University, Colorado School of Mines and #15 Chadron State University. As the saying goes, when you get punched in the mouth, how do you respond?
For Colorado Mesa University (CMU), the response was to obliterate CSU Pueblo 37-0, knock off archrival Western Colorado and qualify the most wrestlers for nationals as a team since 2014.
At the regional tournament, the Mavs sent the second-most wrestlers to the final dance in their larger region, only behind Nebraska-Kearney’s eight. On top of that, Oran Huff and Tyler Doyle finished as the runner-ups at 133 pounds and 285 pounds.
“It definitely puts a sour taste in our mouth but our coaches and us had faith in the team. We knew the talent we had and it was just some small adjustments for most of those guys, which was obviously shown at regionals. We had faith and we knew we just needed to clean it up,” 184-pounder Jason Bynarowicz said
In total, Huff, Doyle, Dayson Torgenson (125), Gus Dalton (174), Jason Bynarowicz (184) and Gabe Carranaza (197) all qualified for the national tournament.
Some may have been surprised to see the turn-around the Mavericks had but they certainly were not. After the three-dual skid, the team came out with a renewed energy and kicked it into another level.
“We just didn’t wrestle well at all and that’s what it came down to. Talent wise, if you match us up against either of the three duals that we lost, we had the opportunity to win. I think we maybe got a little complacent after we were 6-0. But we got our heads back into the game and got ready for the postseason,” Doyle said.
Success is nothing new to CMU. In fact, it is expected after posting a winning season every year since 2018 and recording an All-American in 13-straight seasons, which is the longest streak in the RMAC.
In that same timeframe, they have also produced the program’s only two NCAA national champions in James Martinez in 2015 and Fred Green in 2021 as well as 14 total All-Americans. This weekend, the Mavericks have a chance to add more names to that list and extend their All-American streak, given to anyone who finishes in the top-eight of their weight class.
But CMU is not letting the bright lights and historical implications get in their heads. To them, its just another day in the office.
“Honestly, I just don’t look at tournaments with that much weight even one like nationals. I just gotta do it all over again: wake up, rinse and repeat. If I happen to place, I’m happy to place. I try to be in the moment as much as I can,” 197-pounder Gabe Carranza said.
Torgenson, a true freshman, kept his mindset going into this weekend short and sweet.
“I’m not going to worry about it too much. Just gonna go out there and have fun,” Torgenson said.
Torgenson has an 18-9 record on the year.
The national tournament will be on March 16 and March 17 in Park City, Kansas.
