So close. Yet so far away. Last year’s team grabbed fifth at nationals. The year before saw a fourth place finish. Now, however, the Mavericks are ready to make the jump.

“I’m a four-time all-american, trying to get my fifth all-american honors, but I’m planning on winning a national title this year. I think I’m going to have to work a little bit harder in some areas, and tune up some things, but I think I’m right there every single year,” said redshirt senior Jennesis Martinez.

Last year, Martinez notched sixth at the National College Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC). Her former teammate and current coach, Marissa Gallegos, is still the only Maverick woman to win a national championship.

In addition to the single national title, the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Women’s wrestling team has a pretty full trophy case. Since their inaugural season in 2018-19, women’s wrestling has received 34 all-american honors, nine wrestlers on the inaugural all-RMAC squad, along with 11 all-time regional champions.

This year’s squad will also feature a lot of new faces for CMU, as women’s wrestling has seen a massive influx of freshmen, but maintains balance with a lot of returning wrestlers.

With the youth of the team, however, has come some doubt from other coaches across the RMAC. In the preseason coaches’ poll, CMU was predicted to finish second in the five team conference. In front of them in the poll is RMAC associate member Simon Fraser University, the only NCAA member in Canada. The Red Leafs garnered 15 total points with three nods for first place. The Mavs were a very close second, nabbing 14 total points and two nods for the top spot. The trio of Chadron State, Adams State and associate member Texas Women’s all tied for last place with seven total points.

“It’s a really exciting group. We have 21 incoming freshmen, [with] a handful of them ranked in the top 25 of their weight class coming out of high school, and then we have some phenomenal returning athletes. [We have] this mixture of seasoned veterans within this program, mixed in with our new incoming class has made this group really exciting. It’s been a very competitive preseason,” said head coach Travis Mercado.

Another influential veteran for this Maverick squad is Erica Smith. Smith swiped her first all-american honor last year, and is returning for her redshirt senior season.

“There’s a higher standard in the room this year than I think there has ever been before, so I am really looking forward to all the competition we’re going to have in the room that’s going to push us to get higher on that podium [at NCWWC],” said Smith.

Women’s wrestling just had their Maroon versus Black intersquad scrimmage inside Brownson Arena, and will officially start the season on Nov. 1, taking on both Fort Hays State and Snow College during the Maverick Fall Brawl. They are undefeated at home.

Also competing in the Maroon versus White intersquad scrimmage on the same day was the men’s wrestling team.

CMU had won three straight conference titles from 2021-2023, but couldn’t edge out the Eagles of Chadron State last season. Despite that, the coaches of the RMAC predict the Mavericks to be the best this season, as they garnered 44 total points and two votes for first place, a mere six points ahead of rival Western Colorado, who grabbed the same number of first place nods.

“I don’t feel like we’re doing anything a lot different. I feel like [we’re] just focusing on training every day. We’re supposed to win. And obviously, putting together a lineup is the first thing, figuring out where guys are gonna land, and weight classes, but at the end of the day, our team is gonna be our team. And I feel like we’ve got a good, strong group,” said head coach Mike Mendoza.

A big returner for this CMU team is redshirt junior Oran Huff. Last year, Huff made the NCAA Championship, but neither him nor any of his teammates would make it past the first day. Due to the lack of second day wrestlers, last season was the first time since the 2011-12 season that no Maverick would receive an all-american honor. Despite that lack, Huff was able to get himself onto the all-RMAC second team.

“Just taking momentum from last year, like last year, I didn’t get on the podium, but we qualified. It’s the first step, and I still like looking at all the positives and using the positives as momentum, and to keep pushing to the season. Working hard, getting ready for the season,” said Huff.

A fellow Maverick on that RMAC second team was redshirt senior Jason Bynarowicz. Bynarowicz was a fellow NCAA Championship qualifier in the 184 pound weight class. Like Huff, however, he feels he is capable of much more this season.

“It’s just about wrestling the best you can, to the best of my ability. And so just continuing to strive towards that,” said Bynarowicz.

Men’s wrestling will begin their season at the Mines Rookie Open, before beginning RMAC play in Brownson on Nov. 15.