KEARNEY, Neb. (Nov. 24, 2019) – Freshman Ben Gould (197, Canyon Country, Calif.) of the Colorado State University-Pueblo wrestling team continued his strong start to his collegiate career, as he led the ThunderWolves by winning his weight class at the UNK Younes Hospitality Open, Saturday in Kearney, Nebraska.
 
Gould was one of six student-athletes to finish in the top six of their brackets. A total of 19 wrestlers competed for the Pack. CSU-Pueblo totaled 77 points in the elite division and finished eighth of 21 teams represented. With 77.5 points in the amateur division, the ThunderWolves were 12th of 38 programs. 
 
Gould won the amateur 197 bracket with a 4-0 record. He started the day with a fall at 1:46 and then posted a 7-0 decision to reach the semifinal. He edged out a competitor from New Mexico Highlands University by a 6-4 decision to advance to the championship match. The freshman only needed the first period to secure the win, as he posted a pin fall at 1:57 against a wrestler from Schreiner University. 
 
At 157 in the elite division, junior Ruben Garcia (Selma, Calif.) went 3-2 and finished fourth. He opened with a first period pint at 1:49 and hen grabbed a 14-10 decision to advance in the championship bracket. After a lost to a wrestler from the host University of Nebraska-Kearney, Garcia rebounded with a fall at 5:48 against a student-athlete from Augustana University. He fell by a 6-1 decision in the third place bout to a member of Fort Hays State University.
 
Three wrestlers placed fifth in the elite division.
 
Sophomore Elijah Valdez (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was fifth at 165 with a 4-2 record. He started with back-to-back pin falls against wrestlers from Division I schools. Valdez defeated a member of the Air Force at 4:19 and then downed a wrestler from University of Wyoming with a fall at 1:12. Yet another pin by the sophomore advanced him in the championship bracket, as he won in the second period at 3:59. He suffered a loss by fall in the semifinal and then lost by a 6-3 decision to a wrestler from University of Nebraska in the consolation semifinal. He ended on a high note with a win in the fifth place bout, defeating a wrestler from Colorado Mesa University by a 5-3 decision. 
 
Junior Brendon Kelley (Evansville, Ind.) finished fifth, as he went 4-2 at 174. He began his day with a second period fall at 4:41, but lost by decision in his next bout to move to the consolation bracket. He rebounded with a pin at 4:01 against a member of Adams State University and then advanced via medical forfeit against a wrester from Air Force. A loss to a member of Western Colorado University moved Kelley to the fifth place bout, where he won by a first period fall at 2:08 against a member of Colorado Mesa. 
 
At heavyweight, Gavin Nye (R-So., Gerber, Calif.) went 3-3 on the day for fifth. After falling by a 3-2 decision to a member of Colorado School of Mines, Nye rattled off three straight victories. He won by a 10-4 decision against a member of Augustana and then advanced due to a medical forfeit. A first period fall at 1:25 against Fort Hays State advanced Nye to the consolation semifinal where he lost by a 4-2 decision to a member of Air Force. In the fifth place bout, the heavyweight secured an 8-4 decision victory against a member of Western. 
 
Freshman Jayson Davis (Pueblo, Colo.) finished sixth at 184 in the amateur division with a record of 3-3. He won his first bout by a 7-5 decision against a wrestler from Chadron State College. After a loss pushed him to the consolation side, Davis won twice with a 10-5 decision and a fall at 1:25. He lost in his final two matches to finish sixth. 
 
The ThunderWolves close the calendar year Dec. 14-15 at the Midwest Classic, hosted by University of Indianapolis.

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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.