PUEBLO, Colo. (Jan. 27, 2020) – The Colorado State University Pueblo wrestling team opens the home portion of the season Thursday against No. T-25 Chadron State in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference dual at Massari Arena.
 
No fans will be allowed. Supporters of ThunderWolves wrestling can view the dual using live stats from trackwrestling.com or watch the bouts on Stretch Internet. 
 
THE MATCHUP
 
The Pack have won three straight duals against Chadron State. Last season the ThunderWolves went on the road and won 22-14 against the then-No. T-17 Eagles. Parker McBride (Sr., Duvall, Wash.), Gavin Melendez (Sr., Los Banos, Calif.) and Gavin Nye (Jr., Gerber, Calif.) all earned wins against the Eagles last season and are scheduled to wrestle Thursday. The last time CSC visited Massari Arena, CSU Pueblo was victorious 31-3. 
 
THE EAGLES
 
The Eagles are 2-3 overall and 0-1 in RMAC duals. At the University of Nebraska-Kearney Midwest Duals last weekend, CSC went 2-1 with wins against No. 23 Newman University, 30-12, and University of Central Missouri, 42-6. Chadron State lost an RMAC dual to No. 10 Adams State University, 31-14. No. 4 Rowdy Pfeil (174) and Eli Hinojosa (197) went a perfect 3-0 on the day and recorded bonus point victories. Chadron State was picked sixth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll. 
 
THE PACK
 
CSU Pueblo produced two victories against top 25 opponents Saturday at the UNK Midwest Duals. The ThunderWolves went 2-1 in their first competitions of the new season. 
 
The Pack (2-1) started the day with a 26-21 victory against No. 18 Fort Hays State University behind five bout wins. Next, the ThunderWolves defeated No. 23 Newman University 23-20 with four march victories. Finally, CSU Pueblo went up against No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney and lost, 41-6. 
 
Two Pack wrestlers recorded multiple wins and totaled 10-plus team points. At 157, Ruben Garcia (Sr., Selma, Calif.) led the ThunderWolves with 15 points, as he went 3-0 with two first period pins. Melendez went 2-1 with two technical falls and a decision loss to a higher ranked opponent. 
 
The Pack were fifth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. In the NWCA national rankings, the ThunderWolves received votes in the team poll, while Nye was ranked No. 8 at heavyweight and Melendez was No. 11 at 149. 
 
PROBABLE LINEUP
(Dual Record)
 
125 – Parker McBride (1-2)
133 – Devin Lueck (1-0)
141 – Andrew Sansburn (0-2)
149 – #11 Gavin Melendez (2-1)
157 – Ruben Garcia (3-0, 2 falls)
165 – Justin Davis (0-0)
174 – Elijah Valdez (2-1, 1 fall)
184 – Jair Flores (1-2)
197 – Ben Gould (0-1)
285 – #8 Gavin Nye (1-0)
 
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