CHADRON, Neb. -- A preview of coming attractions will be available to wrestling fans Saturday morning when the Chadron State Eagles hold a public practice on the outdoor plaza in front of the Chicoine Center, beginning at 10 o'clock.
             
Coach Brett Hunter believes this year's team has exceptional potential.  It certainly has quantity because there are 40 names on the roster, the most he's ever had.  He also likes the team's quality. He thinks this year's lineup could be the best from top to bottom that he's had in his 12 years as the head coach.
             
The grapplers hail from 14 states, including nine Nebraskans, eight Coloradans and five from Wyoming. 
             
With seven seniors and four graduate students on hand, the Eagles have more experience than usual.  Preston Renner, who graduated in May, is the only 2022-23 varsity starter who isn't available. 

"I'm sure we'll have the most depth that we've ever had," said Hunter.  "But it's not just numbers, we've also got quality.  There's lots of good competition at almost all of the weight classes."
                 
The team will feature Quen Campbell, who was the 133-pound silver medalist at the NCAA II National Tournament last season.  It will also will include 184-pounder Keegan Gehlhausen, who was chosen the Super Region 6 Freshman of the Year and won a match at the National Tournament last spring.
              
Another 2022-23 national qualifier, Mason Watt, who finished with a 20-6 record at heavyweight last winter, will be a super senior this year, making use of the 2020 COVID-plagued season that did not count as a year of eligibility.

Also returning at 141 pounds is Ethan Leake, a national qualifier in 2021-22 who finished with an 18-7 record a year ago. Also available is Eli Hinojosa, who missed last season because of an injury after placing 3^rd and 4^th at 197 pounds at the regional tournaments the previous two years.

Quade Smith also returns at 125 pounds after placing fourth at the regional showdown that the Eagles hosted last season.  

Rowdy Pfeil, who has been in the varsity lineup most of the time the past three years, hopes to make his final season the best.  In addition, Brandon Paredes, who as a true freshman last season had a 15-11 record at 149 pounds last season, gives the Eagles another stalwart in the middle weights.

Brody Lamb also returns after filling the 157-pound varsity berth the second semester last season.

Three transfers also are in the mix for varsity slots in the middle weights. Two of them came from the University of Northern Colorado. Jaziah Whaley was a two-time Colorado high school state champion and Tayten Gillette was a three-time Idaho state champ. The third is Torry Early, a native of Oak Park, Ill., who made the switch from Wisconsin-Parkside while seeking a master's degree in business administration at CSC.

A late addition to the roster is Mike Leatherdale, a native of Wayne who initially attended Iowa Western Community College, but made the switch this fall with hopes of both playing football and wrestling at CSC.  Listed at 290 pounds on the football roster, he'll be a candidate to fill the heavyweight slot after Mason Watt concludes his eligibility this season. 
             
Also very much in the picture are a dozen redshirt freshmen.   One of them, Logan Berger, a three-time Class 4A South Carolina state champion, had a 19-5 record while competing at open tournaments last winter.  He's the only CSC matman listed a 174 pounds this season, but there are five 165-pounders on the roster who could challenge for that spot.  
             
This year's roster also includes eight freshmen, all of whom Hunter plans to redshirt this winter. Some of them came to CSC in pairs.  Two are from Pomona High at Arvada, Colo., which has one of that state's outstanding wrestling programs.  Two more are from North Port, Fla., another large school with a strong mat program, and two are the first grapplers from Kansas to join Eagles' wrestling team since Hunter has been the head coach.   
             
The Eagles will launch their schedule the first weekend in November.  They'll host Northeastern Junior College from Sterling, Colo., on Friday night and enter the freshmen in the Rookie Open at Colorado Mines in Golden on Sunday.