The 2016 RMAC Wrestling Championships will be held at the U.S. Olympic Complex in Colorado Springs on Sunday, January 31. The RMAC is partnering with USA Wrestling, the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation and the U.S. Olympic Complex for the event.

Adams State, Chadron State, Colorado Mesa, Colorado Mines, CSU-Pueblo, New Mexico Highlands and Western State Colorado compete in RMAC wrestling along with associate members California Baptist and San Francisco State.

Chadron State Wrestling Head Coach Brett Hunter was thrilled to learn about the RMAC’s plans telling Panhandle Post, “This is a great opportunity for the wrestling program at Chadron State and the sport of wrestling to grow. To be able to compete for a conference championship at the Olympic training center is a very exciting thing. The sport of wrestling in the RMAC is definitely headed in the right direction with this move. We are very fortunate and excited.”

RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham said, “The opportunity we can afford our student-athletes through a partnership with USA Wrestling is one-of-a-kind. The return of the RMAC Wrestling Championship Tournament will greatly benefit our programs, wrestling in the Rocky Mountain region and the city of Colorado Springs. This is a very special opportunity.”

“USA Wrestling is excited to partner with the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference to host this historic event. We are confident that the United States Olympic Training Center and our beautiful city of Colorado Springs will provide an inspiring backdrop for these Championships. We are eager to continue to help wrestling grow within this great conference and the region,” said Rich Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling.

“We are thrilled to be part of the RMAC Wrestling Championship and we are hopeful to make this an annual event in Colorado Springs,” said Tom Osborne, President & CEO of the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation.

This will be the first RMAC-only Wrestling Championship since 1996 and the first ever collegiate wrestling tournament held at the U.S. Olympic Complex. Between 1997 and 2014, the RMAC wrestling championship was combined with the NCAA Division II regional tournament.

In 2015, the RMAC Dual Meet champion was recognized as the conference champion.

The sport of wrestling started in the RMAC in 1922, with the first title being won by the University of Colorado.

Considered as one of the best wrestling conferences in NCAA Division II, the RMAC has had 13 national team champions since 1963.

(Source: RMAC)