BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—A sneak peek of the upcoming 2016-17 CSU Bakersfield wrestling schedule will occur Saturday when the Roadrunners host the annual Blue-Gold dual in the Icardo Center. The dual begins at 5 p.m.

First year head coach Manny Rivera head coach looks to replace five starters including four NCAA qualifiers lost to graduation and/or transfer. Leading CSUB will be redshirt junior Coleman Hammond. Hammond qualified for his first NCAA Championships a year ago.  He won the pig tail match in his national debut. Hammond placed fourth at the Pac-12 Tournament and ended the season with a 23-15 record. He ranked in two preseason polls at 149 pounds.

Redshirt junior Matt Williams should return to 197 after spending last season at heavyweight. Williams moved up in 2015-16 as he was beat out for the starting job by national qualifier Reuben Franklin. Williams, who was outweighed by as much as 30 pounds at times, would go 20-18, 1-2 at the Pac-12 Tournament for the season. The move should make him a contender at 197, as he placed second during the conference tournament as a freshman.

Sophomore Carlos Herrera earned the starting job at 133 as a true freshman and will again start for the Roadrunners. He started all 15 duals, going 5-10. Herrera placed sixth at the Pac-12 Tournament and would finish the season with a 15-21 record.

Upon the conclusion of the Blue-Gold dual, the Roadrunners will gather at Lengthwise at the Marketplace to celebrate the start of the season.

Here are the probable starters for dual;

               Blue                                                                 Gold
125      Sean Nickell  (R-So.)                                       Sergio Mendez (Sr.)
133      Everett Pratt (R-Sr.)                                         Carlos Herrera (So.)
141      Russell Rohlfing (R-Fr.)                                    Tyler Lawrence (R-So.)
149      Kalani Tonge (Fr.)                                            Coleman Hammond (R-Jr.)
157      Sean O'Rourke (R-So.)                                    Jacob Thalin (R-Fr.)
165      Lorenzo De La Riva (R-Fr.)                                TBA
174      Bryan Battisto (R-So.)                                      Matt Penyacsek (R-Fr.)
184      Dylan Bollinger (R-So.)                                     Mark Penyacsek (R-Fr.)
197      Jacob Sieder (Fr.)                                            Matt Williams (R-Jr.)
285      Alex Encarnarcion-Strand (R-Sr.)                      Dominic Balmer (R-Fr.)

Fans wishing to purchase season tickets can contact Logan Belz at (661) 654-BLUE. For ticketing options, including the all-new matside seating for 2016-17, visit GoRunners.com/tix.

~www.GoRunners.com~