Airey Bros.'s Radio

Catawba College Head Men’s & Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Jason Bryan joins Airey Bros Radio for Episode 483.

When Bryan arrived at Catawba in 2014, the cross country program had just nine athletes. More than a decade later, Catawba has sent both teams to the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, produced All-Americans and national-level athletes, built a track & field roster of more than 70 athletes, and is preparing for the next major step in the program’s growth — a new $7 million track facility.

Coach Bryan takes us back to his own unlikely start in running, walking on at Anderson University and eventually becoming a team captain and conference champion. He explains how that experience shaped his coaching philosophy and why relationships, mindset and the “art of coaching” remain at the center of his program.We get into the realities of building a college program from the ground up, recruiting at the NCAA Division II level, developing walk-ons, creating a team culture athletes actually want to be part of, Catawba’s growth, and why getting recruits on campus can change everything.

Bryan also talks about learning patience without becoming complacent, bringing energy every day as a coach, and what comes next for Catawba XC & Track.

If you’re a high school runner, parent, coach, or anyone interested in what it really takes to build a college program, this one is for you.

IN THIS EPISODE
• Jason Bryan’s unlikely path into running
• Walking on at Anderson University
• The moment he decided to become a college coach
• Learning from early coaching mistakes
• The art vs. science of coaching
• Taking over Catawba with only nine athletes
• Bringing track & field back to Catawba
• Growing from nine athletes to 70+
• NCAA Division II Championships & All-Americans
• Recruiting and scholarship realities at the DII level
• Why walk-ons get the same opportunities at Catawba
• Building genuine team culture
• Catawba academics and campus growth
• The new $7 million track facility
• Patience vs. complacency
• Coach Bryan’s “bring the energy” philosophy
• The ABR Final Four

University of Virginia Head Wrestling Coach Steve Garland joins Airey Bros Radio for Episode 480.

Garland’s story is anything but conventional. He started wrestling late, found the sport during a pivotal point in his life, went from not starting in high school to becoming a New York State finalist, Fargo placer, ACC Champion, ACC Wrestler of the Year, NCAA All-American and 2000 NCAA finalist for the Cavaliers.After his wrestling career, Garland spent six seasons at Cornell learning under legendary head coach Rob Koll before returning to Charlottesville in 2006 to lead his alma mater.

In this episode, Garland takes us through the entire journey — from the people and experiences that shaped him growing up, to the grind of learning the coaching profession at Cornell, to building Virginia Wrestling and preparing the Cavaliers for the 2026–27 season.We also get into the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics, NIL and revenue sharing, why Garland believes endowments are critical to the future of Olympic sports, what makes the University of Virginia unique in recruiting, and the three pillars at the center of his program: Focus. Discipline. Consistency.

Plus, Coach Garland talks about the Paulson brothers, the relationships that have kept him connected to wrestling for nearly three decades, his faith, family, coffee, chicken parm — and plenty of old-school wrestling stories along the way.

IN THIS EPISODE:
• Steve Garland’s unlikely wrestling origin story
• Going from a late starter to an NCAA finalist
• How wrestling changed the direction of his life
• Transferring to Virginia and becoming an ACC Champion
• Learning the coaching business under Rob Koll at Cornell
• Why young coaches need to learn every part of the profession
• Returning to UVA and rebuilding Virginia Wrestling
• Focus, Discipline & Consistency
• Seven returning NCAA qualifiers and the 2026–27 Cavaliers
• Why UVA Wrestling is working toward a fully endowed program
• NIL, revenue sharing and the future of Olympic sports
• Recruiting at an elite academic institution
• Playing the long game instead of chasing short-term money
• Travis and Trent Paulson and the current Virginia staff
• Faith, family and what continues to drive Garland
• The Airey Bros Final Four

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Gardner-Webb University Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach Greg Thiel joins Airey Bros Radio for Episode 479!

Coach Thiel has spent decades building programs, developing athletes, and creating opportunities across college track & field. His journey has taken him from helping build the track & field program at South Florida, to starting the program at Southern Wesleyan, to now leading Gardner-Webb Track & Field and Cross Country at the NCAA Division I level.

During his career, Thiel has coached All-Americans, conference champions and Olympians, led South Florida to a Conference USA championship, and helped Southern Wesleyan transition from the NCCAA to NCAA Division II. Now entering his fourth season at Gardner-Webb, he's focused on building the Runnin' Bulldogs through athlete development, relationships and culture.

In Episode 479, we get into Coach Thiel's unconventional journey into coaching, why he believes in developing overlooked athletes, NCAA Division I recruiting, roster sizes, multi-sport athletes, individualized training, building team culture and why the relationships created through college athletics matter long after the final race.

If you're a high school cross country or track & field athlete, parent, coach, or recruit looking at NCAA Division I programs, this conversation provides an inside look at what Coach Thiel and Gardner-Webb are building in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.

IN THIS EPISODE
• Greg Thiel's unlikely introduction to track & field
• Going from business owner to college coach
• Helping build South Florida Track & Field
• Coaching All-Americans, conference champions and Olympians
• Building Southern Wesleyan from the ground up
• Taking over Gardner-Webb Track & Field & Cross Country
• Creating a strong team culture at the NCAA Division I level
• Why every athlete deserves to be developed
• Recruiting athletes who fit the program
• What Gardner-Webb looks for in prospective student-athletes
• NCAA roster changes and opportunities for developing athletes
• Training sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and middle-distance athletes
• Why Coach Thiel values multi-sport athletes
• Individualizing training and communicating with athletes
• Why consistency matters more than chasing PRs
• Gardner-Webb academics, campus life and Boiling Springs
• Relationships, coaching and enjoying the journey

CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Airey Bros Radio mission & why we cover college Olympic sports
01:20 – Welcome to Airey Bros Radio #479
02:06 – Introducing Gardner-Webb Head Coach Greg Thiel
03:13 – How recruits can connect with Gardner-Webb
03:48 – Greg Thiel's track & field origin story
05:51 – Junior college, Grand Valley State & the unconventional path
06:28 – His unexpected start in coaching
07:16 – Getting the opportunity at South Florida
08:11 – Selling his business to become a full-time coach
09:02 – Going back to college to become a Division I head coach
10:22 – Building South Florida Track & Field
12:41 – How an unconventional career helps him relate to athletes
14:23 – Developing athletes beyond expectations
14:34 – Coach Thiel's coaching specialties
15:18 – Taking over Gardner-Webb
17:47 – Building the Runnin' Bulldogs program
18:47 – Changing the culture at Gardner-Webb
19:39 – Treating every athlete like they matter
20:49 – NCAA Division I roster changes & developmental athletes
24:22 – Recruiting at Gardner-Webb
25:38 – Finding athletes who fit the program's culture
26:12 – Faith, coaching & Gardner-Webb
27:19 – Can non-religious athletes fit at Gardner-Webb?
29:09 – Boiling Springs, North Carolina & Gardner-Webb University
30:42 – The advantages of a smaller NCAA Division I school
32:45 – Academics & strong programs at Gardner-Webb
33:17 – Managing practice around academics
35:27 – How college athletes have changed
38:09 – Teaching athletes the "why" behind training
40:08 – Individualizing training for different athletes
41:52 – What Coach Thiel looks for when recruiting
43:24 – How Coach Thiel's coaching philosophy changed
45:12 – Why relationships matter more than results
47:27 – Enjoying the journey instead of obsessing over results
50:10 – Consistency vs. chasing personal records
50:52 – Recruiting multi-sport athletes
54:03 – Is multi-sport participation making a comeback?
57:43 – Coach Thiel's daily coaching philosophy
59:38 – Music, motorcycles & life outside track
1:00:54 – FINAL FOUR: Coach Thiel's guilty pleasure
1:02:03 – College football talk
1:04:23 – Final message for prospective Gardner-Webb athletes
1:05:16 – Closing out Episode 479

Coach Schroer brings one of the most unique backgrounds we’ve had on the show — an 8x NCAA Division I All-American, 2x Olympic Trials qualifier, World and USA Masters Champion in the 800m, and a coach whose journey has taken him from Virginia to Seoul, South Korea, and ultimately Northern California.

We go back to his days at Georgetown and the influence of legendary coach Frank Gagliano, how he found his way into coaching, and why he believes in blending old-school toughness with modern training: work hard, but work smart.

From there, we get into what he’s building at Cal Poly Humboldt — recruiting, academics, team culture, the incredible training environment in the redwoods, developing middle-distance athletes through cross country, and his goal of bringing Humboldt’s proud distance-running tradition back into the NCAA Division II national conversation.

We also talk about what Coach Schroer looks for in recruits, why communication matters, the importance of long-term athlete development, and why Humboldt can be a special fit for student-athletes looking for something different.🎙️

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Show Notes / Timestamps
00:49 — ABR Intro + Black Sheep Endurance
01:45 — Introducing Michael Schroer
03:10 — Cal Poly Humboldt XC & recruiting
03:55 — The Georgetown/Frank Gagliano connection
07:39 — Schroer’s running origin story
08:52 — From elite athlete to coaching
09:32 — Masters racing & maintaining speed
12:44 — Coaching in Seoul, South Korea
13:45 — Taking the reins at Cal Poly Humboldt
14:28 — Training in the redwoods of Northern California
15:49 — Recruiting: academics come first
17:09 — Rebuilding Humboldt’s distance-running tradition
19:20 — Roster, recruiting footprint & Western tuition opportunities
20:31 — Humboldt academics & unique majors
21:25 — What Schroer looks for in a recruit
22:26 — Communication, expectations & building team buy-in
23:26 — Athlete-led preseason training in Flagstaff
25:06 — 2026 schedule & season outlook
25:53 — Goals and expectations for the Lumberjacks
26:48 — Teaching athletes how to compete
27:26 — Developing 800m runners through cross country
28:41 — Old-school Gags training meets modern sports science
30:19 — Structure, flexibility & adjusting workouts
32:19 — Why Humboldt trains in the morning during XC season
33:13 — Small-school academics & athlete support
34:25 — Life in Arcata & the Humboldt experience
37:39 — Northern California’s running community
38:56 — Recruiting in 2026 & why phone calls still matter
41:48 — High school mileage, burnout & long-term development
43:05 — Humboldt’s distance-running tradition & developing the program
48:26 — Athlete range & planning for the long term
50:03 — ABR Final Four
53:16 — Closing thoughts
54:01 — ABR Outro

University of Northern Colorado Head Cross Country & Track and Field Coach Nick Maas joins Airey Bros Radio to talk about taking over the Bears, building a NCAA Division I program in Colorado, recruiting the Mountain West, developing athletes and establishing a culture that can compete in the Big Sky Conference.

Coach Maas takes us back to where it all started — growing up in Iowa, finding running as a young athlete, competing at Buena Vista University and beginning his coaching career at Northern Iowa. From there, we trace his journey through Western Illinois, MSU Denver and Wisconsin-Parkside, where he helped build the Rangers into a much larger and more competitive program before returning to Colorado.

We get into what building at UNC looks like from the ground up: reconnecting with alumni, recruiting Colorado and the surrounding Mountain States, navigating the transfer portal, developing versatile track & field athletes and creating a culture athletes want to be part of.

Coach Maas also breaks down his training philosophy and why he doesn't chase every new training trend. Instead, he focuses on developing complete athletes — mileage, strength, mobility, mechanics, speed and staying healthy over four or five years.

We also talk Big Sky Cross Country, preparing for altitude in Flagstaff, Greeley as a college town, Colorado running culture, 14ers, ultramarathons, coffee, craft beer and the Airey Bros Radio Final Four.

Whether you're a high school runner looking at NCAA Division I programs, a parent navigating recruiting, or a coach interested in building culture and developing athletes for the long haul, this conversation has plenty to take away.

SHOW NOTES / TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — Airey Bros Radio origin story
02:24 — HOWDY & ALOHA! / Episode 477 begins
03:20 — Introducing UNC Head Coach Nick Maas
04:15 — Where recruits can connect with UNC XC/Track
04:49 — ABR through lines: UNC, Parkside & Nick Becker
08:05 — Nick Maas' running origin story
09:35 — Buena Vista University & becoming a college athlete
10:09 — Why Maas decided to become a coach
10:26 — Learning the profession at Northern Iowa
12:24 — The road from MSU Denver and Parkside back to Colorado
13:31 — Beginning the rebuild at Northern Colorado
14:56 — Coaching changes & navigating the transfer portal
16:02 — Goals for Year 1 with the Bears
18:05 — Starting over after building Wisconsin-Parkside
19:53 — Recruiting Colorado & the Mountain States
20:48 — Competing against NAU, Montana State & the Big Sky
22:02 — Academics, Greeley & who fits at UNC
23:12 — Where the Bears train around Northern Colorado
25:00 — Training in Colorado without an indoor track
25:58 — Hosting the NCAA Division II XC Championships at Parkside
28:23 — Bringing cross country meets back to UNC
29:04 — Building trust with athletes
30:38 — Team camp in Estes Park & the UNC team covenant
31:44 — Learning under Chris Bucknam at Northern Iowa
34:39 — Coaching hurdles, jumps & events beyond distance
35:23 — Building a complete UNC Track & Field program
38:23 — Coach Maas' message to recruits: Come see Greeley
41:20 — Breaking down the Bears' cross country schedule
43:13 — Training for altitude & the Big Sky Championships
44:31 — Norwegian Method, double threshold & training trends
45:45 — Maas' "bucket filler" training philosophy
47:17 — Developing runners gradually & staying healthy
48:40 — Coach Maas' own 100-mile ultramarathon
49:39 — Colorado 14ers & the Collegiate Peaks
51:06 — Advice to his daughter: Run hard and smile
52:05 — Colorado rapid fire & craft beer
53:05 — "Control your controllables"
53:47 — What success looks like in Year 1 at UNC
56:20 — THE FINAL FOUR
56:24 — Coffee
58:02 — Daily practices & rituals
59:11 — Music, podcasts & books
1:00:23 — Guilty pleasures
1:03:40 — Closing thoughts

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Subscribe, follow and share Episode 477 with a runner, coach, parent or recruit who needs to hear it.

Christian Brothers Academy Head Cross Country Coach Sean McCafferty joins Airey Bros Radio for a deep dive into one of the most storied high school cross country programs in America.

Coming off a historic 2025 season, McCafferty was named the Joe Newton Coach of the Year after leading CBA to 3rd place at Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) with a New Jersey-record 15:54 team average. Under his leadership, the Colts have won seven Meet of Champions titles, six Nike Northeast Regional titles and qualified for NXN eight consecutive times.

Sean takes us back to his roots in New Jersey distance running, growing up in a running family, his own career at Princeton, becoming a teacher and coach, and eventually taking over the legendary CBA Cross Country program from Tom Heath.

We get deep into what has allowed CBA to remain one of the premier high school distance programs in the country: evolving training philosophies, slowing down easy days, threshold training, heart-rate data, lactate testing, building athlete confidence, developing team culture and teaching runners to care about one another.

Coach McCafferty also breaks down the modern college recruiting landscape and why the best opportunity for a high school runner isn't always NCAA Division I. We discuss D1, D2 and D3 recruiting, Ivy League academics, social media and Strava, the pressure of coaching a national powerhouse, CBA alumni culture, Nike Cross Nationals and what the next generation of Colts looks like heading into the 2026 cross country season.If you're a high school cross country runner, distance coach, parent, college recruit or fan of New Jersey running, this one is loaded.

🎙️ TOPICS INCLUDE:
🏃 Sean McCafferty's running & coaching origin story
🎓 Running at Princeton & the Ivy League experience
🔵 Christian Brothers Academy Cross Country
🏆 Taking over CBA from legendary coach Tom Heath
🔥 The pressure of maintaining a national powerhouse
🏃‍♂️ New Jersey high school cross country
🎯 College recruiting: D1 vs. D2 vs. D3
📱 Strava, MileSplit & social media in modern recruiting
🧪 Lactate testing, heart rate & threshold training
🐢 Why CBA slowed down to get faster
🤝 Building belief, leadership & team culture
🏆 Meet of Champions & Nike Northeast Regionals
🌲 Nike Cross Nationals / NXN
🥉 CBA's historic 2025 season & 3rd-place NXN finish
🚀 The next generation of CBA distance runners
☕ The ABR Final Four

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

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Thomas More University Head Wrestling Coach Jason Russell joins Airey Bros Radio for Episode 475!

Coach Russell is entering his 10th season leading the Saints and has guided Thomas More Wrestling through one of the more unique journeys in college wrestling — from NCAA Division III to the NAIA and ultimately into NCAA Division II and the G-MAC.

In this episode, Coach Russell takes us through his wrestling origin story, his path into college coaching, building Thomas More into a nationally competitive program, and the challenges and opportunities that came with transitioning between divisions.

We get into NCAA Division II wrestling, college wrestling recruiting, the transfer portal, high school wrestler development, Ohio and Kentucky wrestling, scholarships, program culture, U23 competition, the Midlands Championships, and what Thomas More looks for in future Saints.

Coach Russell also explains why recruiting isn't just about state titles and rankings. His philosophy centers around finding athletes who genuinely love wrestling, want to compete, and want to develop.

We also discuss the modern transfer portal and why Coach Russell believes elite college wrestling programs need a combination of high-level high school recruits, developmental athletes, and selective transfer additions.

Coach Jason Russell / Thomas More Highlights
🏆 Entering his 10th season as Head Wrestling Coach at Thomas More University
🏆 2022 Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year
🏆 Led Thomas More to a program-best 7th-place finish at the 2023 NAIA National Tournament
🏆 Helped develop conference champions, national qualifiers, All-Americans and Scholar All-Americans
🏆 Guided Thomas More through its transition into NCAA Division II and the G-MAC
🤼 Building the next chapter of Thomas More Wrestling

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⏱️ EPISODE 475 SHOW NOTES / TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — Airey Bros Radio mission & helping student-athletes find college opportunities
01:18 — HOWDY & ALOHA! Episode 475 begins
01:41 — Airey Bros Radio, Black Sheep Endurance & supporting the show
02:12 — Introducing Thomas More Head Wrestling Coach Jason Russell
03:21 — Coach Russell's wrestling origin story
05:03 — How cross country helped Russell's wrestling
08:00 — Growing up in Ohio & Northern Kentucky
09:49 — When Russell knew he wanted to become a college coach
12:27 — Wisconsin-Whitewater & the road to Thomas More
14:26 — Recruiting differences: NCAA DIII vs. NAIA vs. NCAA DII
16:40 — Thomas More begins its athletic transition
17:49 — NCAA DIII → NAIA → NCAA Division II
18:57 — Competing in the NCWA & opportunities in college wrestling
20:42 — Building Thomas More into a Top-10 NAIA program
21:03 — The "gut punch" of another divisional transition
23:14 — Competing in NCAA Division II
24:01 — Why Thomas More's seniors stayed through the transition
25:03 — National champions, All-Americans & a third-place team finish
26:29 — Why recruits should look at Thomas More University
27:12 — Majors, Cincinnati & the Thomas More experience
27:36 — Required internships & preparing athletes for careers
30:48 — Why career preparation matters for student-athletes
32:03 — Recruiting Ohio, Kentucky and beyond
33:09 — Kentucky high school wrestling hotbeds
33:42 — Northern Kentucky wrestling & community development
34:26 — Recruiting battles across Kentucky
36:23 — 2026-27 recruiting class & summer development
37:44 — U23s, opens & opportunities beyond NCAA DII
38:07 — Competing at the Midlands Championships
38:45 — Scheduling opponents across college wrestling divisions
40:10 — Ohio vs. Kentucky wrestling
40:37 — Why Kentucky wrestling is on the rise
41:22 — What Jason Russell REALLY looks for in recruits
42:22 — Championships, friendships & the college experience
45:29 — The changing landscape of college wrestling
45:54 — High school recruiting vs. the NCAA transfer portal
46:19 — How Russell believes elite rosters should be built
46:49 — Why recruiting never stops once an athlete gets to campus
47:41 — Kentucky's one-division state wrestling tournament
48:26 — THE FINAL FOUR 🤙
48:34 — Coffee or energy drinks?
49:20 — Coach Russell's energy drink stories
50:51 — Daily habits & staying motivated as a coach
51:58 — Inspiration & finding motivation outside wrestling
53:20 — Podcasts, coaching education & What Drives Winning
54:19 — Who controls the music in the Thomas More wrestling room?
55:22 — Coach Russell's guilty pleasure
55:55 — Family ancestry & tracing his roots
57:55 — Will Coach Russell's son become a wrestler?
58:39 — Closing thoughts & what's ahead for Thomas More Wrestling

Coach Dax Charles, Head Wrestling Coach at Colorado State University Pueblo, joins Airey Bros Radio for Episode 474!

Entering his 18th season leading CSU Pueblo Wrestling, Coach Charles has spent decades building, rebuilding, and carrying forward the tradition of ThunderWolves wrestling. A former NCAA Division II National Champion, three-time All-American and NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Famer, Charles has coached national champions, national finalists, All-Americans, national qualifiers and RMAC champions during his career.

In this episode, Coach Charles breaks down what he looks for when recruiting NCAA Division II wrestlers, why relationships and character matter more than recruiting services, and the four standards every wrestler in his program is expected to live by: go to class, come to practice, stay out of trouble and win.

We also dive into Coach Charles' journey from Louisiana football player to national champion wrestler, training around elite wrestlers and judo athletes, the benefits of being a multi-sport athlete, and how his coaching philosophy has evolved from the old-school grind toward smarter training designed to peak athletes for the postseason.

Coach Charles also tells the story of returning to CSU Pueblo to rebuild the wrestling program, carrying on the legacy of legendary coach Doug Moses, developing young men beyond wrestling, and why he believes Division II athletics can give student-athletes something they can carry for the rest of their lives.

Plus, we look ahead to the 2026–27 CSU Pueblo Wrestling season, including returning national qualifiers, young talent to watch and why Coach Charles believes the ThunderWolves are positioned to make a jump in the RMAC.

Whether you're a high school wrestler, college recruit, parent, coach or NCAA wrestling fan, this conversation is packed with insight on recruiting, development, discipline, leadership and building a championship culture.

Topics include:
NCAA Division II Wrestling • CSU Pueblo Wrestling • RMAC Wrestling • College Wrestling Recruiting • Wrestling Scholarships • Multi-Sport Athletes • Coaching Philosophy • Championship Culture • Doug Moses • Colorado Wrestling • Student-Athlete Development • NCAA Wrestling

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SHOW NOTES / TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — Airey Bros mission & helping student-athletes discover college opportunities
01:48 — HOWDY & ALOHA! Episode 474 begins
02:39 — Introducing CSU Pueblo Head Wrestling Coach Dax Charles
04:16 — Coach Charles' 36-year connection to CSU Pueblo
04:41 — Recruiting wrestlers to CSU Pueblo
06:02 — Why Coach Charles responds to every recruiting questionnaire
06:49 — Recruiting advice: narrow your search to 3–5 schools and build relationships
07:04 — Division II wrestling, NIL & what Coach Charles wants from recruits
07:36 — The four things wrestlers can earn at CSU Pueblo
08:49 — The long-term value of NCAA Division II athletics
10:28 — Jimi's personal recruiting connection with Coach Charles
11:53 — Dax Charles' wrestling origin story
13:22 — Why he chose wrestling over college football
15:23 — Competing against Iowa & training around elite wrestlers
16:08 — Judo, combat sports & training near the Olympic Training Center
18:01 — Why Coach Charles believes in multi-sport athletes
20:00 — The problem with specializing too early
21:30 — Are young wrestlers reaching their potential too early?
23:03 — How Coach Charles' training philosophy has evolved
24:00 — Midwest Classic, RMAC competition & peaking for Nationals
24:58 — Recruiting outside Colorado & what he wants from East Coast wrestlers
27:07 — "Show me, don't tell me" — proving yourself in the wrestling room
27:27 — Balancing wrestling with Colorado's outdoor lifestyle
29:07 — Building a balanced roster through high school, JUCO & transfer recruiting
30:07 — Why today's high school wrestlers are ready for college competition
31:38 — How Dax Charles became a college wrestling coach
33:10 — CSU Pueblo drops wrestling — and the road to bringing it back
34:05 — Taking a pay cut to return and carry on the program's tradition
35:39 — University of Southern Colorado → CSU Pueblo
36:48 — Doug Moses' influence on Dax Charles
38:30 — Coaching his brother & establishing "dominance"
41:00 — Treating wrestlers like family
42:18 — Coach Charles' four non-negotiable program rules
44:03 — Preparing for the 2026–27 wrestling season
44:39 — Summer training & athlete accountability
45:37 — Recruiting relationships & perceptions of Pueblo
47:54 — How CSU Pueblo's campus and facilities have evolved
49:02 — Character vs. talent when evaluating recruits
52:03 — What people should know about CSU Pueblo Wrestling
53:06 — Returning wrestlers & names to watch in 2026–27
54:42 — Why Coach Charles expects CSU Pueblo to make a jump this season
54:58 — RMAC rivalries & competing against fellow Division II coaches
58:13 — The Airey Bros Final Four
58:42 — Coach Charles' daily 7 A.M. weightlifting routine
59:00 — Stargate & Coach Charles' love of sci-fi
59:18 — Pueblo green chile & Coach's guilty pleasure