ABR 474: Dax Charles | CSU Pueblo Wrestling, NCAA DII Recruiting & Building Champions

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🌟 FOLLOW & SUPPORT AIREY BROS RADIO🎥 YouTube: @AireyBros📸 Instagram: @aireybrosradio🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts🏃‍♂️ Black Sheep Endurance CoachingBlack Sheep Endurance☕ Support Airey Bros RadioBuy Me a Coffee — Airey BrosSHOW NOTES / TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Airey Bros mission & helping student-athletes discover college opportunities01:48 — HOWDY & ALOHA! Episode 474 begins02:39 — Introducing CSU Pueblo Head Wrestling Coach Dax Charles04:16 — Coach Charles' 36-year connection to CSU Pueblo04:41 — Recruiting wrestlers to CSU Pueblo06:02 — Why Coach Charles responds to every recruiting questionnaire06:49 — Recruiting advice: narrow your search to 3–5 schools and build relationships07:04 — Division II wrestling, NIL & what Coach Charles wants from recruits07:36 — The four things wrestlers can earn at CSU Pueblo08:49 — The long-term value of NCAA Division II athletics10:28 — Jimi's personal recruiting connection with Coach Charles11:53 — Dax Charles' wrestling origin story13:22 — Why he chose wrestling over college football15:23 — Competing against Iowa & training around elite wrestlers16:08 — Judo, combat sports & training near the Olympic Training Center18:01 — Why Coach Charles believes in multi-sport athletes20:00 — The problem with specializing too early21:30 — Are young wrestlers reaching their potential too early?23:03 — How Coach Charles' training philosophy has evolved24:00 — Midwest Classic, RMAC competition & peaking for Nationals24:58 — Recruiting outside Colorado & what he wants from East Coast wrestlers27:07 — "Show me, don't tell me" — proving yourself in the wrestling room27:27 — Balancing wrestling with Colorado's outdoor lifestyle29:07 — Building a balanced roster through high school, JUCO & transfer recruiting30:07 — Why today's high school wrestlers are ready for college competition31:38 — How Dax Charles became a college wrestling coach33:10 — CSU Pueblo drops wrestling — and the road to bringing it back34:05 — Taking a pay cut to return and carry on the program's tradition35:39 — University of Southern Colorado → CSU Pueblo36:48 — Doug Moses' influence on Dax Charles38:30 — Coaching his brother & establishing "dominance"41:00 — Treating wrestlers like family42:18 — Coach Charles' four non-negotiable program rules44:03 — Preparing for the 2026–27 wrestling season44:39 — Summer training & athlete accountability45:37 — Recruiting relationships & perceptions of Pueblo47:54 — How CSU Pueblo's campus and facilities have evolved49:02 — Character vs. talent when evaluating recruits52:03 — What people should know about CSU Pueblo Wrestling53:06 — Returning wrestlers & names to watch in 2026–2754:42 — Why Coach Charles expects CSU Pueblo to make a jump this season54:58 — RMAC rivalries & competing against fellow Division II coaches58:13 — The Airey Bros Final Four58:42 — Coach Charles' daily 7 A.M. weightlifting routine59:00 — Stargate & Coach Charles' love of sci-fi59:18 — Pueblo green chile & Coach's guilty pleasure