PEMBROKE — The faces may change from year to year for The University of North Carolina at Pembroke wrestling team.

But the expectations remain the same for a program that is coming off its eighth-straight top 25 finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships.

Gone are Blaze Shade and Mikey Thomas, the Braves’ top two wrestlers from last season. Those two guys put their stamp on the program, following in the footsteps of Daniel Ownbey, who finished his UNCP career with back-to-back national championships.

This will be the first time since the 2009-10 season that the wrestling roster will not feature a returning all-American and the first time since the 2011-12 season that the roster doesn’t feature a national finalist.

Aiming to be mentioned among UNCP’s elite wrestlers, Eric Milks hopes to start a new streak when he wraps up his senior season this year. The redshirt senior enters the new year as the Braves’ top returner, coming off a 17-10 junior campaign on the mat.

“I always looked at Ownbey as my target,” Milks said Wednesday at UNCP’s annual Black and Gold match.

“He was always in my weight class and I always tried to battle with him in practice. I feel like I helped him win those national championships because I was always his practice partner.”

Milks said his journey to the top of the podium starts with building a “fighting mentality.”

“Blaze, Mikey, Ownbey, they all had their own mindset that they were going to work hard and nothing was going to be given to them,” Milks said. “Right now is a crucial part of the season and I think a lot of people are starting to get a fighting mentality. I think that’s going to play a big part in how we rebuild.

“I fell short last year with Blaze and Mikey. I just feel like I have to leave (the younger guys) with something to say. … I want them to see how hard I work and build off of that.”

With 16 true freshmen on the roster, Braves head coach O.T. Johnson is looking to Milks and a few others to set the standard as the season progresses.

“I’m really excited about a handful of guys in our program even though their years on the roster sheet may not show it,” Johnson said. “We have to look at one of our senior leaders in Eric Milks, who has been right outside of qualifying for the national tournament the past two seasons. It’s been a joy watching him grow, not only as a wrestler but as a person.

“You also have Tyler Makosy, who has done a good job. It’s his third year in the program. He’s really made some gains in weight room, in the classroom, and in the way he thinks and trains. We have a handful of other guys that haven’t seen any action, but they’ve done all of the right things.”

Despite a youthful roster, the Braves will feature plenty of talent on the mat.

Johnson pointed to freshmen Sammy Peticos, Nick Daggett, Chase Emory, Marcus Montgomery and Ethan Hnasko as guys to look out for this season.

Each of the young wrestlers enter the Braves’ program with impressive marks, combining for 10 state championships over the course of their prep careers.

“We have young guys, too, that we’re excited about,” Johnson said. “We can finally feel good about some depth within our program. … we know we can count on them in a starting role or a backup role. We don’t have to worry about the older guys taking all of the brunt. It’s a testament to what we’ve done here.”

Lumberton’s Chris Kelly is among the new faces for the Braves this season. Kelly, who prepped under coaches Jamie Bell and Teague Little with the Pirates, said being a college wrestler is something he “honestly didn’t think was possible at times.”

“I’m finally here. I might as well show up and show out,” Kelly said. “I just want to get better and go the distance in a match, clean up the little things.”

Kelly also has the benefit of a fellow Pirate on the squad in redshirt junior Josh Watts.

“He’s like a big brother to me,” Kelly said of Watts. “Honestly, he kind of let me know what I needed to do when I got here. He laid out the plan for me.”

And Watts has fully embraced a new leadership role as an upperclassmen for the Braves.

“There’s a lot more responsibility,” he said. “You have to look out for yourself more, but you also have to look out for your teammates. Having Chris on the team has been a blessing. Having a local face on the team can hopefully keep building that bridge from Lumberton to Pembroke.”

For Johnson, it’s all about continuing a tradition of excellence on and off the mat in Pembroke.

“We’re excited for the following, we’re excited for the fans and what they’re bringing,” he said. “We’re hoping to continue to grow as the season goes along, so when we come back (to Pembroke) on Nov. 12 for our tournament, we’ll be a little better.

“When we come back in the spring for our dual matches, we’ll have a lot more to show them from a competitive standpoint as we get ready to put our stamp on this conference and bring the championship home. I tell you what, second place is not bad, but it doesn’t taste very good.”

The Braves will open the season on Nov. 5 in Roanoke, Va., at the Hokie Open before returning home on Nov. 12 for the 37th annual Pembroke Classic.

Rodd Baxley | The Robesonian UNCP wrestler Eric Milks, left, is entering his senior season with high expectations after the departures of Blaze Shade and Mikey Thomas.
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_rsz_dsc_0266.jpgRodd Baxley | The Robesonian UNCP wrestler Eric Milks, left, is entering his senior season with high expectations after the departures of Blaze Shade and Mikey Thomas.

Rodd Baxley | The Robesonian Lumberton’s Chris Kelly, left, is one of 16 true freshmen on the UNCP wrestling roster this season.
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_rsz_dsc_025420171019123220803.jpgRodd Baxley | The Robesonian Lumberton’s Chris Kelly, left, is one of 16 true freshmen on the UNCP wrestling roster this season.
Milks, Braves aim to make mark on the mat

By Rodd Baxley

[email protected]

Rodd Baxley can be reached at 910-416-5182. Follow him on Twitter @RoddBaxley.