LARAMIE, Wyo. (Jan. 4, 2018) – The University of Wyoming wrestling team will begin the new year at the North Carolina Duals on Friday. UW will take on host UNC, Army West Point, Duke and American.
 
The Brown and Gold will begin with No. 19 North Carolina at 7 a.m. MT on Friday morning, before competing against Duke at 9 a.m. UW will then follow up with Army at 3 p.m., before closing the day against American at 5 p.m. Wyoming's dual against UNC will have live video (ACC Network Extra/ESPN) and live results, which can be found using the links above. Check GoWyo.com for further updates on live results regarding UW's other duals on Friday (if available).
 
Last year, Wyoming met American, Army West Point and North Carolina at the American Duals in the nation's capital. It was UW's farthest trip from Laramie and also its only trip to the east coast during the 2016-17 season.
 
In Washington, D.C. last year, by winning all three of his matchups, Branson Ashworth led the Brown and Gold. Two of his three victories came via bonus-points. Additionally, two other leaders in Drew Templeman and Bryce Meredith each went 2-1 at the American Duals a year ago.
 
Viewed as one of UW's most consistent wrestlers, Ashworth hit stride during the American Duals and didn't look back. After his three victories, the Spanish Fork, Utah, native won eight of his last ten matches to help give him the No. 3 seed heading into the Big 12 Championships.
 
Interestingly enough, after dropping all three duals at American, Wyoming would go on to win six of its next seven duals. The stretch was the longest winning streak for the Brown and Gold since the Pokes won seven-consecutive duals in 2014-15.
 
Not since 2009 has Wyoming faced Duke. The Cowboys won their first-ever contest against Duke in Raleigh, N.C., 36-6 on Jan. 17, 2009. UW lost only one match against the Blue Devils to win handily. The Pokes used five bonus-point victories on way to the win. 
 
Last Time Out
UW won five matches, including four upsets on Dec. 19, but dropped a Big 12 dual to No. 3 Oklahoma State. Inside Storey Gym in Cheyenne, the Cowboys picked up three early wins from redshirt freshman Sam Turner (149 pounds), senior Archie Colgan (157 pounds) and junior Ashworth (165 pounds), as redshirt freshman Montorie Bridges (133 pounds) and senior Meredith (141 pounds) closed out the dual with a couple victories for the Brown and Gold.
 
Bridges defeated No. 3 Kaid Brock, while Meredith upset No. 1 Dean Heil to send the crowd of 2,580 home on a good note, but the defending Big 12 champions picked up three bonus-point wins during the contest to help take the victory. The loss was UW's (1-2, 1-1 Big 12) first in league action this season.
 
Meredith picked up his second-career Big 12 Wrestler of the Week honor on Dec. 20. Not only was he the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week, but also the NCAA Wrestler of the Week and TheMat.com Athlete of the Week by USA Wrestling.
 
Know the Competition – UNC Duals
North Carolina: To close out 2017, UNC earned its first top-10 win under head coach Coleman Scott when the Tar Heels knocked off No. 8 Minnesota 25-16 as part of the 2017 South Beach Duals on Dec. 29. No. 19 Carolina had pins from A.C. Headlee and Danny Chaid among six match wins to score the upset. On Dec. 30 to close out the weekend, the Tar Heels blanked SIUE 44-0 before dropping MSU 30-6. The Tar Heels are 5-4 overall this season.
 
Duke: Duke is coming off a fifth-place finish at the Southern Scuffle where four Blue Devils placed. Jacob Kasper led the team with his second-consecutive heavyweight crown. Before the Southern Scuffle, Duke took 25th at the Cliff Keen Invite where Kasper once again led the squad taking third-place in the heavyweight division. The North Carolina Duals will be the first dual competition for Duke this season.
 
Army West Point: The UNC Duals will be the first competition for Army since the Cliff Keen Invite on Dec. 1-2. The Black Knights took 20th in Las Vegas to close out their 2017. Army West Point is currently 0-1 in duals this season, with its loss coming to No. 1 Penn State on Nov. 9.
 
American: American wrestling ended 2017 at the 85th Annual Wilkes Open on Dec. 22 where the Eagles had ten place-winners. Josh Terao and Jeric Kasunic each won championship bouts to lead AU. In early Dec., American took 11th at the Cliff Keen Invite as three Eagles that made their way to the podium. American is currently 1-1 in duals this season.
 
Wyoming in the Rankings
After a big time showing in Cheyenne against Oklahoma State, a number of Cowboys have found themselves once again in the latest rankings. As a team, UW moved to 18th in the InterMat Tournament Rankings. Flowrestling also has UW sitting 13th as a team, with Wyoming sitting 15th in the Trackwrestling team polls and 19th according to The Open Mat.  
 
InterMat has four Pokes in the top-16 of their respective weight classes. Leading the way is Meredith, who has won six-straight against ranked opponents, is second at 141-pounds. Bridges (133 pounds) and Ashworth (165 pounds) are each placed 12th at their weights, while Colgan is sitting 16th at 157 pounds.
 
In the Flowrestling rankings, Meredith now holds the top spot at 141 pounds after his big win in Cheyenne over two-time NCAA champion Dean Heil. Bridges is 12th at 133 pounds, with Colgan 16th at 157 and Ashworth 14th at 165 pounds. Trackwrestling has all four Cowboys within the top-15 of their weight classes. Meredith holds the top spot at 141 pounds, as Bridges is 13^th at 133 pounds and both Ashworth and Colgan sit 14th overall.
 
The Open Mat has Meredith second in his weight class, with Ashworth (14th), Bridges (16th) and Colgan (16th) all within the top-16.
 
Up Next
The Pokes will venture back to Laramie for its first dual in the UniWyo Sports Complex next week. UW is scheduled for a 7 p.m. MT dual against CSU Bakersfield on Jan. 12.
 
Wyoming's Projected Lineup for UNC Duals
125: Drake Foster
133: Montorie Bridges
141: Bryce Meredith
149: Sam Turner
157: Archie Colgan/Dewey Krueger
165: Branson Ashworth
174: Kyle Pope
184: Chaz Polson
197: Cody Vigoren
HWT: Hunter Mullins/Sam Eagan