LARAMIE, Wyo. (Jan. 12, 2023) – After competing on the road for the first half of the season, the Wyoming Cowboy Wrestling squad is set for their first home dual of the year as they welcome reigning big 12 Champions No. 7 Missouri into the UniWyo Sports Complex on Saturday. The dual between the Cowboys and Tigers is set to begin at 5 p.m. MT.
"It's exciting to be hosting a Top 10 team in Missouri but we have to take advantage of being at home and making them uncomfortable." Head Wrestling Coach
Mark Branch Said, "There is no reason to not approach these matches as a great opportunity to take on top notch opponents in our house but we have to make being at home our advantage and you do that by how you go out and compete."
For the Cowboys, Saturday will be their third straight dual against a top 20 opponent and their second straight dual against a top ten opponent after facing No. 16 Northern Iowa and No. 3 Iowa State a week ago. The Pokes will be led by a duo of ranked wrestlers in No. 14
Jacob Wright (157) and No. 27
Jore Volk (125). Wright is currently 11-1 on the season and has been ranked as high as ninth this year at 157 pounds. At 125 pounds, true freshman Volk finds himself in the rankings for the first time in his collegiate career after starting the season 12-6.
No. 7 Missouri enters Saturday's contest boasting a very impressive lineup that features eight ranked wrestlers led by two top ranked grapplers. Rocky Elam is currently ranked No. 1 at 197 pounds for the Tigers but has seen limited action so far this season holding a record of 4-0. At 165 pounds, Missouri's Keegan O'Toole holds the top spot in the national rankings with a record of 8-0 on the season. O'Toole is the reigning Big 12 and NCAA Champion at 165 pounds looking to repeat his success from a year ago.
The marquee match between the Cowboys and Tigers will take place at 157 pounds where No. 14 Wright is set to take on Missouri's No. 11 ranked Jarrett Jacques. The last time Wright and Jacques met was a season ago at the big 12 Championships where Wright came away with a gritty 3-2 overtime win on his way to a career best third place finish at the Big 12 Championships . Jacques leads the all-time series between the two grapplers holding a 2-1 advantage.
Saturday's dual will be live-streamed on FloWrestling and will also be streamed on the Mountain West Network along with all of the Cowboy home duals this season. Saturday's dual is also a white out and fans are encouraged to wear white.
