LARAMIE, Wyo. (12/6/23) – The University of Wyoming wrestling team returns to dual action and conference play this week. The Cowboys travel to No. 3 Missouri for a 6 p.m. match inside the Hearnes Center.
"Missouri is one of the best programs in the country, and they weren't at Vegas, so we will certainly get a chance to see some different competition," head coach
Mark Branch said. "Most of their individuals are ranked highly, so it will certainly be another opportunity for us to make a statement and test ourselves against the best."
The Cowboys sit at 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12. The Tigers own a 2-0 overall mark, which includes a 1-0 record in conference play.
It's a stiff test for the youthful Wyoming roster. Fortunately for the Pokes, they've shown they can rise to the occasion, the most recent occurrence being the Cliff Keen Invitational this past week.
The Cowboys were projected to score just over 10 points and ended up racking up 43.5. That was the result of a 22-21 record, which included four upset wins and three podium finishers when only one was projected.
The test in Columbia is in the form of a Missouri roster that's littered with ranked wrestlers. The Tigers sport a ranked grappler at all but one of the 10 weight classes and four of those weights feature a top-five ranked Missouri student-athlete.
"Any time you get a chance to wrestle one of the best teams or best individuals, you are foolish to not go for it," Branch said. "Throw the kitchen sink at them and see what happens. This is a combat spot, and it's a fight, and you have to be prepared to come out swinging."
Wyoming garnered some recent national respect, as well.
Jore Volk (125) and
Gabe Willochell (149) both moved up in their respective classes after placing fifth and seventh at Cliff Keen.
Volk (5-2) is now ranked as high as 10th. Willochell (6-2) boasts a ranking as high as 14th.
A pair of Cowboys –
Joey Novak (197) and Cole Books (141) – broke into the rankings for the first time in their careers. Novak (6-4) was ranked as high as 15th after three upsets in Las Vegas, and Brooks (6-2) slid in at No. 32 after three victories over the weekend.
Riley Davis (174) at 5-3 and
Kevin Zimmer (HWT) at 4-3 also possess records above .500 on the season.
Brett McIntosh (165) at 3-3,
Cooper Birdwell (133) at 2-5,
Cooper Voorhees (157) at 0-4 and
Kevin Anderson (184), who has yet to wrestle this season, round out the likely starters against Missouri.
The Tigers won the Big 12 Championship a season ago in just their second year in the league since coming over from the Mid-American Conference. In that time span, Missouri has taken both duals against Wyoming. The Tigers won last year, 28-10, in Laramie – Volk was the only current Poke to log a win – and claimed the last matchup in Columbia, 30-6, during the 2021-22 season.
Following the trip to Missouri, Wyoming returns to invitational competition. The Cowboys compete in the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 17 before a home dual with Oklahoma State on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m.
