STILLWATER, Oklahoma (11/22/24) – The University of Wyoming wrestling team wasn't intimidated Friday night at No. 3 Oklahoma State. It marked David Taylor's first dual inside Gallagher-Iba Arena since taking over for long-time head coach John Smith, and a crowd of over 7,000 was ready to give him a warm introduction.

However, even though there was a lot of energy going against No. 24 Wyoming, it held its own. Oklahoma State claimed eight of the 10 bouts, but two were sudden victories and another two were decisions en route to a somewhat misleading, 32-6, final.

"I think we fought pretty hard. We just stopped wrestling in matches," head coach Mark Branch said. "We came out and wrestled clean and wrestled well and quit wrestling halfway through the match instead of giving their opponents a reason to quit."

No. 18 Gabe Willochell (149) boasted one of the two Wyoming wins. He pulled off a mild upset of No. 15 Carter Young via decision, 12-7. It was a flurry of a match that Willochell nearly led wire-to-wire to improve to 2-1 on the year.

"Gabe came out very composed, and it looked like he was having fun and wrestled a very tough individual," Branch said. "That was a huge win for Gabe. That's one of his best matches as a Cowboy."

No. 22 Jared Hill (157) utilized that Willochell momentum for a sudden victory of Cutter Sheets. Hill earned a takedown late in the two-minute overtime period for a 4-1 win that kept him unbeaten on the season at 3-0.

Oklahoma State's No. 6 Troy Spratley began the dual with an upset of No. 2 Jore Volk (125). He won with a takedown in overtime for a 7-4 sudden victory, and Volk falls to 2-1 on the season.

Oklahoma State's No. 7 Tagen Jamison also seized a sudden victory of No. 27 Cole Brooks (141). Brooks led for a majority of the match but eventually fell in overtime, 7-4, dropping his record to 2-1.

Eddie Neitenbach (184) scrapped with No. 3 Dustin Plott –the defending NCAA runner-up. The match was tied, 4-4, in the second period, but Plott closed strong for a 9-4 decision win. Neitenbach is now 1-1.

No. 10 Joey Novak (197) also dropped a close match with Oklahoma State's No. 11 Luke Surber. Novak's rally came up short, falling via decision, 7-4, that moved him to 2-1 on the year.

Wyoming's No. 33 Cooper Voorhees (165) and Stockton O'Brien lost their matches by major decision, both dropping to 2-1 on the season. Quayin Short (174) and Kevin Zimmer (HWT) both got pinned. It was Short's first action of 2024-25 and Zimmer's loss makes him 1-2.

Wyoming is back in action Saturday. It travels to No. 22 Oklahoma for a dual at 12:30 p.m. inside McCasland Field House.

No. 3 Oklahoma State 32 | No. 24 Wyoming 6
125: No. 6 Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State) sudden victory No. 2 Jore Volk (Wyoming), 7-4
133: No. 28 Reece Witcraft (Oklahoma State) major decision Stockton O'Brien (Wyoming), 11-3
141: No. 7 Tagen Jamison (Oklahoma State) sudden victory No. 27 Cole Brooks (Wyoming), 7-4
149: No. 18 Gabe Willochell (Wyoming) decision No. 15 Carter Young (Oklahoma State), 12-7
157: No. 22 Jared Hill (Wyoming) sudden victory Cutter Sheets (Oklahoma State), 4-1
165: No. 5 Cameron Amine (Oklahoma State) major decision No. 33 Cooper Voorhees (Wyoming), 12-2
174: No. 3 Dean Hamiti (Oklahoma State) fall Quayin Short (Wyoming), 1:48
184: No. 3 Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State) decision Eddie Neitenbach (Wyoming), 9-4
197: No. 11 Luke Surber (Oklahoma State) decision No. 10 Joey Novak (Wyoming), 7-4
HWT: No. 3 Wyatt Hendrickson (Oklahoma State) fall Kevin Zimmer (Wyoming), 3:49