RENO, Nevada (12/22/24) – University of Wyoming wrestling head coach Mark Branch took a different approach to this year's Reno Tournament of Champions. In years past, he would have sent his starters and a number of backups and first-year student-athletes to compete inside the Reno Events Center.

This year, however, Branch only took a couple starters and filled in the rest with backups and freshmen. And one of those backups, who happens to be a freshmen, won a title.

Antonio Avila (149) took the crown. He went a perfect 5-0 with five decision wins. That pushes the Gillette, Wyoming, product to an unblemished 14-0 on the season. Reno stood as just his third tournament even as a collegiate athlete.

Riley Davis (174) seized a second-place honor following a 4-1 performance. Ethan Ducca (174) finished third in that same bracket at 4-1 and Quayin Short (174) took fifth with a 3-1 record.

Christian Herrera (141) also impressed, going 4-1 to place fifth after knocking off multiple seeded guys. Sloan Swan (157) rounded out the Cowboy placers, logging a fifth-place finish at 5-1.

As a team, Wyoming went a combined 55-20. A number of Pokes were halted from wrestling more as NCAA rules only allow six matches in a single day.

Wyoming is back in action in a week. It participates in the Soldier Salute Tournament in Coralville, Iowa, from Dec. 29-30.

125: Tucker Bowen (2-2)
Round of 32: Bowen major decision Jackson Eylar (Eastern Oregon), 17-5
Rounf of 16: Landon Smith (Embry-Riddle) decision Bowen, 3-2
Consolation of 16 #2: Bowen technical fall Camilo Ramirez (Unattached), 17-2
Consolation of 8 #1: Gage Singleton (Oregon State) decision Bowen, 4-1

133: Josh Kyle (5-1)
Round of 64: Kyle decision Dlyan Clark (Southern Oregon), 16-14
Round of 32: Jackson Cockrell (Grand View) fall Kyle, 1:53
Consolation of 32 #2: Kyle fall Danila Cardenas (Unattached), :39
Consolation of 16 #1: Kyle fall Ricky Bell (Oregon State), 2:21
Consolation of 16 #2: Kyle fall Kade Willis (Montana State-Northern), 4:33
Consolation of 8 #1: Kyle major decision Isaiah Rubio (Western Wyoming), 13-0
*Kyle can't wrestle more than six times in a single day due to NCAA rules

133: David Saenz (5-1)
Round of 32: Isaiah Miller (Cal Poly-Humboldt) decision Saenz, 4-3
Consolation of 16 #1: Saenz major decision Jack Castagneto (Utah Valley), 16-4
Consolation of 16 #2: Saenz major decision Sam Smith (Oklahoma State), 9-1
Consolation of 8 #1: Saenz technical fall Timothy Lopez (Southern Oregon), 18-2
Consolation of 8 #2: Saenz decision Damion Elliott (Oregon State), 8-1
Consolation Semifinals: Saenz decision Freddy Barajas (Saint Mary), 13-9
*Saenz can't wrestle more than six times in a single day due to NCAA rules

141: Aidan Noonan (3-2)
Round of 64: Johnn Lopez (San Francisco State) decision Noonan, 8-3
Consolation of 32 #2: Noonan decision Cole Cross (Eastern Oregon), 7-3
Consolation of 16 #1: Noonan technical fall Aidan Mikle (Big Bend CC), 15-0
Consolation of 16 #2: Noonan major decision Nathan Agular (Cal Poly-Humboldt), 11-1
Consolation of 8 #1: Patrick Mullen (Utah Valley) fall Noonan, 7:00

141: John Alden (2-2)
Round of 32: Alden technical fall Ali Salem (Unattached), 15-0
Round of 16: Alden technical fall Nathan Agular (Cal Poly-Humboldt), 19-3
Quarterfinals: Cesar Avelar (Clackamas CC) major decision Alden, 8-0
Consolation of 8 #2: Emilio Trujillo (Cal Baptist) decision Alden, 8-6

141: Christian Herrera – 5th (4-1)
Round of 32: Herrera decision Simon Graeber (Southern Oregon), 6-2
Round of 16: Herrera decision Ben Murphy (Grand View), 7-1
Quarterfinals: Dimitri Alarcon (Western Wyoming) decision Herrera, 10-3
Consolation of 8 #2: Herrera decision Patrick Mullen (Utah Valley), 9-5
Consolation Semifinals: Herrera decision DJ Gillett (Oregon State), 4-3
Fifth-Place Match: Herrera no contest Tony Mendoza (Grand View)

149: Antonio Avila – 1st (5-0)
Round of 32: Avila decision Jake Glade (Western Wyoming), 11-4
Round of 16: Avila decision Victor Jacinto (Oregon State), 4-1
Quarterfinals: Avila decision Jonah Chew (Embry-Riddle), 4-2
Semifinals: Avila decision Zach Sato (Wisconsin-Eau Claire), 12-8
Championship: Avila decision Ayden Garver (Oregon State), 6-2

157: Sloan Swan – 5th (5-1)
Round of 32: Swan major decision Reggie Riaz (Clackamas CC), 11-0
Round of 16: CJ Hamblin (Oregon State) sudden victory Swan, 4-1
Consolation of 16 #2: Swan fall Colton Sund (Wisconsin-Eau Claire), 2:46
Consolation of 8 #1: Swan decision Landon Church (Wisconsin-Eau Claire), 9-2
Consolation of 8 #2: Swan decision Warren Carr (Wyoming), 7-2
Consolation Semifinals: Swan no contest Jayden Luttrell (Embry-Riddle)
Fifth-Place Match: Swan fall Koa Ruiz (Cal Baptist), 1:29

157: Warren Carr (2-2)
Round of 32: Carr decision Wyatt McDermott (Western Wyoming), 9-6
Round of 16: Carr decision Elijah Olguin (Adams State), 6-1
Quarterfinals: Alex Ramirez (Grand View) major decision Carr, 12-2
Consolation of 8 #2: Sloan Swan (Wyoming) decision Carr, 7-2

165: Brett McIntosh (3-2)
Round of 32: McIntosh decision Cole Zoller (Cal Poly-Humboldt), 1-0
Round of 16: McIntosh decision Shaiden Carr (Southern Oregon), 12-5
Quarterfinals: Cam Robinson (Grand View) technical fall McIntosh, 18-2
Consolation of 8 #2: McIntosh decision Patrik Leder (Simon Fraser), 9-4
Consolation Semifinals: Gunnar Holland (Little Rock) decision McIntosh, 3-2

174: Quayin Short – 5th (3-1)
Round of 16: Short decision Logan Cole (Missouri), 10-6
Quarterfinals: Ethan Ducca (Wyoming) decision Short, 4-1
Consolation of 8 #2: Short technical fall Ryan Clink (Cal Poly), 17-0
Consolation Semifinals: Short major decision Peter McCrackin, 11-2
Fifth-Place Match: Short no contest Tanner Lofthouse (Utah Valley)

174: Ethan Ducca – 3rd (4-1)
Round of 32: Ducca decision Joe Buck (Cal Poly), 6-1
Round of 16: Ducca decision Tanner Lofthouse (Utah Valley) 8-3
Quarterfinals: Ducca decision Quayin Short (Wyoming), 4-1
Semifinals: Jared Stricker (Wisconsin-Eau-Claire) major decision Ducca, 8-0
Third-Place Match: Ducca decision Alex Reynolds (Grand View), 7-3

174: Riley Davis – 2nd (4-1)
Round of 32: Davis decision Devin Crawford (Montana State-Northern), 8-5
Round of 16: Davis sudden victory Trevor Frank (Utah Valley), 4-1
Quarterfinals: Davis sudden victory Daniil Gorshkov (Embry-Riddle), 4-1
Semifinals: Davis sudden victory Alex Reynolds (Grand View), 4-1
Championship: Jared Stricker (Wisconsin-Eau Claire) major decision Davis, 12-3

HWT: No. 26 Sam Mitchell (5-1)
Round of 32: Mitchell technical fall Laith Gilmore (San Fransisco State), 17-2
Round of 16: Charley Hastriter (Oregon State) sudden victory Mitchell, 4-1
Consolation of 16 #2: Mitchell technical fall Carson Hatch (Cal Poly-Humboldt), 20-4
Consolation of 8 #1: Mitchell decision Eric Millestead (CSU-Bakersfield), 3-1
Consolation of 8 #2: Mitchell decision Sloan Welch (Wisconsin-Eau Claire), 5-1
Consolation Semifinals: Mitchell major decision Bryson Harrington (Pitt), 8-0
*Mitchell can't wrestle more than six times in a single day due to NCAA rules

HWT: Lane Catlin (3-2)
Round of 32: Catlin fall Corbin Hayes (Embry-Riddle), 2:56
Round of 16: Sloan Welch (Wisconsin-Eau Claire) fall Catlin, 3:48
Consolation of 16 #2: Catlin fall Gabe Walker (Montana State-Northern), 2:12
Consolation of 8 #1: Catlin fall Cole Mair (Grand View), 2:19
Consolation of 8 #2: Nico Rodriguez (Eastern Oregon) tiebreaker 2 Catlin, 3-2