LARAMIE, Wyoming (1/29/25) – The University of Wyoming wrestling team carries its three-match win streak on the road this week. The Pokes battle North Dakota State on Friday at 6 p.m. inside Scheels Center, and Saturday, the Cowboys take aim at No. 11 South Dakota State at 6 p.m. inside First Bank & Trust Arena.
Wyoming sits at 8-5 overall and a 2-2 in Big 12 action. Its three-dual win streak includes a pair of home victories this past weekend where it outscored its foes, Utah Valley and Cal Baptist, by a combined, 62-13.
The challenge for head coach
Mark Branch and company is to take that recent success on the road.
"We need to see the progress in areas we have focused on and just continue to put our energy into our performance," Branch said. "We are certainly used to wrestling on the road, so we need to use our past experience to help us wrestle to the best of our ability."
Many Cowboys have found their stride and are trending toward wrestling their best. No. 18
Cole Brooks (141) is one of them. He picked up the biggest win of his career against the Wolverines, defeating No. 16 Haiden Drury, which vaulted Brooks back into the rankings at his highest spot ever.
No. 33
Eddie Neitenbach (184) also picked up the most sizable win of his career. He pinned Cal Baptist's No. 25 Nathan Haas, which helped Neitenbach earn his first-career ranking.
The three Cowboy stalwarts this season earned 2-0 weeks against the Wolverines and Lancers. No. 10
Joey Novak (197) logged a pin and a technical fall. No. 19
Gabe Willochell (149) picked up a major decision and a pin, while No. 20
Jared Hill (157) recorded a pair of decision wins.
Those aforementioned five and the other five starters –
Garrett Ricks (125),
Stockton O'Brien (133),
Cooper Voorhees (165),
Riley Davis (174) and
Sam Mitchell (HWT) – will all have the opportunity for quality wins this week, as the Bison and Jackrabbits possess a combined 12 ranked wrestlers.
North Dakota State boasts No. 19 Kyle Burwick (133), No. 25 Gavin Drexler (149), No. 33 Max Petersen (157) and No. 32 Aidan Brenot (184). The Bison are 3-6 on the season and 2-2 in the Big 12. Wyoming owns a 14-9 edge in the all-time series and has gone 7-3 in Fargo.
South Dakota State has No. 14 Tanner Jordan (125), No. 25 Derrick Cardinal (133), No. 15 Julian Tagg (141), No. 18 Cobe Siebrecht (157), No. 9 Drake Rhodes (165), No. 8 Cade DeVos (174), No. 5 Bennett Berge (184) and No. 24 Luke Rasmussen (HWT). The Jackrabbits are 10-3 overall and 2-1 in the conference. The Pokes lay claim to a 16-7 lead in the all-time series, however, South Dakota State has taken the last three meetings by a combined score of 92-22.
Following the duals in the Dakotas, Wyoming returns home. The Cowboys host No. 21 West Virginia on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. inside the UniWyo Sports Complex.
