Saturday, October 31
2 p.m.
University of Wyoming
vs
Western Wyoming Community College
10/29/2026 3:13:00 PM | Wrestling
LARAMIE, Wyoming (10/29/26) – The University of Wyoming wrestling team opens its 2026-27 regular season on Saturday. The Pokes host Western Wyoming at 2 p.m. in the UniWyo Sports Complex. The dual will be streamed on Flo Wrestling.
The Mustangs are one of the best teams in the NJCAA, finishing runner-up at last year's championships. Since 2020, they've won two national titles, had two runner-up finishes and four individual national champions.
"I think (this dual) has been mutually beneficial for both programs," head coach Mark Branch said. "They enjoy wrestling a Division I school here and really testing themselves and setting the bar high for themselves. For us, it's good to have a team we need to be ready for and not overlook."
The Pokes – who're ranked No. 18 in the preseason NWCA Coaches' Poll – will trot out a lineup that was set this past weekend during the Brown and Gold Intrasquad. A couple of weights were up for grabs, while a couple of others saw freshmen step up and surprise.
But Saturday will bring a different challenge. Not only will the freshmen that earned a spot be competing against a collegiate wrestler for the first time in a dual setting, but the returners will dust themselves off in a collegiate wrestling setting for the first time since the NCAA Championships in Cleveland last March.
"We want to see how we are going to compete when we're wrestling someone other than our teammate," Branch said. "Now we'll have an opponent standing across from us that we're not familiar with. How are we going to attack that? How are we going to set our standard, pace and tone? Those are things that can illuminate some issues right off the bat. It gives us some direction and where we need to make some tweaks."
Wyoming is fresh off one of its best seasons in its 95-year history. The Cowboys placed 12th at the NCAA Championships, with three All-Americans, to cap a noteworthy 2025-26 season. It was the highest finish of the Mark Branch era and the most All-Americans he's ever had in a single season.
All three of those distinguished student-athletes – Eddie Neitenbach (184), Joey Novak (197) and Christian Carroll (HWT) – are back this year. They highlight a lineup that also features returning NCAA qualifiers in Luke Willochell (133) and Riley Davis (174).
Many of the remaining starting spots, as stated above, are somewhat of a surprise. Two true freshmen, a redshirt-freshman and a redshirt-sophomore all won wrestle-offs and will get the nod against the Mustangs.
Isaiah Harrison (125) will receive his first home start and just his second-career dual start. Derek Barrows (141) and Austin Collins (149) will go in what will be their first-ever collegiate competition, while Antonio Avila (157) claimed a start, as well.
Manny Rojas (165) and Winston McBride (HWT) – filling in for Carroll who's recovering from injury – round out the starters for Saturday. Rojas is a transfer from Iowa State and is just another example of Branch's portal prowess. His recent additions of Carroll (Iowa State), Gabe Willochell (Edinboro), Jared Hill (Oklahoma) and Sam Mitchell (HWT) have all come in and qualified to the NCAA Championships in their first years in the brown and gold.
But the NCAA Championships are a long way away. For the time being, Branch and company will focus on Western Wyoming.
"(This dual) gives us something to focus on and revolve around, and I think that's helped the energy this week," Branch said. "I think as we near wrestling an outside team our guys will be pretty fired up. We are tired of beating each other up every day."
Following the dual with the Mustangs, the Cowboys embark on a difficult road stretch. They travel to No. 3 Nebraska on Nov. 8 for a 2 p.m. dual inside the Devaney Center.
The Mustangs are one of the best teams in the NJCAA, finishing runner-up at last year's championships. Since 2020, they've won two national titles, had two runner-up finishes and four individual national champions.
"I think (this dual) has been mutually beneficial for both programs," head coach Mark Branch said. "They enjoy wrestling a Division I school here and really testing themselves and setting the bar high for themselves. For us, it's good to have a team we need to be ready for and not overlook."
The Pokes – who're ranked No. 18 in the preseason NWCA Coaches' Poll – will trot out a lineup that was set this past weekend during the Brown and Gold Intrasquad. A couple of weights were up for grabs, while a couple of others saw freshmen step up and surprise.
But Saturday will bring a different challenge. Not only will the freshmen that earned a spot be competing against a collegiate wrestler for the first time in a dual setting, but the returners will dust themselves off in a collegiate wrestling setting for the first time since the NCAA Championships in Cleveland last March.
"We want to see how we are going to compete when we're wrestling someone other than our teammate," Branch said. "Now we'll have an opponent standing across from us that we're not familiar with. How are we going to attack that? How are we going to set our standard, pace and tone? Those are things that can illuminate some issues right off the bat. It gives us some direction and where we need to make some tweaks."
Wyoming is fresh off one of its best seasons in its 95-year history. The Cowboys placed 12th at the NCAA Championships, with three All-Americans, to cap a noteworthy 2025-26 season. It was the highest finish of the Mark Branch era and the most All-Americans he's ever had in a single season.
All three of those distinguished student-athletes – Eddie Neitenbach (184), Joey Novak (197) and Christian Carroll (HWT) – are back this year. They highlight a lineup that also features returning NCAA qualifiers in Luke Willochell (133) and Riley Davis (174).
Many of the remaining starting spots, as stated above, are somewhat of a surprise. Two true freshmen, a redshirt-freshman and a redshirt-sophomore all won wrestle-offs and will get the nod against the Mustangs.
Isaiah Harrison (125) will receive his first home start and just his second-career dual start. Derek Barrows (141) and Austin Collins (149) will go in what will be their first-ever collegiate competition, while Antonio Avila (157) claimed a start, as well.
Manny Rojas (165) and Winston McBride (HWT) – filling in for Carroll who's recovering from injury – round out the starters for Saturday. Rojas is a transfer from Iowa State and is just another example of Branch's portal prowess. His recent additions of Carroll (Iowa State), Gabe Willochell (Edinboro), Jared Hill (Oklahoma) and Sam Mitchell (HWT) have all come in and qualified to the NCAA Championships in their first years in the brown and gold.
But the NCAA Championships are a long way away. For the time being, Branch and company will focus on Western Wyoming.
"(This dual) gives us something to focus on and revolve around, and I think that's helped the energy this week," Branch said. "I think as we near wrestling an outside team our guys will be pretty fired up. We are tired of beating each other up every day."
Following the dual with the Mustangs, the Cowboys embark on a difficult road stretch. They travel to No. 3 Nebraska on Nov. 8 for a 2 p.m. dual inside the Devaney Center.
Players Mentioned
149/157
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
125
/ Wrestling
157
/ Wrestling
HWT
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
133
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