10/30/2026 11:31:00 AM | Wrestling, Pokes Insider
Wyoming enters 2026-27 season ranked No. 18 in the NWCA Coaches’ Poll
LARAMIE – Wyoming wrestling is ranked No. 18 in the NWCA Coaches' Poll and has even higher internal expectations with the return of a stacked lineup featuring three All-Americans.
It was only four years ago that the program's longtime head coach, Mark Branch, was struggling with the dramatic changes in college sports as the era of revenue sharing and the transfer portal began to take shape.
The 2022-23 Cowboys finished 1-10 overall and 1-9 in Big 12 duals.
"It was kind of chaos," Branch reflected inside UW's new first-class practice facility. "We did not have the answers, that's for sure. It was frustrating for me, it was discouraging. You did question, like, how can we be successful in this environment? What do we have to do differently to not lose kids?"
One philosophy could have been to continue attracting good recruits and developing them before they moved on to a bigger school with more resources.
Anyone who has talked to Branch understands that was not going to work.
"I said, I'm not going to do that as a coach. I'll get out of coaching," Branch continued. "I'm not going to be the minor league feeder system for anybody else."
UW's focus on retention, adding quality wrestlers from the transfer portal and increasing its revenue-sharing budget has led to this resurgence.
The Cowboys finished 12th at the 2026 NCAA Championships, the highest finish of the Branch era.
All-Americans Eddie Neitenbach (184 pounds), Joey Novak (197) and Christian Carroll (heavyweight) return along with NCAA qualifiers Luke Willochell (133) and Riley Davis (174).
"I love the culture and the coaches and the teammates. I couldn't imagine myself going anywhere else," Neitenbach said. "I have so much faith in the staff, how we prepare and how we kind of look at things from a mentality point of view. It matches perfectly.
"It's a great camaraderie. We have a brotherhood here. We hang out with each other all the time. It's a great quality of life being here."
Neitenbach finished seventh at the NCAA Championships and had a 24-8 record with 14 ranked wins as a sophomore. Novak, a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier, finished fourth at nationals and plans to make a run at the title in March while wearing the Brown and Gold.
"I mean, there wasn't an option," Novak said of his decision to remain at UW. "This is where I came because they believed in me when maybe only a few other schools did. Their loyalty towards me gained my loyalty towards them. It's a no-brainer that this is the school where I can become the best wrestler."
Carroll spent time at two powerhouse programs, Oklahoma State and Iowa State, before finding his perfect fit with the Pokes. He finished eighth at the NCAA Championships and had 12 ranked wins during his first season at UW.
"I think it's a great message not only to kids on our current team, but it's also a great recruiting message. It says so much to say fit and family are important," Branch said. "How I fit in and the people around me and how I have relationships with my teammates and my coaches, that matters so much more than how full your trophy cases are from your past."
Another key element to the turnaround: Branch and the coaching staff have focused on building stronger relationships with their wrestlers.
Now, four years after a rock-bottom moment, the Cowboys have an exceptional culture, a talented roster and championship aspirations.
"My last couple of years have been my most enjoyable because I saw the positives coming out of it rather than everything for a couple of years was focused on negatives," Branch said. "You really did feel like we were changing the foundation of the program."
UW opens the highly anticipated 2026-27 season with a dual against Western Wyoming at 2 p.m. Saturday in the UniWyo Sports Complex.
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
Don't just watch the game — change it. The most powerful way to support University of Wyoming student-athletes is by joining the Cowboy Joe Club. Your membership fuels scholarships, provides essential resources, and helps Cowboys and Cowgirls succeed both in the classroom and in competition. Your gift is not just support — it's access. As a member, you'll enjoy exclusive benefits that bring you closer to the action than ever before. Be a champion. Join our team. Visit CowboyJoeClub.com or call 307-766-6242.
It was only four years ago that the program's longtime head coach, Mark Branch, was struggling with the dramatic changes in college sports as the era of revenue sharing and the transfer portal began to take shape.
The 2022-23 Cowboys finished 1-10 overall and 1-9 in Big 12 duals.
"It was kind of chaos," Branch reflected inside UW's new first-class practice facility. "We did not have the answers, that's for sure. It was frustrating for me, it was discouraging. You did question, like, how can we be successful in this environment? What do we have to do differently to not lose kids?"
One philosophy could have been to continue attracting good recruits and developing them before they moved on to a bigger school with more resources.
Anyone who has talked to Branch understands that was not going to work.
"I said, I'm not going to do that as a coach. I'll get out of coaching," Branch continued. "I'm not going to be the minor league feeder system for anybody else."
UW's focus on retention, adding quality wrestlers from the transfer portal and increasing its revenue-sharing budget has led to this resurgence.
The Cowboys finished 12th at the 2026 NCAA Championships, the highest finish of the Branch era.
All-Americans Eddie Neitenbach (184 pounds), Joey Novak (197) and Christian Carroll (heavyweight) return along with NCAA qualifiers Luke Willochell (133) and Riley Davis (174).
"I love the culture and the coaches and the teammates. I couldn't imagine myself going anywhere else," Neitenbach said. "I have so much faith in the staff, how we prepare and how we kind of look at things from a mentality point of view. It matches perfectly.
"It's a great camaraderie. We have a brotherhood here. We hang out with each other all the time. It's a great quality of life being here."
Neitenbach finished seventh at the NCAA Championships and had a 24-8 record with 14 ranked wins as a sophomore. Novak, a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier, finished fourth at nationals and plans to make a run at the title in March while wearing the Brown and Gold.
"I mean, there wasn't an option," Novak said of his decision to remain at UW. "This is where I came because they believed in me when maybe only a few other schools did. Their loyalty towards me gained my loyalty towards them. It's a no-brainer that this is the school where I can become the best wrestler."
Carroll spent time at two powerhouse programs, Oklahoma State and Iowa State, before finding his perfect fit with the Pokes. He finished eighth at the NCAA Championships and had 12 ranked wins during his first season at UW.
"I think it's a great message not only to kids on our current team, but it's also a great recruiting message. It says so much to say fit and family are important," Branch said. "How I fit in and the people around me and how I have relationships with my teammates and my coaches, that matters so much more than how full your trophy cases are from your past."
Another key element to the turnaround: Branch and the coaching staff have focused on building stronger relationships with their wrestlers.
Now, four years after a rock-bottom moment, the Cowboys have an exceptional culture, a talented roster and championship aspirations.
"My last couple of years have been my most enjoyable because I saw the positives coming out of it rather than everything for a couple of years was focused on negatives," Branch said. "You really did feel like we were changing the foundation of the program."
UW opens the highly anticipated 2026-27 season with a dual against Western Wyoming at 2 p.m. Saturday in the UniWyo Sports Complex.
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
Don't just watch the game — change it. The most powerful way to support University of Wyoming student-athletes is by joining the Cowboy Joe Club. Your membership fuels scholarships, provides essential resources, and helps Cowboys and Cowgirls succeed both in the classroom and in competition. Your gift is not just support — it's access. As a member, you'll enjoy exclusive benefits that bring you closer to the action than ever before. Be a champion. Join our team. Visit CowboyJoeClub.com or call 307-766-6242.
Players Mentioned
HWT
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
133
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