Mark Branch enters his 18th year with the program. He has taken Wyoming wrestling to new heights in nearly two decades at the school.
Branch’s resume includes a record 151-94, making him the winningest head coach in program history. He has coached two NCAA finalists, 18 All-Americans, 85 NCAA qualifiers and 29 conference champions. On the team side of things, Branch was named 2018 Big 12 Coach of the Year and guided the Pokes to six team conference championships.
The 2024-25 season saw Branch help guide Joey Novak to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships and an All-American honor. Novak was joined by four other Cowboys who punched an NCAA ticket, one of which was freshman Eddie Neitenbach. He represented the third consecutive year where a Cowboy freshman has advanced to NCAAs, making Wyoming one of only two programs to accomplish such a feat. On the team side of things, the Pokes finished 22nd at NCAAs, the eighth top 25 of the Branch era. Wyoming went 12-6 in duals, winning seven of their final eight, and were a perfect 5-0 at home. The victory over Drexel at the NWCA Duals made Branch the winningest head coach in program history and it was also the largest comeback in school history, rallying from 14-0 down to win 20-18. Wyoming was 4-0 in duals decided by three points or fewer, the most such sins in a single season in program history. The Cowboys finished 10th at the Big 12 Tournament.
The 2023-24 season saw the Pokes bounce back in a big way. They went 7-7 in duals and finished in a tie for seventh at the Big 12 Tournament. Seven of the 10 Cowboys outperformed or finished on their seed line. Jore Volk headlined the group, winning his first Big 12 title as the No. 5 seed at 125 pounds. Volk wasn’t done as he earned All-American status with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Gabe Willochell and Joey Novak also qualified to the Championships and each of them pulled a pair of upsets, helping the Cowboys finish 33rd as a team.
The 2022-23 season saw Branch and the Cowboys peak at the right time, coaching five Cowboys to top-eight finishes at the Big 12 Tourney, which qualified three athletes for the NCAA Championships. Branch trained and coached Volk to an outstanding true freshman season, while also helping Jacob Wright and Cole Moody cap off their Cowboy careers with an NCAA Championship appearance.
The 2021-22 season saw Branch vault to second on the all-time wins list with 131, surpassing Steven Suder to sit only behind Everett Lantz. Branch coached four Cowboys to the NCAA Championships and came away with one All-American and Wyoming’s first top-25 finish at NCAAs in four seasons. Branch coached Stephen Buchanan (197) to a third-place finish and his second straight All-American award.
The 2020-21 season saw Branch lead the Cowboys to a historic postseason. The Cowboys had a record-tying fourth-place finish at the Big 12 Tournament while scoring a record-breaking 105.5 team points. The Big 12 Tourney was highlighted by four cowboys appearing in the title bout. For only the second time in his tenure at Wyoming, Branch sent seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. While there, Branch produced Wyoming’s 36th All-American in Buchanan (197) who placed eighth.
The 2019-20 season saw Branch lead five more Cowboys to qualification to the NCAA Championships as Buchanan, Brian Andrews, Montorie Bridges, Hayden Hastings and Tate Samuelson all received bids to the championships that were to be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota but were cancelled due to COVID-19. Andrews became the third Cowboy to win a Big 12 title since the Pokes joined the league in 2016. He was also just the 12th student-athlete in program history to win the crown at heavyweight. Andrews upset three higher-ranked opponents during his run and won two overtime bouts.
The 2018-19 season saw Branch guide seven Cowboys to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2013, which also tied the most qualifiers in a season in the Branch era. During the dual season, the Cowboys racked up 16 wins for the first time under Branch, as well, despite fielding a lineup consisting of just three returning starters from a season ago. The Pokes’ 16 dual wins in a season were the most since winning a school-record 17 in 1966-67. During the dual campaign, the Cowboys reached as high as No. 8 in the national rankings and took down No. 4 NC State—the highest-ranked dual win in recorded history. Branch also coached Bridges to his first Big 12 title bout appearance.
The 2017-18 season saw Branch get named Big 12 Wrestling Coach of the Year. The Cowboys went 13-3 overall with a 7-2 mark against conference foes. The Pokes’ 13 dual wins were the fourth-most in a season in program history. Wyoming finished fourth at the Big 12 Tourney as seniors Archie Colgan and Bryce Meredith were awarded the program’s first two Big 12 individual titles. At the 2018 NCAA Championships, Meredith was able to claim national runner-up at 141 pounds for the second time in his career while Bridges earned All-America honors for the first time in his career. As a team, Wyoming tallied its best finish under branch as the Cowboys placed 17th. It was the 20th top-25 finish and third in a row for the Pokes.
The 2016-17 season saw Branch and Wyoming finish fifth at the Big 12 Tournament following a 7-8 overall dual record and 4-4 mark in conference action. Branch led five Pokes to the NCAA Championships. Meredith became Wyoming’s second finalist at Big 12s, while Drew Templeman, Branson Ashworth, Cole Mendenhall and Archie Colgan joined Meredith at the Championships. It was the first trip to NCAAs for Mendenhall, Colgan and Ashworth. The Cowboys brought home their 19th top-25 finish as they tied for 21st at the NCAA Championships. Led by Meredith, the junior earned his second consecutive All-American award. Meredith finished fourth at 141-pounds. His fourth-place finish was the 16th top-four finish for a Poke at NCAAs. The Cowboys placed seven team members on the 2017 Academic All-Big 12 Wrestling team. Meredith, Tanner Miller, Luke Paine, Kyle Pope and Brandon Tribble earned first-team honors, while Templeman and Nate Shaw earned second-team recognition.
The 2015-16 season saw Branch lead the Pokes to a 6-6 overall dual record in its first season as a member of the Big 12 Conference. He guided three competitors to the NCAA Championships. Tanner Harms earned his second trip to NCAAs, while Meredith and Templeman made their first trips for Wyoming. Meredith fell in the 141-pound final’s match but became the first Cowboy to wrestle in the finals since Reese Andy in 1996.
The 2014-15 season saw Branch and the Pokes go 11-4 overall, which included a seven-dual win streak. Branch led six Cowboys to the NCAA Championships and had nine wrestlers earn All-WWC honors. He also guided Shane Woods to his third NCAA West Regional/WWC Championship.
The 2013-14 season saw Branch help guide the Pokes to a WWC regular-season title. The Cowboys knocked off No. 19 North Dakota State in the season finale to win the crown. In tournament action, UW brought home two Reno Tournament of Champions titles and placed two at the Las Vegas Invitational. Beginning the postseason in the West Regional, Wyoming claimed three more crowns to up Branch’s total to 23 in six seasons. The Pokes were second in the event, as the squad placed first or second in each of the previous six years. Currently, 45 Cowboys have been named to the All-WWC squad. Four Pokes earned bids to the NCAA Championships, bringing the head man’s total to 31 over six years.
The 2012-13 season saw Branch and the Pokes go 9-6 and 4-1 in the WWC. They claimed a conference crown with four conference champions – McCade Ford, L.J. Helbig, Shane Woods and Alfonso Hernandez. Wyoming went 9-6 overall in duals.
The 2011-12 season saw Branch help Joe LeBlanc cap off a stellar career, as he earned four All-American honors, the first wrestler in school history to do so. The Pokes finished 19th at the NCAA Championships, the first top-20 finish since 1996. The dual season was a successful one, as the Cowboys were 10-3, which included a 6-0 mark in WWC action. Wyoming won its third-straight West Regional tournament team title, as four Cowboys won crowns.
The 2010-11 season saw Branch and Wyoming win its second consecutive West Regional title with five individual champions. Branch was named Western Wrestling Conference Coach of the Year for a second time in his career. Branch also helped six Cowboys earn tickets to the NCAA Championships. Shane Onufer (165) and LeBlanc (184) reeled in All-America awards by placing fifth and sixth, respectively, leading Wyoming to a 28th-place team finish. The Cowboys compiled an 11-7 dual mark and a 5-1 record in the WWC.
The 2009-10 season saw Branch direct the Cowboy wrestlers to the West Regional team title over 24-time defending champion Northern Iowa. The come-from-behind championship was Wyoming’s first-ever West Regional team title and the Cowboys first tournament conference championship since 1992. Four Wyoming wrestlers went to the NCAA Championships, as LeBlanc went on to finish fourth at the event to earn his second All-America accolade and was named the WWC Wrestler of the Year. The Cowboys finished 33rd and Branch was named the 2010 West Region Coach of the Year. Wyoming also had a successful dual season in, claiming the WWC regular-season dual title for the second-straight year with a record of 12-3 and a WWC mark of 6-0.
On July 14, 2008, Branch was selected as the 14th head coach in the history of University of Wyoming wrestling. Branch’s first season guiding the Cowboys (2008-09) signaled an immediate turnaround for the program. The Pokes earned a share of the WWC regular-season dual title with a 5-0 record. At the West Regional Tournament, Wyoming finished second with four champions and sent four Cowboys to the NCAA Championships. LeBlanc finished fifth to become the first freshman in program history to earn All-America honors. Branch was named WWC Coach of the Year, the West Region Coach of the Year by D1CW and the Top Rookie Coach in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News. Branch also oversaw a squad which earned nine All-WWC honors, the most of any WWC member institution. He was nominated by his peers to be a part of the 2009 National Wrestling Coaches Association Leadership Academy Class.
Branch came to Wyoming from Oklahoma State where he was the associate head coach for six years, as well as a four-time NCAA finalist as a student-athlete. He was part of five NCAA team championships as a coach and student-athlete at OSU. As a college wrestler, Branch was a member of the Cowboys’ 1994 NCAA Championship team, and served on the coaching staff for OSU’s 2002, 03, 04 and 05 NCAA titles. While competing for OSU, Branch was a four-time NCAA All-American (1994-97), four-time NCAA national finalist (1994-97), two-time NCAA national champion at 167 pounds (1994 and 97) and a two-time national freestyle All-American (1998 and 99). In 1997, he was named the Big 12 Athlete of the Year, OSU Student-Athlete of the Year and the top graduating senior for OSU wrestling. He was a four-time NWCA Academic All-American, received an NCAA postgraduate scholarship and a Big 12 post-graduate scholarship.
As a member of the Oklahoma State coaching staff, Branch was named the NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2004. He helped coach OSU to seven Big 12 titles, four NCAA Championships and three Dual Team Championships. He was named the Associate Head Coach at OSU in 2002. He coached 57 All-Americans and 16 NCAA champions.
Branch earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Oklahoma State in 1997 and earned his master’s degree in athletic administration from OSU in 2000. He’s a native of Newkirk, Oklahoma. Branch is married to former Miss Alysia Paulson and they have four children Calvin Germinaro, Maggie Branch, Charlie Germinaro and Mason Branch.