The University of Wyoming wrestling team embarks on its first true road trip of the 2024-25 season with dual meets against No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 22 Oklahoma, Wyoming Athletics reports.
These high-profile matchups will test the Cowboys as they aim to capitalize on a strong start to the season.
Wyoming will face Oklahoma State on Friday at 6 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena and then take on Oklahoma on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. inside McCasland Field House.
“This is a great opportunity for our guys to earn some highly ranked wins… Our goal is to wrestle confidently and compete at our best to generate momentum early in the season,” said Wyoming head coach Mark Branch.
Both Oklahoma State and Oklahoma boast formidable lineups. Oklahoma State features ranked wrestlers at every weight class, including six in the top 10. Oklahoma counters with nine ranked grapplers, one of whom also ranks in the top 10.
Wyoming, ranked No. 24 nationally, will field a competitive roster highlighted by No. 2 Jore Volk (125), who recently secured a top-five win against South Dakota State’s Tanner Jordan. Other standouts include No. 10 Joey Novak (197), who is 2-0 with two pins, and No. 27 Cole Brooks (141), also 2-0 with a ranked win and a pin.
Additional ranked Cowboys include No. 22 Jared Hill (157), No. 33 Cooper Voorhees (165), and No. 18 Gabe Willochell (149). Heavyweight Kevin Zimmer and 174-pound competitors Quayin Short or Brett McIntosh round out Wyoming’s lineup.
The Cowboys enter the duals with a 2-0 record, marking significant progress from last year. Wyoming opened the season with a commanding 28-12 victory over Campbell and followed it with a dominant 46-0 win against Western Wyoming.
Friday’s dual against Oklahoma State also carries historical significance, marking the first home dual of the David Taylor era. Taylor, a former Penn State standout and decorated international wrestler, succeeds legendary Oklahoma State coach John Smith.
The highly anticipated 125-pound matchup between Wyoming’s Volk and Oklahoma State’s No. 6 Troy Spratley will be a rematch of last year’s Big 12 Championship bout, adding to the intensity of the contest.
Despite Wyoming’s improvements, the Cowboys face an uphill battle historically against their upcoming opponents. Oklahoma State is 25-0-1 all-time against Wyoming, while Oklahoma holds a 17-4-2 advantage.
The dual against Oklahoma on Saturday also holds intrigue, as the two programs tied for seventh place at last year’s Big 12 Championships.
After the Sooner State road trip, Wyoming will take a brief break before heading to the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 6-7. This major regular-season tournament will serve as another opportunity for the Cowboys to test themselves against elite competition.
