The University of Wyoming wrestling team is set to close out its dual season this week with two key matchups, University of Wyoming Athletics reports.
The Cowboys will face Air Force on Friday at 6:30 p.m. inside Clune Arena before returning home to take on Northern Colorado on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the UniWyo Sports Complex.
Wyoming has had a strong season, holding a 10-6 overall record and a 4-3 mark in the Big 12. The Cowboys have been particularly impressive in recent weeks, winning seven of their last nine duals, including an upset victory over No. 20 West Virginia last Saturday.
The Cowboys have five ranked wrestlers who have been performing well:
- No. 10 Joey Novak (197 lbs.) – Currently on an 11-match winning streak
- No. 18 Cole Brooks (141 lbs.) – Has won seven of his last nine matches
- No. 19 Gabe Willochell (149 lbs.) – Also won seven of his last nine
- No. 19 Jared Hill (157 lbs.) – Won four of his last five bouts
- No. 25 Eddie Neitenbach (184 lbs.) – Won five of his last six, including two upsets
Head coach Mark Branch is optimistic about the team’s progress and hopes to see them finish strong.
“We have made a lot of progress this past month, and I want to see that continue,” Branch said. “There are still things we can do better, and I certainly think we can still be more aggressive. It would be nice to finish the season with these two wins, but most importantly, we need to come out firing.”
Scouting the Opponents
Air Force (5-6, 0-6 Big 12)
The Falcons have struggled in conference play, losing all six Big 12 matchups. Although Air Force does not currently have any ranked wrestlers, several competitors have appeared in national rankings throughout the season. The Falcons defeated Wyoming in their last home meeting in 2022, 25-11.
Northern Colorado (9-5, 2-4 Big 12)
The Bears are just ahead of Wyoming in the NWCA Coaches’ Poll, receiving 11 votes to the Cowboys’ 10. Northern Colorado also won the last matchup in Laramie, 19-16, two years ago. The Bears boast four ranked wrestlers, including No. 2 Andrew Alirez (141 lbs.), a former national champion.
Sunday’s match against Northern Colorado will also serve as Senior Day, honoring 10 Wyoming student-athletes for their contributions to the program: Cooper Birdwell, Warren Carr, Mason Ding, Josh Kyle, Brett McIntosh, Sam Mitchell, Aidan Noonan, Stockton O’Brien, Garrett Ricks, and Cooper Voorhees.
After wrapping up the dual season, Wyoming will host the Cowboy Shootout on Feb. 23 at the Arena-Auditorium before heading to the Big 12 Tournament on March 8-9 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
