Season Recap: Wrestling Overcomes Adversity En Route to Successful Year

LARAMIE, Wyoming (4/9/25) – The University of Wyoming wrestling team’s 2024-25 campaign wasn’t devoid of adversity. But it was those speed bumps that made the journey a memorable one with a tremendous payoff.

Joey Novak (197) punctuated the season with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships to earn All-American status for the first time in his career. He went 6-2 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with three upset wins and four bonus-point victories to help Wyoming place 22nd as a team. Novak, as the No. 15 seed, was the second-highest seeded guy to place in the top five.

While Novak did a lion’s share of the scoring at NCAAs, he wasn’t alone there. Five Pokes qualified in Novak, Gabe Willochell (149), Jared Hill (157), Eddie Neitenbach (184) and Sam Mitchell (HWT) while Cole Brooks (141) made the trip as an alternate.

The postseason success was headline worthy, but it shouldn’t overshadow what happened during the regular season, as well. Wyoming finished 12-6 in duals and won bouts when it mattered most, holding a 4-0 record in duals decided by three points or less.

“There were so many duals this year where guys, who we are not even talking about at NCAAs, did their part and fought to help those team scores,” head coach Mark Branch said. “That kind of stuff does matter – fighting for each other and learning how to be a team. Joey (at NCAAs) wasn’t just out there trying to win the match. He was out there fighting for his team score.”

Neitenbach also factored into that team score, going 2-2 at his first-career NCAAs as a freshman. Mitchell did as well with one win in Philly.

Mitchell is the lone qualifier who isn’t set to return next year as he’s exhausted his eligibility. The other aforementioned five are slated to come back in addition to starter Riley Davis (174) and Sloan Swan (157), who started as a freshman before redshirting this past season.

“We have a great foundation, and it’s exciting right now,” Branch said. “We have a hungry group. We have a lot of momentum to talk about and build around, and we have leadership. It’s definitely exciting.”

Hill will likely be super motivated entering 2025-26, his final season of eligibility. He held the most ranked victories, seven, going into NCAAs but didn’t have the tournament he wanted going 0-2.

Willochell is in a similar motivational boat in what will be his final year. While he enjoyed a fantastic 2024 NCAA Championships with two upset wins, he went 0-2 in 2025.

Brooks couldn’t have been any closer to qualifying to his first NCAA Championships. He’ll look to do so after consecutive eighth-place finishes at the Big 12 Tournament.

The last time Swan competed, he too took eighth at the conference tourney. He’ll likely bump up to 165 pounds and be eyeing a starting spot.

There are a couple starting positions still up for grabs that Branch will look to fill with either returners, incoming freshmen or transfers. Those weights are 125, 133 and HWT. Kevin Zimmer was the starter at heavyweight before getting injured at Penn State.

However those last couple spots are decided, one thing is certain; it’s an exciting time for Wyoming wrestling.