Willochell Springs Early Upset at NCAA Championships

All Three Cowboys Still Alive Going Into Day 2

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (3/21/24) – Gabe Willochell isn’t about just making postseason headlines. He’s about making early and resounding postseason headlines. 

The University of Wyoming redshirt sophomore entered the NCAA Championships on Thursday inside T-Mobile Center as the No. 22 seed at 149 pounds. Rider’s No. 11 Quinn Kinner stood as Willochell’s first foe, and he wasted no time erasing any notion that he was the underdog.

Willochell scored an early takedown, earned a two-point near fall and finished with a reversal for an authoritative 8-0 major decision win.

“This is my second time being (at the NCAA Championships) and that was my first win, so it feels good,” Willochell said. “I was just looking to do better than I did (two years ago at the NCAA Championships), and I really wanted to win one, so now the goal is All-American.”

Willochell will look to accomplish that goal through the consolation bracket. In the Round of 16 on Thursday evening, Michigan’s No. 6 Austin Gomez pinned Willochell in the second period.  

Willochell competes Friday morning in the second round of the consolation bracket. He’ll battle the winner between Maryland’s No. 12 Ethen Miller and Missouri’s No. 28 Logan Gioffre.

No. 17 Joey Novak also had a surprise up his sleeve Thursday. He defeated Princeton’s No. 16 Luke Stout via decision, 9-6, to advance to the second round. Much like Willochell, Novak was the aggressor, boasting a first-period takedown – one that occurred in the first 20 seconds – and recorded another one late that sealed the victory.

“On a positive side, it’s good having all three guys getting geared up to go tomorrow,” Branch said. “That’s what it’s about – fighting for your next day. We had a couple upsets in the first round. I thought Joey and Gabe really wrestled extremely well and did what they needed to do.”

Novak’s time on the top side of the bracket came to a close Thursday evening. Penn State’s No. 1 Aaron Brooks pinned Novak during the first period.

Novak competes Friday morning. He’ll battle the winner of North Carolina’s No. 15 Max Shaw and Virginia’s No. 31 Krystian Kinsey.

Unfortunately for Wyoming, it also got bit by the upset bug. At 125 pounds, Harvard’s No. 28 Deigo Sotelo rallied for a 5-3 decision win over No. 5 Jore Volk.

Volk came back Thursday evening and scored a 2-0 decision win over Oregon State’s No. 21 Brandon Kaylor in the first round of the consolation bracket. Volk rode Kaylor the entirety of the third period.

“Jore bounced back against a kid that beat him fairly handedly early in the year,” Branch said. “His back was up against the wall after dropping his first match. He showed a lot of guts.”

Volk advances to face Virginia Tech’s No. 11 Cooper Flynn.

Session 3 begins Friday at 10 a.m.

“Tomorrow is a war, and we have to be ready for a war,” Branch said. “It’s going to be a long day and a lot of matches, hopefully. That’s what you want. You just have to be tougher than the guy standing in front of you.”

125 | No. 5 Jore Volk

Round of 32: No. 28 Diego Sotelo (Harvard) dec. No. 5 Volk, 5-3

Consolation Round 1: No. 5 Volk dec. No. 21 Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State), 2-0

149 | No. 22 Gabe Willochell

Round of 32: No. 22 Willochell major dec. No. 11 Quinn Kinner (Rider), 8-0

Round of 16: No. 6 Austin Gomez (Michigan) fall, No. 22 Willochell, 4:57

197 | No. 17 Joey Novak

Round of 32: No. 17 Novak dec. No. 16 Luke Stout (Princeton), 9-6

Round of 16: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (Penn State) fall No. 17 Novak, 2:21