Wrestling Places Sixth at NWCA Dual Meet National Championships

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (1/11/25) – The University of Wyoming wrestling team wrapped up competition at the NWCA Dual Meet National Championships on Saturday inside the UNI-Dome. The Pokes went 1-1 to finish sixth with a combined record of 4-2. 

Wyoming rallied, once again, to defeat its first opponent Saturday. The Pokes trailed Central Michigan by four going into the final two bouts but scored a pair of overtime wins in the final two weights to secure a 17-15 victory. The Cowboys closed the day with a 26-14 loss to Penn.

Once again, No. 12 Joey Novak (197), had a spotless day. He went 2-0, with one of the wins being of the sudden victory variety over Central Michigan’s Luke Cochran, which kept the Pokes alive. The other win was a 17-0 technical fall of Penn’s Jackson Zimmerman. Novak is now 11-3 on the season.

Sam Mitchell (HWT) also went 2-0. His upset of Central Michigan’s No. 31 Bryan Caves in the first tiebreaker period clinched the thrilling win over the Chippewas. Mitchell punctuated his day with a 5-1 decision over Penn’s John Pardo.  

Cooper Voorhees (165) was unbeaten on the day, as well. He downed Central Michigan’s Tyler Swiderski via decision, 8-1 and beat Penn’s Paul Ognissanti, 7-3.

No. 12 Jared Hill picked up another ranked win on the season. He defeated Penn’s No. 14 Jude Swisher via decision, 7-4, which marked his fourth ranked win of the year.

Garrett Ricks (125) and No. 30 Cole Brooks (141) represented the other Cowboys who recorded wins Saturday. Brooks boasted a pin and Ricks registered a decision.

Wyoming, which is now 6-5 on the season, remains on the road next weekend. The Pokes travel to Oregon State on Jan. 19 before finally retuning home the following weekend for home duals against Utah Valley (Jan. 24) and Cal Baptist (Jan. 25).   

Wyoming 17 | Central Michigan 15

125: Garrett Ricks (Wyoming) decision Grant Stahl (Central Michigan), 10-5

133: No. 26 Sean Spidle (Central Michigan) decision Stockton O’Brien (Wyoming), 6-1

141: No. 30 Cole Brooks (Wyoming) fall Kellan Aure (Central Michigan), 2:22

149: No. 31 Mason Shrader (Central Michigan) sudden victory No. 19 Gabe Willochell (Wyoming), 12-9

157: No. 18 Johnny Lovett (Central Michigan) decision No. 12 Jared Hill (Wyoming), 4-2

165: Cooper Voorhees (Wyoming) decision Tyler Swiderski (Central Michigan), 8-1

174: No. 21 Alex Cramer (Central Michigan) sudden victory Ethan Ducca (Wyoming), 8-5

184: Adrian Kramer (Central Michigan) decision Quayin Short (Wyoming), 4-1

197: No. 12 Joey Novak (Wyoming) sudden victory Luke Cochran (Central Michigan), 5-2

HWT: Sam Mitchell (Wyoming) tiebreaker-1 No. 31 Bryan Caves, 4-3

Penn 26 | Wyoming 14

125: No. 29 Max Gallagher (Penn) decision Garrett Ricks (Wyoming), 11-6

133: No. 19 Ryan Miller (Penn) major decision Stockton O’Brien (Wyoming), 9-0

141: No. 9 CJ Composto (Penn) fall No. 30 Cole Brooks (Wyoming), 6:47

149: No. 19 Cross Wasilewski (Penn) major decision No. 19 Gabe Willochell (Wyoming), 15-4

157: No. 12 Jared Hill (Wyoming) decision No. 14 Jude Swisher (Penn), 7-4

165: Cooper Voorhees (Wyoming) decision Paul Ognissanti (Penn), 7-3

174: No. 5 Nick Incontrera (Penn) technical fall Ethan Ducca (Wyoming), 22-5

184: No. 19 Max Hale (Penn) major decision Quayin Short (Wyoming), 8-0

197: No. 12 Joey Novak (Wyoming) technical fall Jackson Zimmerman (Penn), 17-0

HWT: Sam Mitchell (Wyoming) decision John Pardo (Penn), 5-1