Wrestling Travels to University Park to Battle No. 1 Penn State
Photo courtesy University of Wyoming Athletics
LARAMIE, Wyoming (12/13/24) – The University of Wyoming wrestling team takes aim at the very best that collegiate wrestling has to offer. The Cowboys travel to No. 1 Penn State on Sunday for a 11 a.m. dual inside Bryce Jordan Center.
“They have the formula for success, and they have patented that formula for the past 10 years,” head coach Mark Branch said. “Their lineup is stacked from top to bottom, and they don’t have a weak weight.”
The Nittany Lions boast not only a ranked grappler at each weight but a highly-ranked one at that. Firstly, four guys are ranked No. 1 at their respective weight – Tyler Kasak (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Levi Haines (174) and Carter Starocci (184). Three other wrestlers are ranked anywhere from 2-5 and the other three grapplers own a top-10 ranking.
Wyoming, which is a little banged up, lays claim to four ranked guys that are slated to start Sunday. Two others, No. 7 Jore Volk (125) and No. 13 Joey Novak (197), will not make the trip due to injuries.
No. 19 Jared Hill (157) cracked into the top 20 for the first time this season. He’s 6-2 with one ranked win and is fresh off a fifth-place finish at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite.
No. 20 Gabe Willochell (149) has a pair of ranked wins within his 4-4 record. No. 28 Cole Brooks (141) is also 4-4 and boasts one ranked victory, while No. 32 Stockton O’Brien rounds out the ranked Pokes, as he owns a 5-3 record with one ranked win.
“It’ll be a great test for our team,” Branch said. “We are wrestling in a big environment against big-time opponents. This is a dual that’s really going to help our guys at the Big 12 Tournament and at NCAAs.”
Sunday marks the first time Wyoming has squared off against the No. 1 team in country since the 2016-17 season. The Pokes hosted No. 1 Oklahoma State and fell, 32-3.
In terms of this season, Wyoming has seen its fair share of stiff challenges. It battled No. 3 Oklahoma State in Stillwater and faced off against No. 22 Oklahoma in Norman the day after.
Sunday also represents Wyoming and Penn State’s first-ever meeting. The two don’t see one another most seasons, unless it’s at the NCAA Championships. In fact, no projected Wyoming starter Sunday has faced off against a Nittany Lion in their career.
Following the dual in University Park, Wyoming delves back into its invitational slate. A select number of Cowboys will participate in the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 22.