LARAMIE — Six University of Wyoming wrestlers are set to compete in the NCAA Championships in Philadelphia after a strong performance at the Big 12 Tournament in Tulsa. Five Cowboys earned automatic bids, while one will serve as an alternate in the prestigious event set for March 20-22 at the Wells Fargo Center.
The NCAA officially released its championship field on Tuesday, solidifying spots for Jared Hill (157 pounds), Eddie Neitenbach (184), and Sam Mitchell (Heavyweight), who secured automatic bids by placing in the top five at the Big 12 Tournament. Neitenbach and Mitchell both finished fourth, while Hill claimed fifth.
Joey Novak (197) and Gabe Willochell (149) earned at-large selections based on their season performances. Novak, who placed fifth at Big 12s, was ranked No. 10 in the Coaches’ Poll and No. 9 in RPI, making his selection a near certainty. Willochell, despite an eighth-place finish at the conference tournament, was ranked No. 24 in the Coaches’ Poll and No. 17 in RPI, securing his place at the national tournament.
Additionally, Cole Brooks (141) will travel as the first alternate in his weight class. Should a competitor at 141 pounds be unable to wrestle, Brooks will step in.
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Big 12 Tournament Recap
Wyoming finished 10th in the team standings with 58 points at the Big 12 Tournament, placing six wrestlers on the podium. Head coach Mark Branch praised his team’s resilience, particularly Mitchell’s standout performance.
“When I was talking pre-tournament about the guys who were going to have to have the tournament of their lives, Sam was in that spot,” Branch said. “We figured he’d have to fight back through the consolation side, and with heavyweight only getting four bids, that was a tall task. Sam gutted out a lot of hard-earned wins. That’s awesome. That gets you excited.”
Mitchell’s tournament included an upset over Iowa State’s No. 6 Daniel Herrera in the consolation semifinals before falling to South Dakota State’s No. 7 Luke Rasmussen in the third-place match. Neitenbach, who secured his NCAA bid on Saturday, advanced to the third-place match via a forfeit before losing to South Dakota State’s No. 3 Bennett Berge.
Novak and Hill both claimed fifth-place finishes, winning their final matches of the tournament. Novak dominated Air Force’s No. 7 Brian Burburija in a 9-0 major decision, while Hill pulled off an upset over Iowa State’s No. 1 Cody Chittum, earning a 4-3 decision.
Despite an eighth-place finish, Willochell’s strong regular season carried enough weight to earn him an at-large bid. Brooks also placed eighth, dropping his final match to Oklahoma’s No. 5 Mosha Schwartz.
Wyoming saw four wrestlers conclude their seasons in Tulsa. Garrett Ricks (125), Stockton O’Brien (133), Cooper Voorhees (165), and Riley Davis (174) were eliminated before the consolation quarterfinals.
