LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming wrestling team wraps up its 2024-25 season this week at the NCAA Championships, with six Cowboys set to compete in Philadelphia. The three-day tournament begins Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center.
Gabe Willochell (149 pounds), Jared Hill (157), Eddie Neitenbach (184), Joey Novak (197) and Sam Mitchell (heavyweight) qualified either by securing an automatic bid through the Big 12 Tournament or earning an at-large bid. Cole Brooks (141) is the first alternate in his weight class.
“We had a successful dual season, and several guys wrestled consistently throughout the season, which is reflected in their qualification,” Wyoming head coach Mark Branch said. “It feels good to get back to these numbers, and it’s something we can grow on.”
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For many of the Cowboys, this is not their first NCAA appearance. Willochell and Hill are each making their third trip. Willochell qualified last year as a Cowboy after previously earning a bid while at Edinboro. Hill, who transferred from Oklahoma, will make his first appearance with Wyoming after qualifying twice with the Sooners.
Novak and Mitchell are two-time qualifiers. Novak made his NCAA debut last season as a freshman, while Mitchell previously competed at 197 pounds while wrestling for Buffalo.
Neitenbach will make his first NCAA appearance as a freshman, while Brooks has been named an alternate for the first time in his career.
At last year’s NCAA Championships, Wyoming posted a 9-6 overall record, securing five upset victories en route to a 33rd-place finish with 10 points. The effort was led by Jore Volk (125), who placed seventh to earn All-American honors.
Branch is looking for his wrestlers to embrace a similar mindset this year. While a few Cowboys are favored in their opening matches, the team will largely be seeking upsets throughout the competition.
“We need our guys to just focus on the one match ahead of them and fully believe in themselves,” Branch said. “Nothing comes easy at the NCAA Tournament, and you can’t be satisfied with just being there. You have to be very greedy and want more.”
Willochell enters the tournament with a 17-12 record and four wins over ranked opponents, earning him the No. 30 seed. He went 2-2 at last year’s NCAAs and holds a career tournament record of 2-4. In the opening round, he will face No. 3 Shayne Van Ness (Penn State), who pinned him in Wyoming’s dual against Penn State in December.
Hill holds the highest seed of any Wyoming wrestler at No. 13. He went 21-10 this season, leading the team with seven wins over ranked opponents. Hill, who went 1-2 at last year’s NCAA Championships, will face No. 19 Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) in the first round. Their last meeting came in the 2022-23 season, when Chumbley secured a 16-1 technical fall victory.
Neitenbach, the No. 19 seed, compiled a 13-7 record this season with four ranked wins. He will face No. 14 DJ Parker (Oklahoma) in the opening round, a rematch from a November dual in Norman, where Parker edged Neitenbach 4-3 by decision.
Novak, the No. 15 seed, posted a 22-5 record this season with five wins over ranked opponents. He went 2-2 at last year’s NCAA Championships and will face No. 18 Dillon Bechtold (Bucknell) in the first round.
Mitchell, the No. 30 seed, finished the season 24-10 with two ranked victories. He went 1-2 at last year’s NCAA Championships and will take on No. 3 Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) in his opening-round match.
The 2025 NCAA Championships begin Thursday at 10 a.m. The tournament features two sessions each day, with all matches available for streaming on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN+.
