Looks to be a pretty good year for the Wyoming Cowboys. I see Coach Branch sending 9 to the NCAA's, and 3 of those 9 possibly being All Americans. As to the BIG 12, up to 5 in the finals, with 1 having a very good shot at an individual title and another with a shot.
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| 133 Job Greenwood Sophomore Record: 7-8 |
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| 141 Chase Zollman Sophomore Record: 43-30 NCAA: 21'NQ BIG 12: 21'5th |
A 5th place finish at last year's BIG 12's, Zollman's most impressive win came in a 5-4 tiebreaker over Oklahoma State's Kaden Gfeller. While he should place top 8 once again in the BIG 12, he'll need more wins like that to secure his second NCAA qualification.
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| 149 Jaron Jensen Senior Record: 55-55 BIG 12: 19'8th, 21'6th CKLV: 20'R12 RENO: 20'2nd |
Jensen has yet to make it to the NCAA tournament, but in his final season I think he stands a shot at finally getting to the dance. For one he owns a 6-5 decision over Missouri All American Brock Mauller. Secondly he has some other notable victories including a 9-2 victory over Virginia Tech's Brent Moore and defeating Cornell's Hunter Richard twice by scores of 6-4 & 3-1.
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| 157 Jacob Wright Junior Record: 73-28 NCAA: 20'NQ, 21'NQ BIG 12: 19'5th, 20'5th, 21'5th CKLV: 20'5th |
After finishing 5th three seasons in a row in the BIG 12, I think Wright has a legitimate shot at making this year's conference finals. He's defeated Jared Franek of North Dakota State 9-3, Wyatt Sheets of Oklahoma State 3-2 and Justin Thomas of Oklahoma 5-4 t.b. A 3-1 loss to Jarrett Jacques of Missouri can be turned around. Really the only BIG 12 opponent I don't think Wright can beat is David Carr of Iowa State. A good NCAA tournament, he might find himself on the award stand there as well. As of now, see him top 12.
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| 165 Cole Moody Sophomore Record: 48-28 NCAA: 21'NQ BIG 12: 20'6th, 21'2nd RENO: 20'2nd |
A BIG 12 runner-up last season, I think it's going to be a much tougher road to the finals this year than it was last. Wins over Tyler Cook of South Dakota State, Austin Yant of Northern Iowa and Dustin Plott of Oklahoma State poise good, but Luke Weber of North Dakota State, Keegan O'Toole of Missouri, Travis Wittlake of Oklahoma State and Demetrius Romero of Utah Valley will be difficult to overcome. I see Moody finishing about 5th in the conference.
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| 174 Hayden Hastings Junior Record: 88-36 NCAA: 19'NQ, 20'NQ, 21'NQ BIG 12: 19'6th, 20'6th, 21'3rd RENO: 20'2nd CKLV: 20'7th |
Looking over the BIG 12 competition, I think Hastings can make the BIG 12 finals this season. Losses by fall are sometimes hard to judge, as he was pinned by Oklahoma State's Anthony Mantalvo, so not sure if that's a winnable match or not. Wins over CKLV & Midlands champ Dylan Lydy of Purdue as well as All American Brandon Womack of Cornell suggest Hastings might earn an NCAA medal himself. A for sure top 12 wrestler.
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| 184 Tate Samuelson Junior Record: 57-28 NCAA: 19'NQ, 20'NQ, 21'NQ BIG 12: 19'6th, 20'6th, 21'2nd RENO: 20'1st |
If parity gives you a headache, get ready for a migraine. He has Oklahoma State's Dakota Geer's #. A 6-2 and a 10-6 victory last season, the brown and gold Cowboy stays a step ahead of the orange and black one. Yet on the same hand, Geer has no problem at all with Northern Colorado's Alan Clothier, as Samuelson is 1-3 against the Bear. What's one to do with that information? Samuelson also lost to Jeremiah Kent of Missouri, Marcus Coleman of Iowa State and Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa. I honestly think it depends on which side of the bracket he ends up on. If he meets Geer in the semi-finals, that could result in a 2nd place finish. I think he'll in the very least place 5th. With that said, a good NCAA tournament, he could find himself on the award stand there as well.
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| 197 Stephen Buchanan Sophomore Record: 40-19 NCAA: 20'NQ, 21'8th BIG 12: 20'7th, 21'2nd |
Even with being an All American last season, I think what sticks out most to wrestling fans about Buchanan was how he completely owned West Virginia's Noah Adams. He defeated the Mountaineer four times last season, including pinning him in the first period at the NCAA's. With that said, even with losses to Tanner Sloan of South Dakota State & Jake Woodley of Oklahoma, the only person I can't see Buchanan defeating is A.J. Ferrari. So in that case, another BIG 12 runner-up finish is very doable. With that said, so is another All American finish.
A second BIG 12 title & an All American finish to end his Cowboy career? I think both are very possible. With exception to Zach Elam of Missouri, he has at least one win over the rest of the BIG 12 competition. Even with the loss to Elam, Andrews is always game come the BIG 1 tournament. He owns a win over All American Tate Orndorff 7-3.
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125 - DNQ
133 - NQ
141 - NQ
149 - NQ
157 - R12
165 - NQ
174 - R12
184 - All American
197 - All American
HWT - All American
Again I think that's a pretty good showing. Along with 9 qualifiers, I can also see 9 place-winners at RENO and a large majority of the team bringing home medals from Vegas.
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| HWT Brian Andrews Senior Record: 87-26 NCAA; 19'NQ, 20'NQ, 21'NQ BIG 12: 19'4th, 20'1st, 21'2nd CKLV: 19'7th, 20'8th |
A second BIG 12 title & an All American finish to end his Cowboy career? I think both are very possible. With exception to Zach Elam of Missouri, he has at least one win over the rest of the BIG 12 competition. Even with the loss to Elam, Andrews is always game come the BIG 1 tournament. He owns a win over All American Tate Orndorff 7-3.
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125 - DNQ
133 - NQ
141 - NQ
149 - NQ
157 - R12
165 - NQ
174 - R12
184 - All American
197 - All American
HWT - All American
Again I think that's a pretty good showing. Along with 9 qualifiers, I can also see 9 place-winners at RENO and a large majority of the team bringing home medals from Vegas.
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