This past weekend the University of Wyoming wrestling team competed in the Western Wrestling Championships and took second place overall.
Wyoming’s standout wrestler for the weekend was Shane Woods who won the tournament at 197 pounds. This was Shane’s second consecutive WWC championship. Along with Woods, four other Cowboy wrestlers automatically qualified for NCAA championships in Fargo, North Dakota. This was a collegiate wrestler’s last chance to make all of their hard work of the season pay off.
The Cowboy’s wrestling team stood below few teams this weekend placing second overall under North Dakota state by a mere four and a half points. Five wrestlers automatically qualified for NCAA championships by their impressive performances at the WWC championships.
Woods took first at 197 pounds. Following woods was Tyler Cox and Benjamin Stroh who both placed second at the tournament. With Cox wrestling at 125 and Stroh at 184 pounds. These two wrester’s were contenders for the championship till the very last seconds of their bouts. Tyler Cox lost a close match to Josh Rodriquez of NDSU 3-2, Stroh lost his championship bout 6-2 to NDSU’S Zillmer.
Wyoming’s Archie Colgan placed second as well at 157 pounds losing to South Dakota’s state Cody Pack 6-2 in the championship match. Right behind Colgan was Poke Andy McMulley who placed third at the tournament winning 2 out of his three matches. McMulley also earned bragging rights this weekend when we was awarded the fastest pin of the tournament, submitting David Kocer of South Dakota State in a sheer minute and five seconds. Unfortunately McMulley’s stellar performance did not earn him an automatic qualification to the NCAA’s but he did earn an at large bid for the tournament that has yet to be finalized.
Dakota Friesth showed perseverance in the face of adversity winning true second at the WWC championships at the 165 pound weight class. After losing to Michael Polkowske of University of North Carolina 9-8 in the championship semi-final, Freisth won two consecutive close bouts 5-3 and 8-4. Dakota’s hard work payed off and he won the consolation final by forfeit against Air Force’s Jesse Stafford. By winning this match Friesth won the last qualifying spot for the NCAA’s at 165 pounds. Tanner Harms, the heavy weight for Wyoming, also placed true second earning him a spot among the nation’s elite college wrestlers at the NCAA Championships.
The Cowboys wrestling team had two other wrestlers place third at the tournament, Drew Templeman at 133 pounds and Cole Mendenhall at 141 pounds, earning at large bids for the NCAA’s.
After all other qualifying tournaments in the nation conclude, the NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Committee will meet in person to hand select the 70 at large wresters who will make the cut for the tournament. These results will be put out for the public to see on the 11th of this month.
