The University of Wyoming wrestling team concluded its Big 12 Tournament on Sunday at the BOK Center, with six Cowboys earning podium finishes.
Three of those wrestlers also secured automatic bids to the upcoming NCAA Championships.
Wyoming finished 10th in the team standings, accumulating 58 points over the tournament.
Heavyweight Sam Mitchell (No. 8) had a strong showing, highlighted by an upset victory over Iowa State’s Daniel Herrera (No. 6, ranked No. 25) in the consolation semifinals. That win secured one of the limited NCAA allocations at his weight class. Mitchell ultimately finished fourth after falling to South Dakota State’s Luke Rasmussen (No. 7) in the third-place match.
“Sam gutted out a lot of hard-earned wins,” Wyoming head coach Mark Branch said. “That gets you excited.”
Eddie Neitenbach (No. 6, 184 lbs.) also placed fourth. After securing an NCAA bid on Saturday—his weight class had seven qualifying spots—he advanced via forfeit in the consolation semifinals before dropping his third-place bout to South Dakota State’s Bennett Berge (No. 3).
Jared Hill (No. 5, 157 lbs.) and Joey Novak (No. 2, 197 lbs.) each finished in fifth place. Hill capped off his tournament with a 4-3 victory over top-seeded Cody Chittum (Iowa State), while Novak won his final match in dominant fashion, defeating Air Force’s Brian Burburija (No. 7) by a 9-0 major decision.
Hill had already clinched an NCAA Championship spot based on his weight class receiving six allocations. Novak, ranked No. 10 in the Coaches’ Poll and No. 9 in the RPI, will now await a potential at-large bid.
Two other Cowboys also reached the podium. Gabe Willochell (No. 4, 149 lbs.) and Cole Brooks (141 lbs.) each finished in eighth place. Willochell, ranked No. 24 in the Coaches’ Poll and No. 17 in the RPI, will also await a decision on an at-large NCAA bid.
Four Wyoming wrestlers saw their seasons end earlier in the tournament: Garrett Ricks (125 lbs.), Stockton O’Brien (133 lbs.), Cooper Voorhees (165 lbs.), and Riley Davis (174 lbs.).
