Cowboys Set for First Dual of the Season
* University of Wyoming press release
LARAMIE -- After opening their season last weekend, the Wyoming Wrestling squad will keep the new campaign rolling as they take a trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma for their first dual of the season on Friday night against Big 12 foe, No. 7 ranked Oklahoma State.
This will be the first time Wyoming has faced OSU in a dual in Gallagher-Iba Arena since 2018.
“Our job is to get better this week and if we do that, we have some match ups here that we can make real exciting,” UW head wrestling coach Mark Branch said. “This season is a marathon, and we have a long way to go and some guys to get healthy and, in the line-up, so instead of focusing on the competitions right now, we will be focused on the process. This will be a great experience and test to see where some of our guys are at.”
Wyoming enters Friday night's dual coming off a strong season opening showing at the Cowboy open where they crowned five champions and had a total of 16 place winners. Leading the Pokes into their first dual of the season will be Cole Moody who is currently ranked 21st at 165 pounds and opened his season 4-0 rolling through his bracket at the Cowboy Open.
Moody will be joined in the Wyoming lineup by a bevy of fresh faces with six grapplers set to make their dual debut in the brown and gold. Amongst that group will be U20 freestyle world champion Jore Volk who made his Wyoming debut at the Cowboy open going 3-1 and finishing third. NJCAA All-American Tyce Raddon is also set to compete for the first time for Wyoming after transferring from Western Wyoming College.
Oklahoma State will enter the dual with nine ranked wrestlers in the lineup highlighted by 133-pound standout Daton Fix, who is currently ranked second in the nation. Oklahoma State is 2-0 on the year coming off of a season opening double header sweep over Lehigh and Bucknell.
Last time Wyoming and Oklahoma State met was a season ago in Laramie where OSU came away with a 30-3 victory.
Friday's dual is set to begin at 6 p.m. MT and will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with live stats available on trackwrestling.com.
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