Cowboy wrestling set for Big 12 Championships

LARAMIE – The Wyoming wrestling team begins postseason action this weekend with the Big 12 Championships, held March 6-7 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.

Tournament Coverage
Fans can stream the first three sessions of the Big 12 Championships on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. The championship round will be broadcast live on ESPN 2.

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Session 1  

Multiview - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=ca91a375-24ca-41c0-8d9f-4cabc1e09aa3 

Mat 1 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=373fa368-d93f-4270-9ae7-64704e8e2a6d 

Mat 2 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=5f158b86-eec8-4329-89a8-7156e4183390 

Mat 3 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=b66143ef-3d6c-44e0-81d1-7c31c00ac007 

Mat 4 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=e1c5dbc7-af2d-4eff-a271-6339394a2fba

Session 2

Multiview - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=293164b4-2707-42a8-85cb-5bcb98703c96 

Mat 1 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=bc6849b9-6976-4f88-b1be-fab9bac777a2 

Mat 2 -https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=78e53211-2a5b-4f09-8c28-ab4b6bc17d79 

Mat 3 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=241344a2-ed13-43cf-a66e-6f620ff29596 

Mat 4 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=7d63f0f2-6bc9-4ce1-927d-d056318b5f48

Session 3 

Multiview - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=523591b6-68e4-49e4-a85c-1747cc6136c2 

Mat 1 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=f0bddb70-1329-4d57-898b-e398617a1812 

Mat 2 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=bed7c2f9-5b36-4def-a14e-8b216981483f 

Mat 3 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=dfeb707c-e2e8-4edb-8be5-767d61bac444 

Mat 4 - https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=cd006739-f4fa-45c9-aba6-70c219b9ae96

From Coach Branch  

“There was so much uncertainty at the beginning of the season that you just took things one day at a time, but lately it’s been a sense of normalcy. It feels really typical right now where our training and our focus is leading into the Big 12 Tournament.”

“Our training has been great, that’s been an advantage for us being off last weekend being able to train and refine things technically. We got to bring that confidence with us and expect a lot out of ourselves. Those individuals need to expect to go there and wrestle their best.”

Tournament Schedule
Saturday, March 6
Session 1: Preliminary & Quarterfinal Matches – 10 a.m. MT
Session 2: Semifinal & Consolation Quarterfinal Matches – 4 p.m. MT

Sunday, March 7
Session 3: Consolation Semifinals, Third & Fifth Place Matches – 9 a.m. MT
Session 4: Championship Matches – 4 p.m.  MT

2020 Big 12 Championships Recap
Last season, the Cowboys finished in seventh place as a team with 75.5 total team points. The Pokes were led by heavyweight Brian Andrews who left Tulsa as a Big 12 Champion. The returning trio of Cole Moody, Hayden Hastings and Tate Samuelson all finished 6^th also helping pace the Cowboys to a seventh-place finish. Stephen Buchannan also returns.

Weight-by-Weight Previews
125 pounds
Wyoming Starter: Darrick Stacey, 4-7
2020 Champion: Nick Piccininni (Oklahoma State)
NCAA Allocations: 5

133 pounds
Wyoming Starter: Job Greenwood, 7-6, No. 6 pre-seed
2019 Champion: Cam Sykora (North Dakota State)
NCAA Allocations: 5

141 pounds
Wyoming Starter: Chase Zollmann, 8-4, No. 8 pre-seed
2019 Champion: Ian Parker (Iowa State)
NCAA Allocations: 4

149 pounds
Wyoming Starter: Jaron Jensen, 3-7
2019 Champion: Boo Lewallen (Oklahoma State)
NCAA Allocations: 5

157 pounds
Wyoming Starter: Jacob Wright, 11-2, No. 5 pre-seed
2019 Champion: David Carr (Iowa State)
NCAA Allocations: 3

165 pounds
Wyoming Starter: Cole Moody, 11-4, No. 3 pre-seed
2019 Champion: Travis Wittlake (Oklahoma State)
NCAA Allocations: 5

174 pounds
Wyoming Starter: Hayden Hastings, 11-1, No. 2 seed
2019 Champion: Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa)
NCAA Allocations: 4

184 pounds
Wyoming Starter: Tate Samuelson, 10-2, No. 2 pre-seed
2019 Champion: Taylor Lujan (Northern Iowa)
NCAA Allocations: 4

197 pounds
Wyoming Starter: Stephen Buchanan, 8-2, No. 2 pre-seed
2019 Champion: Noah Adams (West Virginia)
NCAA Allocations: 5

Heavyweight
Wyoming Starter: Brian Andrews, 4-3, No. 3 pre-seed
2020 Champion: Brian Andrews (Wyoming)
NCAA Allocations: 5