Pokes Ready to 'Dual at The Daddy' in Season Opener

LARAMIE -- The University of Wyoming wrestling team and Campbell open the 2024-25 wrestling season in a one-of-a-kind dual Thursday. The Dual at the Daddy is slated for a 6 p.m. start time – doors open at 5 p.m. – at Frontier Park on the grounds of Cheyenne Frontier Days.

“To be able to kick off the college wrestling season in front of a national and world audience is an honor,” head coach Mark Branch said. “We want to display not only our program but the great sport of wrestling and this dual will be a fun one to watch.”

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The event will be broadcast exclusively on UFC Fight Pass and is invite-only, as no tickets were made available due to space restrictions. It’s the second year in a row these two teams and the UFC have partnered for a unique dual. Last year it was the Battle in the Barn in Centennial.

The Camels took the first matchup, 23-12. Many of the same faces return for this year’s meeting, and Branch is hopeful that a full season of experience and improvement will put his squad in a position to come out on top.

“Our team is more experienced, and our confidence grew last season,” Branch said. “We need to compete with confidence and pride and show what kind of team we expect to be this year.”

The top of the lineup is also the tip of the spear for Wyoming. Jore Volk (125) is fresh off an All-American 2023-24 season that saw him finish seventh at the NCAA Championships after claiming a Big 12 title. He completed last season with a 27-8 overall record, which included a 15-8 mark against ranked competition.

Gabe Willochell (149) and Joey Novak (197) are also back after NCAA Championship appearances and a pair of fourth-place finishes at the Big 12 Tournament. Willochell sprung two upsets at NCAAs and another at the conference tournament, ending the season with a 20-12 overall record and a 5-9 mark against ranked foes. Novak did the very same thing – two upset wins at NCAAs and another at the conference tourney – finishing at 24-15 overall and 9-13 versus ranked wrestlers.

Jared Hill (157) transferred to Wyoming after three years at Oklahoma. He’s a two-time NCAA qualifier that owns a career record of 40-27 record.

Other starters who competed last year include Cole Brooks (141), Cooper Voorhees (165), Riley Davis (174) and Kevin Zimmer (HWT). Stockton O’Brien (133) and Eddie Neitenbach (184) are scheduled to get the nod against Campbell, as well.

The Camels were preseason picked to win the SoCon Conference. They return four guys who competed at the NCAA Championships in Domenic Zaccone (133), Dom Baker (174), Levi Hopkins (197) and Taye Ghadiali (HWT). Ghadiali became Campbell’s second-ever All-American last season. Hopkins is not scheduled to wrestle Thursday.

Following the dual against Campbell, Wyoming returns to Laramie for a dual against Western Wyoming on Nov. 9. That’ll also act as the Brown and Gold intrasquad scrimmage with many bonus matches pitting a pair of Cowboys against one another.

Wrestling Receiving Votes in Preseason NWCA Poll

The University of Wyoming wrestling team sits just outside the top 25 in the preseason National Wrestling Coaches Association Poll. The Pokes are the third team in the “Others Receiving Votes” category, garnering 11 votes.

Wyoming is just a day away from opening the NCAA 2024-25 wrestling season with the Dual at the Daddy against Campbell – which is the first team in the “Others Receiving Votes” category. Ahead of that dual, five Cowboys appeared in various preseason rankings.

Jore Volk (125) leads the way. He’s ranked as high as No. 2 according to InterMat.

Joey Novak (197) checked in as high as No. 10 in Flo Wrestling’s rankings. Gabe Willochell (149) is as high as No. 14 in Open Mat, while Jared Hill (157) and Sam Mitchell (HWT) are as high as No. 25 in InterMat at their respective weights.

As mentioned, The Dual at the Daddy opens the season exclusively on UFC Fight Pass. A wrestling-only subscription can be purchased for as low as $2.99. Live stats will be available via Track Wrestling.