Volk Pulls Off Two Upsets In Saturday's Big 12 Wrestling Opening Day

From the desk of Bud Denega/Wyoming Athletic Department

TULSA, Oklahoma (3/9/24) – When the Big 12 Tournament brackets were announced last week, University of Wyoming’s No. 5-seeded Jore Volk’s path to a 125-pound conference championship featured a pair of top-15 wrestlers he had lost to earlier this season. It was a path of revenge, and it was one in which Volk took full advantage.

No. 13-ranked Volk defeated South Dakota State’s No. 5-seeded Tanner Jordan (ranked No. 14) via decision, 1-0, and followed that up with a 6-5 decision win over Missouri’s No. 1-seeded Noah Surtin (ranked No. 9). Oklahoma State’s No. 2-seeded Troy Spratley (ranked No. 10) is the final hurdle.

“Jore’s been dinged up a little bit, so his confidence was a little bit lacking because he didn’t have confidence in his physical body,” head coach Mark Branch said. “What he learned in his last match is the physical part isn’t as big as you think. He pulled from his mental strength in that last period. He got tough and determined and his mind took over.”

That title bout is set for 6:30 p.m. inside the BOK Center. Volk owns a regular-season win over Spratley, defeating him via decision 5-1 in a dual Dec. 19 in Laramie.

Volk’s impressive Saturday also included him punching his ticket to the NCAA Tournament. No. 26 Gabe Willochell (149) and No. 21 Joey Novak (197) join Volk, as each of them guaranteed themselves an NCAA Tournament berth.

No. 7-seeded Willochell accomplished said feat early Saturday. He boasted an upset pin of Oklahoma’s No. 2-seeded Willie McDougald (ranked No. 17) in the quarterfinals. Willochell can place as high as third place after falling in the semifinals to West Virginia’s No. 3 Ty Watters (ranked No. 7) via technical fall, 19-2.  

“Gabe’s first match was huge for momentum,” Branch said. “That’s the thing that sparks a team, and that creates momentum not just for him but for other guys. That was a great way to start, and some of the other wins came from guys who harnessed that moment.”

No. 6-seeded Novak earned his NCAA Tourney ticket via the consolation bracket. He won a pair of matches Saturday night, the last of which was a pin of Northern Colorado’s Xavier Vasquez, which keeps Novak alive for a third-place finish.

“Ending the session with a pin is pleasing,” Branch said. “We scored quite a few bonus points, which makes a huge difference in team score.”

Wyoming is positioned in seventh as a team with 55.5 points. Iowa State leads the way, having accumulated 129.5 points, while Oklahoma State and Missouri round out the top three with 119.5 and 96 points, respectively.

Four other Cowboys are wrestling for seventh place Sunday. No. 8-seeded Cole Brooks (ranked No. 30 at 141), No. 8-seeded Cooper Voorhees (165), No. 8-seeded Ethan Ducca (184) and Sloan Swan (157) are all still competing for a higher spot on the podium.

Sunday’s action begins at 11 a.m. with the reminder of the consolation rounds.

125 | No. 5 Jore Volk (Ranked No. 13)

Quarterfinals: No. 5 Volk dec. No. 4 Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State) ranked No. 14, 1-0

Semifinals: No. 5 Volk dec. No. 1 Noah Surtin (Missouri), ranked No. 8, 6-5

133 | No. 8 Garrett Ricks (Ranked No. 30)

Quarterfinals: No. 1 Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) ranked No. 2, fall No. 8 Ricks, 2:03

Consolation Round 2: Jace Koelzer (Oklahoma) disqualification Ricks

141 | No. 8 Cole Brooks (Ranked No. 30)

Quarterfinals: No. 1 Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State) ranked No. 7, tech. fall No. 8 Brooks, 21-5

Consolation Round 2: No. 8 Brooks major dec. Gavin Drexler (North Dakota State), ranked No. 32, 14-4

Consolation Round 3: No. 5 Clay Carlson (South Dakota State), ranked No. 23, dec. No. 8 Brooks, 8-4

149 | No. 7 Gabe Willochell (Ranked No. 26)

Quarterfinals: No. 7 Willochell fall No. 2 Willie McDougald (Oklahoma), ranked No. 17, 2:11

Semifinals: No. 3 Ty Watters (West Virginia), ranked No. 7, tech. fall No. 7 Willochell, 19-2

157 | Sloan Swan

First Round: No. 1 Vinny Zerban (Northern Colorado), ranked No. 2, dec. Swan, 9-3

Consolation Round 2: Swan major dec. No. 7 Landen Johnson (North Dakota State), 11-0

Consolation Round 3: Teague Travis (Oklahoma State), ranked No. 10, major dec. Swan, 9-1

165 | No. 8 Cooper Voorhees

First Round: No. 8 Voorhees dec. Jaxon Garoutte (Utah Valley), 11-7

Quarterfinals: No. 1 Keegan O’Toole (Missouri), ranked No. 1, fall No. 8 Voorhees, 2:15

Consolation Round 2: No. 8 Voorhees dec. Mateo De La Pena (Cal Baptist), 7-2

Consolation Round 3: No. 5 Giano Petrucelli (Air Force), ranked No. 13, major dec. No. 8 Voorhees, 8-0

174 | Quayin Short

First Round: No. 7 Gaven Sax (North Dakota State), ranked No. 21, tech. fall Short, 15-0

Consolation Round 2: No. 8 Brody Conley (West Virginia), ranked No. 25, dec. Short, 7-1

184 | No. 8 Ethan Ducca

First Round: No. 8 Ducca dec. Branson Britten (Northern Colorado), 4-3

Quarterfinals: No. 1 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa), ranked No. 1, tech. fall Ducca, 21-4

Consolation Round 2: No. 8 Ducca sudden victory Guiseppe Hoose (Oklahoma), 4-1

Consoaltion Round 3: No. 5 Will Feldkamp (Iowa State), ranked No. 10, tech. fall No. 8 Ducca, 16-1

197 | No. 6 Joey Novak (Ranked No. 21)

First Round: No. 6 Novak fall Calvin Sund (Air Force), 3:39

Quarterfinals: No. 3 Rocky Elam (Missouri), ranked No. 9, dec. No. 6 Novak, 5-1

Consolation Round 2: No. 6 Novak major dec. Eli Sheeran (Cal Baptist), 12-4

Consolation Round 3: No. 6 Novak fall Xavier Vasquez (Northern Colorado), 5:18

HWT | No. 8 Kevin Zimmer

First Round: Luke Rasmussen (South Dakota State), ranked No. 31, dec. No. 8 Zimmer, 7-5

Consolation Round 2: No. 7 Michael Wolfgram (West Virginia) dec. Zimmer, 6-4