LARAMIE — With the NCAA Championships set to begin this week, the University of Wyoming will send six wrestlers to compete on the national stage.

The tournament will be held March 19-21 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

Joey Novak leads the Cowboys as the No. 5 seed at 197 pounds. He will open against No. 28 Kael Wisler of Michigan State. Eddie Neitenbach is seeded No. 6 at 184 and faces No. 27 Aidan Brenot of North Dakota State in the first round.

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At heavyweight, Christian Carroll is seeded No. 18 and will meet No. 15 Brady Colbert of Army. Gabe Willochell, seeded No. 21 at 149, draws No. 12 Carter Young of Maryland.

Luke Willochell and Riley Davis round out Wyoming’s qualifiers. Luke Willochell is seeded No. 29 at 133 and will face No. 4 Aaron Siedel of Virginia Tech, while Davis is seeded No. 30 at 174 and opens against No. 3 Christopher Minto of Nebraska.

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Wyoming enters the national tournament following an eighth-place finish at the Big 12 Championships, where it scored 67.5 points and advanced two wrestlers to the finals.

“In those finals matches, those guys wrestled really hard, but we exposed our legs,” Wyoming coach Mark Branch said. “You have to have better head and hand defense to not let those guys touch your legs. Those are adjustments we have to make. Like anything else, this is a learning experience. It gives us a lot of information, and that’s the most important thing.”

Novak and Neitenbach both finished as runners-up at the conference meet, while Gabe Willochell secured an automatic NCAA berth with a fifth-place finish at 149 pounds. Davis also qualified for nationals after placing sixth at 174 despite suffering a knee injury late in the tournament.

“We had some guys that were really gritty,” Branch said. “Gabe did what he had to do, and that was an impressive win for him today. For Sloan, after coming out and not wrestling the way I wanted to see him wrestle, for him to flip that switch and get a big win was huge.”

With six wrestlers in the field and two coming off conference finals appearances, Wyoming will look to build on its postseason momentum when competition begins next week.

Susan Bigelow, a dedicated economic development and education leader and lifelong conservative Republican, officially announced her candidacy for the Wyoming House of Representatives for District 51 today. A thirty-year resident of northeast Wyoming and recognized leader in economic development, she played a significant role in attracting Weatherby, Inc. to Sheridan. Bigelow enters the race with a mission to protect Wyoming’s values, empower the state’s workforce, ensure fiscal responsibility in Cheyenne, and work for a prosperous future for the next generation.

“Wyoming is at a crossroads where we must strengthen the path between our classrooms and our economy and invest wisely in Wyoming’s future,” said Bigelow. “I understand how to build the talent pipelines our energy, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and small business sectors need to thrive. I am running to ensure our government stays out of the way of hardworking families while providing the educational tools necessary for our next generation to stay and work right here in Wyoming.”

Bigelow’s campaign platform centers on three conservative pillars:

• Workforce Training & Economic Diversification: Utilizing her economic development expertise and community college experience to strengthen career technical education from junior high through university level programs, focusing on programs that meet the demands of Wyoming’s current and future industries.
• Fiscal Responsibility: Balancing saving for anticipated economic downturns in the energy sector with investing in needed infrastructure, educational programs and other services needed to maintain and strengthen the quality of life for all Wyomingites.
• Defending Wyoming Values: Standing firm on constitutional rights, supporting local control, protecting the state’s traditional energy and agricultural heritage and preserving state and federal public lands.

Bigelow spent over 35 years in leadership roles, where she successfully managed budgets in the defense, non-profit and public sectors and spearheaded initiatives that strengthened technical education for Sheridan College and other Wyoming community colleges. Bigelow believes that Wyoming’s education providers, both public and private, are the engine of economic diversification, and that principled, conservative leadership is required to keep that engine running efficiently. She brings a thoughtful and solutions-oriented approach to the challenges Wyoming faces.

“Wyoming needs leaders who understand what businesses need and know how education and technical training can meet those needs,” added Bigelow. “I look forward to meeting with neighbors across the district to discuss how Wyoming can connect business and education to provide jobs for future generations.”

Asked about her personal reason for entering this race, Bigelow responded, “My commitment to my family, my church, and the people of Sheridan County is the reason I’m running. I believe that being a good steward of our community means more than just showing up—it means taking the hard-earned lessons from our neighborhoods, our local businesses, and our classrooms to Cheyenne to ensure Wyoming remains a place where our children and grandchildren can thrive.”

For more information about the campaign or to join the volunteer team, please visit bigelowforHD51.com.

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About Susan Bigelow:

Susan Bigelow earned a Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering degree, a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) with a focus on Community College Leadership. Bigelow’s first college degree was awarded by Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, WY where she resided in the early 1980s. She has dedicated her career to strengthening Wyoming’s economic and educational landscape as the economic development director for Campbell, Crook, Weston, Niobrara and Converse Counties from 1996 to 2006. She served as the Vice President for External Relations and Economic Development for Northern Wyoming Community College District/Sheridan College from 2006 to 2018. She was a committee precinct woman for the Sheridan County Republicans and represented the Sheridan GOP at the 2016 State Convention. Bigelow is an active member of the Holy Name Catholic Church in Sheridan, a 30-year Rotarian, a member of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Wyoming Economic Development Association and has lived in Sheridan since 2006. Dr. Bigelow has supported many projects across Wyoming as an independent consultant for the past eight years. As an outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys year-round activities in the Big Horn Mountains.