Wyoming’s Meredith Comes in Second at NCAA Championships
Wyoming sophomore Bryce Meredith lost a tough 3-2 decision in the final and finished runner-up at the 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships last Saturday.
In the final of the 141-pound bracket, Meredith took Oklahoma State’s Dean Heil down to the wire at Madison Square Garden.
Heil scored a takedown in the first period. Meredith rallied with two escapes and tied the match at 2-2. Late in the third period, Heil added an escape for a 3-2 lead. Meredith responded with a near fall, but fell just short.
In a release from the University of Wyoming, Cowboy head coach Mark Branch said of the sophomore’s performance,
“To go out there and compete at the highest level is special, and he showed what he is capable of. I told him he can beat anyone in the country, and it’s exciting to see him use this experience.”
Meredith became the 32 All-American in Cowboy wrestling history. He was 29-5 on the season and the first Cowboys to wrestle in the finals since 1996.
As a team, the Cowboys finished in 18th place with 24.5 team points. This is the best finish since 1996 for UW. It’s also the 18th time Wyoming has ended up in the Top-25 at the NCAA Championships.
There were two other Cowboys that competed at the NCAA’s.
Senior Tanner Harms finished with a 3-2 record at 285 pounds. He was his opening match by major decision before losing by tech fall in the second round. After a pair of consolation victories by fall, Harms lost to fourth-seed Austin Marsden of Oklahoma State by major decision, 13-5. He concluded his Wyoming career with a 63-30 dual record.
Junior Drew Templeman was 1-2 in New York City. He lost a tough 3-2 decision in his opening round match. After a 9-7, sudden victory, in the consolation first round, Templeman was defeated by seventh-seed Darian Cruz in a major decision, 13-5.