A record-breaking crowd witnessed an intense wrestling showdown, even though the final score didn't favor the home team! On Saturday, December 13th, 2025, the University of Wyoming wrestling squad hosted a memorable night at the Arena-Auditorium. They faced off against the formidable No. 1 Penn State team, drawing an unprecedented 4,686 fans – a new program record! Despite the 40-7 loss, the atmosphere was electric.
"The fans were incredible, cheering throughout every match," remarked Joey Novak, reflecting on the experience. "It might be the biggest dual I'll ever wrestle in, and it's something I won't forget."
Novak (197 lbs) and No. 8 Christian Carroll (HWT) provided a glimmer of hope, securing victories to close out the dual. Novak dominated No. 8 Connor Mirasola with a major decision, 10-2, while Carroll triumphed over No. 9 Cole Mirasola with a 10-4 decision. Novak's record improved to 7-2 for the season, with four wins against ranked opponents. Carroll also boasts a 7-3 record, including four ranked wins, three of which were against top-10 competitors.
But here's where it gets controversial... the rest of the dual didn't go Wyoming's way. Brothers Luke Willochell (133 lbs) and Gabe Willochell (149 lbs) initially took the lead in their respective matches with early takedowns. However, both suffered falls, Luke Willochell to No. 5 Marcus Blaze and Gabe Willochell to No. 1 Shayne Van Ness. John Alden (141 lbs) also ignited the crowd with a second-period takedown, narrowing the gap against Nate Desmond. Ultimately, Alden lost by an 11-4 decision.
The challenge was steep for Wyoming throughout the night. Penn State showcased top-ranked wrestlers in half of the weight classes, with four others ranked in the top 10.
Wyoming's next competition will be at the Reno Tournament of Champions on December 21st at the Reno Events Center.
Match Results:
- 125: No. 1 Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) technical fall Sefton Douglass (Wyoming), 18-3 (4:27)
- 133: No. 5 Marcus Blaze (Penn State) fall No. 16 Luke Willochell (Wyoming), 3:39
- 141: Nate Desmond (Penn State) decision John Adlen (Wyoming), 11-4
- 149: No. 1 Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) fall No. 27 Gabe Willochell (Wyoming), 2:54
- 157: No. 1 PJ Duke (Penn State) fall No. 19 Jared Hill (Wyoming), 4:08
- 165: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) fall Sloan Swan (Wyoming), 2:00
- 174: No. 1 Levi Haines (Penn State) technical fall No. 28 Riley Davis (Wyoming), 18-1 (4:53)
- 184: No. 4 Rocco Welsh (Penn State) decision No. 12 Eddie Neitenbach (Wyoming), 4-1
- 197: No. 4 Joey Novak (Wyoming) major decision No. 8 Connor Mirasola (Penn State), 10-2
- HWT: No. 8 Christian Carroll (Wyoming) decision No. 9 Cole Mirasola (Penn State), 10-4
Wyoming Wrestlers Mentioned:
- John Alden (141 lbs): Redshirt Freshman, Accounting
- Riley Davis (174 lbs): Redshirt Sophomore, Entrepreneurship
- Jared Hill (157 lbs): Graduate Student, Sociology
- Eddie Neitenbach (184 lbs): Sophomore, Energy Systems Engineering
- Joey Novak (197 lbs): Junior, Accounting
- Sloan Swan (165 lbs): Redshirt Sophomore, Professional Sales
- Gabe Willochell (149 lbs): Graduate Student, Sociology
- Christian Carroll (HWT): Redshirt Freshman, Business
- Sefton Douglass (125 lbs): Redshirt Junior
- Luke Willochell (133 lbs): Freshman
What are your thoughts on the impact of a large, supportive crowd on a team's performance? Do you think the individual wins by Novak and Carroll were a sign of resilience, or were the losses in the other matches simply too overwhelming?
