Volk’s Magic Run: Wyoming Wrestler Earns First-Career All-American Status at NCAA Championships.
Two Other Cowboys Combine to Log Four Upsets in Impressive Tournament Showing
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (3/22/24) – Prior to the 2024 NCAA Championships within the T-Mobile Center, Jore Volk had high expectations. The sophomore, ranked fifth, was determined to make a big impression and compete all three days of the competition.
Volk lost his first match on Thursday morning, which made his life and the route to achieving his goals extremely challenging. Once he accomplished that, the 125-pounder needed four more victories to secure a podium position and All-American designation.
Volk accomplished his goals with unwavering Cowboy grit. Four victories in a row, the last coming via a 4-1 quick triumph over Penn State’s No. 1 Braeden Davis.
“Obviously my goal coming into the tournament was being a national champion, but that first match didn’t go my way,” Volk said. “I just had to stay the course, keep my head in the right place and just believe I could come back.”
The victory gave Volk his first-career All-American award after going 1-2 at last year’s NCAA Championships. It’s Wyoming’s first All-American since 2022.
Volk fell in his final match Friday. Lehigh’s No. 2 Luke Stanich won via major decision, 9-0. Volk will wrestle for seventh place Saturday morning against South Dakota State’s No. 23 Tanner Jordan.
Volk’s journey to the podium featured a come-from-behind victory in the third round of the consolation bracket Friday. He rallied, scoring a takedown with under 10 seconds to go, for a 5-4 decision win over Stanford’s No. 14 Nico Provo in the third round of the consolation bracket.
Friday also featured a 5-1 decision victory for Volk. He defeated Virginia Tech’s No. 11 Cooper Flynn.
“It’s hard to come back after you drop your first match, especially when it’s an upset,” head coach Mark Branch said. “To be able to claw your way back and get on the podium is impressive. Now it becomes a focus on winning the last match of the tournament, and it’s something that is important for him to do.”
Not everyone in Kansas City showed as well as Volk did. Gabe Willochell (149) and Joey Novak (197), the other two Cowboys, combined for four upset victories, two of which involved at least ten seed positions.
22ndOn Friday, Gabe Willochell (149) recorded his second upset in a row. By decision, he defeated Maryland’s No. 12 Ethen Miller, 10-8, to get to the consolation bracket’s third round.
That was the end of Willochell’s NCAA Championship run, but not without a struggle. No. 14 Dylan D’Emilio of Ohio State held on for a 9–7 decision victory.
Willochell won his second NCAA Championship at that time. As a member of the Edinboro squad, he qualified for the 2022 edition but finished 0-2 overall.
On Friday, No. 17 Joey Novak (197) boasted about pulling off his second upset of the competition. He defeated No. 15 Max Shaw of North Carolina by decision, 9–5, with the freshman from Wyoming scoring eight points in the third round.
In the consolation bracket’s third round, Novak’s NCAA Championship run came to an end. Stephen Little, the No. 9 player in Little Rock, won a crucial decision against him, 13-5.
“Gabe and Joey had outstanding tournaments, as well,” Branch stated. “They didn’t place, but both of them pulled off upset victories over opponents with better seeds. They wrestled with all of their intensity and toughness for the entire year.
“I can’t remember a group that has wrestled with this much toughness, so in that I’m super proud.”
125 | No. 5 Jore Volk
Round of 32: No. 28 Diego Sotelo (Harvard) dec. No. 5 Volk, 5-3
Consolation Round 1: No. 5 Volk dec. No. 21 Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State), 2-0
Consolation Round 2: No. 5 Volk dec. No. 11 Cooper Flynn (Virginia Tech), 5-1
Consolation Round 3: No. 5 Volk dec. No. 14 Nico Prove (Stanford), 5-4
Blood Round: No. 5 Volk sudden victory No 1 Braeden Davis (Penn State), 4-1
Consolation Quarterfinals: No. 2 Luke Stanich (Lehigh) major dec. No. 5 Volk, 9-0
149 | No. 22 Gabe Willochell (2-2)
Round of 32: No. 22 Willochell major dec. No. 11 Quinn Kinner (Rider), 8-0
Round of 16: No. 6 Austin Gomez (Michigan) fall, No. 22 Willochell, 4:57
Consolation Round 2: No. 22 Willochell dec. No. 12 Ethen Miller (Maryland), 10-8
Consolation Round 3: No. 14 Dylan D’Emilio dec. No. 22 Willochell, 9-7
197 | No. 17 Joey Novak (2-2)
Round of 32: No. 17 Novak dec. No. 16 Luke Stout (Princeton), 9-6
Round of 16: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (Penn State) fall No. 17 Novak, 2:21
Consolation Round 2: No. 17 Novak dec. No. 15 Max Shaw (North Carolina), 9-5
Consolation Round 3: No. 9 Stephen Little (Little Rock) major dec. No. 17 Novak, 13-5