March 6, 2008

Watch a Free Video Feature with Wyoming Wrestling Athletes and Head Coach:
senior Carter Downing, junior Eric Coxbill, senior Kyle Morrow, senior Jason Still and head coach Steven Suder.

LARAMIE, Wyo. -

Tournament Pre-Seeding Results in PDF Format

Wyoming Wrestling has endured their share of ups and downs throughout the 2007-08 season. Through big wins over conference rivals and tough losses to nationally ranked opponents, the culmination of the Cowboys season will be measured by one day of competition this Saturday, March 8, during the 2008 Western Regional Tournament in Fargo, N.D. The six-team West Regional tournament will qualify 10 champions and 10 at-large wrestlers for the NCAA National Championships to be held March 20-22 in St. Louis, Mo. At-large bids will be determined by the coaches following the tournament.

Teams competing in this year's tournament include WWC members; Air Force Academy Falcons, North Dakota State Bison, Northern Colorado Bears, Northern Iowa Panthers, South Dakota State Jacks, Utah Valley State Wolverines and the Wyoming Cowboys.

"It boils down to this," UW head coach Steven Suder said. "Our ultimate goal is the NCAA Tournament and this is what we work towards all season. There are 60 guys competing for 20 spots, it is going to be intense."

The coaches seeding meeting will be held Friday night to determine all the seeds for the tournament. The Cowboys head into the Western Regional with three projected #2 seeds in (Carter Downing, 141, Cole Dallaserra, 149 and Eric Coxbill, 165) and two #3 seeds in (Cory VomBaur, 133 and Jason Still, Hwt).

In conference action, the Pokes were led by Senior's Carter Downing and Jason Still, junior Eric Coxbill and redshirt freshman Cole Dallaserra.

Coxbill finished the conference season 5-1 including two major decisions. Coxbill led the Cowboys with 24 victories and added seven major decisions which was second on the team overall. He finished the dual season with an 11-2 record including winning 10 out of his last 11 matches.

Still went 4-2 in WWC action including two big wins against North Dakota State and Air Force.

Dallaserra had a stellar conference season finishing the WWC year with a 5-0 record. Dallaserra finished the season with a 13-8 overall record and recorded three pins and one major decision.

Downing went 3-0 in conference duals with two major decisions and one technical fall. Downing will head into the Western Regional as Wyoming's only wrestler projected to be a #1 seed and he is ranked 19th in the nation at 141 pounds.

Also wrestling for Wyoming will be junior Cody Grant (125), junior Cody Chipperfield (157), senior Kyle Morrow (174), junior Mikel Hoopes (187) and junior Dan Barrone (197).

The 2008 Western Regional Tournament will begin Saturday, March 8, at 10 a.m. Central Time in the Bison Sports Arena in Fargo, N.D. and last all day.

Schedule of Events

10 a.m. First Round
11:30 p.m. Semifinals
2:00 p.m. Wrestlebacks
4:00 p.m. Finals
6:00 p.m. True Second-Place Matches

TICKET INFO: Tickets to the NCAA West Regional are available from the Bison Ticket Office by calling toll free (888) 231-NDSU or online at GoBison.com/tickets. General admission seats are $12 for adults and $6 for youth 17-and-under. Children 2-and-under are free with the purchase of an adult ticket.