Branch prepares for rematch with OSUs John Smith

[MrTitleist]

http://www.wyodaily.com/sports.htm
UW wrestling coach, Branch, prepares to face off with former coach

By David Watson
WyoSports

LARAMIE – The relationship between University of Wyoming wrestling coach Mark Branch and longtime Oklahoma State coach John Smith will always be strong.

Before coming to UW three years ago, Branch wrestled for Smith and then spent 11 years under Smith first as an assistant and then the last five years there as associate head coach.

So if there’s anybody Branch wants to impress, it is his former boss and mentor. He gets another chance this weekend.

In his 20th season at OSU, Smith will match his Cowboys against UW’s Cowboys for a dual at 1 p.m. Sunday in Stillwater, Okla.

It will be the third time in as many years that the two have watched their teams battle. UW lost 34-3 in 2009 in Stillwater and 31-3 in Laramie last year.

“With (Branch), one thing you are going to get from Wyoming is a hard, competitive and well-prepared team. Those are dual meets we want to wrestle in,” Smith said.

“It’s good to see Mark have a lot of success in his first couple of years at Wyoming, and I did not think anything different. I felt like he would shoot out of the gate and impress a lot of people.

“You can see his recruiting classes getting better with good kids that I don’t think Wyoming could have picked up in the past. I’m pretty impressed with what he’s done.”

Branch helped OSU to seven Big 12 championships, four NCAA titles and three dual team championships. And he coached 57 All-Americans and 16 NCAA champions.

Said Smith, “It’s also our alumni match, and I’m glad we were able to schedule that on a day with (Branch) coming in as a head coach.”

In addition to Branch, UW assistants Ethan Kyle (2007), who is in his second season, and Chris Pendleton (2005), in his first season, also wrestled at OSU.

As a wrestler for Smith, Branch was a four-time NCAA All-American (1994-97); four-time NCAA national finalist; two-time NCAA national champion (1994 and 1997); and Big 12 Athlete of the Year in 1997.

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[MrTitleist]

Video from Branch: http://www.flowrestling.org/videos/cove ... ng-weekend