West Virginia Wrestling Finishes Fifth at Big 12 Championships

Two Mountaineers claim bronze medals in standout individual performances

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The West Virginia University wrestling team secured its highest finish in program history at the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships, placing fifth out of 14 teams with 77.5 points. Redshirt sophomore Ty Watters and redshirt junior Ian Bush each earned bronze medals to lead the Mountaineers, who had six wrestlers place on the podium.

Why it matters

West Virginia's strong showing at the Big 12 Championships marks a significant milestone for the program, which has steadily improved its performance in the conference since the league expanded in 2016. The individual success of Watters and Bush also boosts the team's prospects for the upcoming NCAA Wrestling Championships, where they have earned automatic bids.

The details

Watters secured his second career podium finish by defeating Missouri's Teague Travis by fall in the consolation semifinals before beating South Dakota State's Cael Swensen 6-2 in the third-place bout. Bush earned two victories to secure his highest career finish at the Big 12 Championship, including a 17-1 technical fall over Northern Colorado's Mahonri Rushton in the consolation semifinals. Bush then defeated North Dakota State's Aidan Brenot 6-4 in the third-place match at 184 pounds.

  • The 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships were held on March 7, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
  • West Virginia finished with 77.5 team points, its highest finish at the Big 12 Championships since the conference expanded in 2016.

The players

Ty Watters

A redshirt sophomore wrestler for West Virginia University who earned a bronze medal at the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships.

Ian Bush

A redshirt junior wrestler for West Virginia University who earned a bronze medal at the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships.

West Virginia University

The university's wrestling team secured its highest finish in program history at the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships, placing fifth out of 14 teams.

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What’s next

West Virginia has five wrestlers who have automatically qualified for the NCAA Wrestling Championships, and at-large bids will be announced on March 10.

The takeaway

West Virginia's strong performance at the Big 12 Championships, led by the bronze medal finishes of Ty Watters and Ian Bush, demonstrates the program's continued growth and competitiveness within the conference. This success sets the stage for the Mountaineers to make a strong showing at the upcoming NCAA Wrestling Championships.