Mark Branch
	Position: Head Coach Experience: Third Year College Degree: Oklahoma State `97

Mark Branch completed his third season as head coach of the Wyoming Cowboy wrestling team in 2010-11, as the program continued to show dramatic signs of improvement under his direction.

"Mark (Branch) has done an excellent job of building an entire program, while at the same time exciting our fan base and building support around the state of Wyoming," said UW Athletics Director Tom Burman. "And he has built our wrestling program into a successful one in a relatively short period of time."

In 2010-11, Branch continued that success with another stellar campaign. After spending the entire dual season ranked in the top 20 in the nation, Wyoming won its second-consecutive West Regional team title with five Cowboys claiming individual titles. Branch was named Western Wrestling Conference Coach of the Year at the event for a second time in his career. UW has claimed 12 total individual titles at the event under Branch and has never finished outside the top two. Branch also upped his total of UW wrestlers to earn All-WWC honors to 23 total with seven more honorees in 2010-11.

Branch also helped the Cowboys continue that success at the NCAA Championships with six Cowboy qualifiers. Juniors Shane Onufer (165) and Joe LeBlanc (184) earned All-America honors by placing fifth and sixth, respectively, to lead Wyoming to a 28th-place team finish. UW wrestlers have earned four All-America honors under Branch, including three straight by LeBlanc.

During the season, the Cowboys rolled to an 11-7 overall dual mark and 5-1 in the WWC. UW's lone dual loss in WWC action came in the last matchup of the season at Northern Iowa and was Branch's first dual loss in the WWC. He has compiled a 16-1 mark against WWC teams with two regular-season dual titles.

In 2009-10, Branch directed the Cowboy wrestlers to the West Regional team title over the 24-time defending champion Northern Iowa Panthers with three Cowboy individual titles. The come-from-behind championship was Wyoming's first-ever West Regional team title and UW's first tournament conference championship team since 1992.

The effort qualified four UW wrestlers for the NCAA Championships, as LeBlanc would go on to finish fourth at the event to earn his second All-America accolade and was named the WWC Wrestler of the Year. The Cowboys claimed 33rd in the final team standings, as Branch was named the 2010 West Region Coach of the Year by D1CollegeWrestling.net. Shortly after he signed a contract extension to remain at UW through 2013.

Wyoming also had a successful dual season in 2009-10, winning the WWC regular-season dual title for the second straight year with an overall season record to 12-3 and a WWC record of 6-0. The `Pokes beat both Nebraska and Northern Iowa, and ended the regular season ranked No. 25 in the nation in the National Wrestling Coaches' Association/USA Today Coaches poll. UW had seven wrestler earn All-WWC honors.

Coach Branch teaches technique during a Cowboy team practice.

Branch's first season guiding the Cowboys (2008-09) saw an immediate turn around for the program. UW earned a share of the WWC regular-season dual title with a perfect 5-0 record in league matches, and went 15-3 overall in duals. At the West Regional tournament, Wyoming finished second with four champions and sent four Cowboys to the NCAA Championships, where LeBlanc finished fifth to become the first freshman in UW wrestling history to earn All-America honors.

Following his first season at UW, Branch was named WWC Coach of the Year, the West Region Coach of the Year by D1CW and the Top Rookie Coach in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News.

Branch also oversaw a squad that earned nine All-WWC honors in 2008-09, the most of any WWC member institution. He was nominated by his peers to be a part of the 2009 National Wrestling Coaches Association Leadership Academy Class.

On July 14, 2008, Mark Branch was selected as the 14th head coach in the rich history of the University of Wyoming Wrestling program.

Branch came to Wyoming from Oklahoma State University where he was the Associate Head Wrestling Coach for six years, as well as a four-time NCAA finalist as a student-athlete. He was a part of five NCAA team championships as a coach and student-athlete at OSU. As a college wrestler, Branch was a member of OSU's 1994 NCAA Championship team, and served on the coaching staff for OSU's 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 NCAA titles.

As a student-athlete at OSU, Branch was a four-time NCAA All-American (1994-97), four-time NCAA National Finalist (1994-97), two-time NCAA National Champion at 167 pounds (1994 and `97) and a two-time National Freestyle All-American (1998 and `99). In 1997, he was named the Big XII Athlete of the Year, OSU Student-Athlete of the Year and the top graduating senior for OSU Wrestling. He was a four-time NWCA Academic All-American, received an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship Award and a Big XII Post-Graduate Scholarship Award.

As a member of the OSU coaching staff, Branch was named the National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) Assistant Coach of the Year in 2004. He helped coach OSU to seven Big XII Championships, four NCAA Championships and three Dual Team Championships. He was named the Associate Head Coach at OSU in 2002 and served as an assistant coach for five years prior to that. He coached 57 All-Americans and 16 NCAA Champions.

He provided the Cowboys from Stillwater with personal and team instruction including technique training, weight training, conditioning and nutrition. He was instrumental in the recruiting of student-athletes to Stillwater, as well as organizing fundraising projects, promotional strategies and assisting in public relations functions with student-athletes.

"For me, this is the realization of my goal to become an NCAA head coach," said Branch. "I'm from a competitive background, and I was looking for a place where I could build a nationally-competitive program. I believe there is a great deal of support from the Athletic Department and the University as a whole at Wyoming. Wyoming is the right program for me and the right fit for my family and I. I appreciate the confidence that Tom Burman and Matt Whisenant (UW Senior Associate Athletics Director) have shown in me to get the job done."

Branch has been a freestyle wrestling coach for the Gator Club in New Orleans, La., since 1997 where he provides personal instruction and training in freestyle wrestling. His teams have participated at various World Team training camps. He has coached at the U.S. Nationals and World/Olympic Team Trials.

Branch earned his bachelor of science degree in secondary education from Oklahoma State in 1997 and earned his master of science degree in athletic administration from OSU in 2000.

"I wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for the opportunities I was given at my alma mater, Oklahoma State," said Branch. "I learned from John Smith (Head Wrestling Coach at OSU and six-time World Champion) and was fortunate to be part of a college wrestling program where I consistently coached and developed All-Americans, National Champions and Olympians. Now I'm excited to build on the great tradition of Wyoming Cowboy wrestling."

A native of Newkirk, Okla., he and his wife Susan have a daughter, Maggie Belle, and a son, Mason Layne.