Wyoming Wrangles Two High School All Americans

Willie Saylor, Editor

The University of Wyoming’s Mark Branch and staff received to verbal commitments to join their wrestling squad next season.

#8-Drew Templeman (125, WA) and Brent Havlik (157/165, SD) are making plans to matriculate to Laramie next fall.

Both young men earned All American status at the NHSCA’s Junior National Championships in Virginia Beach this past spring.

Templeman is currently sitting at #13 in the All-Class rankings. From Orting, Washington, Drew is a three-time state champion. He’s placed at the NHSCA’s all three years; as a freshman he placed 3rd, 6th as a sophomore, and 4th as a junior.

Havlik is gunning for his 3rd state title this year. He won South Dakota’s Class A title at 160lbs the last two seasons. Havlik was 7th at the NHSCA Jr. Nationals this spring. And, he has two brothers that have also reached state finals.

Templeman and Havlik bring Wyoming’s 2012 recruiting class to three. They join Jordan Hanson (Lander Valley, WY), a state champion at HWT last year, as Cowboy recruits.

Templeman was down to three schools: Oregon State, Arizona State, and Wyoming. Drew’s father, Steve, recalls the first time he was aware of Drew’s interest in the University of Wyoming. Drew had listed the Cowboys as one of his top five schools on a questionnaire while attending the Clinch Gear 5-Star Camp.

“I hadn’t really thought about Wyoming as a landing spot for Drew until that point. So I started doing some research. And after we took a visit to Laramie, I was shocked at how much Drew and I loved it. It felt like home. And it felt like a place he could maintain focus and reach all his goals. I knew on the car ride home when Drew said, ‘Dad, I can win a national title there.’”

A couple weeks later, Steve told Drew to make the call if he was sure he knew where he wanted to go. Steve recalls Drew’s phone call to Coach Branch. “Drew went upstairs and I heard him say, ‘Coach, I don’t know how this works, but I want to be a Cowboy.’”

On what, specifically, attracted Drew to Laramie, Steve points to the workmanlike approach that both his son and the coaching staff have. “We call him ‘5 to 2 Drew,’” referencing Drew’s lunch-pail style. “He’s not flashy, but he works his tail off. And it was evident that the coaching staff rewards that, and recognizes a lot of work goes into a 5 to 2 win.”