The Daily O’Collegian

Oklahoma State associate head wrestling coach Mark Branch is leaving Stillwater to take over as the wrestling coach at the University of Wyoming.

With five team NCAA championships to his credit, Branch spent 11 years on the Oklahoma State wrestling staff.

Branch was a member of OSU’s 1994 NCAA championship team and served on the coaching staff for the Cowboys’ 2003-06 NCAA title squads.

Branch assisted in the development of 16 NCAA individual champions, including a record five champions in 2005, 45 Big 12 individual champions and helped lead the Cowboys to seven Big 12 team championships.

“I wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for the opportunities I was given at my alma mater, Oklahoma State,” Branch said. “John Smith gave me the opportunity to learn from him. I consider him to be the greatest coach in college wrestling.

“I was fortunate to be a part of the greatest program in college wrestling as a student-athlete and assistant coach with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Now, I’m excited to build on the great tradition of Wyoming Cowboy wrestling.”

Recognized as one of the nation’s top assistants, Branch was honored in 2005 as the NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year. His OSU responsibilities were primarily in training the upper weights.

Branch joined John Smith’s coaching staff after graduating from Oklahoma State in 1997. Branch was a four-time NCAA finalist and a two-time NCAA individual champion. Additionally, he won three individual Big 8 championships during his career on the mat.

Competing as a freshman in 1994, Branch entered the NCAA Championships with an 8-9 overall record.

In his first-round match, he claimed a 12-2 major decision win over Oregon State’s Chad Renner before following that up with an 8-5 win over Duquesne’s Jim Brasco in the second round and an 8-3 win over Boston University’s Chris Studer in the third round.

A 9-2 semifinal victory over Oklahoma’s Jason Leonard set up a final-round bout with Cal State Fullerton’s Laszlo Molnar, who Branch knocked off by a 4-2 margin to claim his first NCAA individual crown. Branch’s effort was instrumental in lifting the Cowboys to the NCAA team championship that year.

Branch compiled a 99-19 overall record during his collegiate career, claiming 21 wins by fall, seven wins by technical fall and 35 wins by major decision.

As his career progressed, he steadily became one of the top wrestlers in nation, evidenced by his 64-3 overall record during his junior and senior years. Branch capped his career with a perfect 32-0 season in 1996-97 that included nine falls, three technical falls and nine major decisions.

After storming through the 1997 Big 12 Championships, Branch won his first three matches at the NCAA Championships by major decision, then claimed a resounding 10-4 win over Arizona State’s Casey Strand in the semifinals before handing Pennsylvania’s Brandon Slay a 3-2 defeat in the championship match.

In addition to his decorated career on the mat, Branch was also an outstanding student. He was named to the NWCA Academic All-America team four times and was also the recipient of the Big 12 and NCAA postgraduate scholarship.

Branch came to the Cowboy program from Newkirk, Okla., where he won two high school state titles. Mark’s father, Keith, played basketball for Henry Iba from 1964-67.

A 1997 graduate of Oklahoma State with a degree in secondary education, Branch earned a master’s degree from OSU in athletic administration in 1999.

He is married to the former Susan Ailey. He and his wife have a daughter Maggie Belle and a son, Mason Layne.