After his coming out party in the 2022-2023 season, Wyoming sophomore Jore Volk is ready to prove he’s the real deal.
“I’m definitely more excited this season,” Volk said. “I feel like after that first year now under the belt, I feel like I know what it takes and know what needs to be done and know what to expect. I’m super fired up to compete this year.”
In a season that saw Volk qualify for Nationals and upset the 125-pound dark horse last year, Michael De Augustino, Volk had gotten his first taste of the big stage but had also grown tired of hearing the word “upset” following his performances.
“Sometimes it makes me a little mad,” Volk said “I’ll see, ‘blah blah blah upsets whoever.’ I’m like, dang, I knew the whole time I could beat that guy or whatever.”
Jore Volk wins via tech fall, 19-0, and Wyoming leads Western Wyoming, 5-0!#OneWyoming • #LCT pic.twitter.com/3fYPHW9kLS
— Wyoming Cowboy Wrestling (@WyoWrestle) November 5, 2023
Volk wasn’t simply catching opponents in bad positions and squeaking out a lucky win en route to earning his “division headache” moniker. Volk would put himself on the national radar with decisive performances, starting with his 11-1 major over Mizzou’s Noah Surtin.
Volk was understandably not thrilled with the lack of respect on his name ,and in true wrestler fashion, spun the anonymity into a motivator.
“Any time I was wrestling someone ranked above me, I looked at it as an opportunity to go shock some people,” Volk explained. “I was never really surprised after a big win. Any time you wrestle a college match, the dude’s going to be good. So I’ve got to always have the same mindset going into every single match.”
The Battle In The Barn Artwork. pic.twitter.com/bujSMTG3vQ
— Wyoming Cowboy Wrestling (@WyoWrestle) October 20, 2023
The added personal incentive to continue to take out wrestlers ranked above him paid off. Volk guessed his “upset tally” landed somewhere around half a dozen and the performances throughout his freshman season were enough to even have head coach Mark Branch fired up for Volk’s sophomore season.
“I have big goals for this year, Volk said. “National champ is the goal. My coach tells me every day there’s nobody in the country that we don’t think I can beat.”
Unfortunately for Volk, one of the most famous pins of all-time stole the attention from every 125er not named Matt Ramos and Spencer Lee last season at Nationals. He could have left Tulsa as one of the major conversations in the weight class and his ranking would’ve been more aligned with his own views. Instead, the journey to the bare-minimum expectations he has for himself will likely lead him on another trek through a sea of “upsets” next to his name.
November 17.
— Wyoming Cowboy Wrestling (@WyoWrestle) October 18, 2023
The Battle In the Barn.
Cowboys in Centennial. @GoCamelsWrestle • @UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/7ncgZg9UDW
“I went 1-2 at Nationals last year,” Volk said. “Hopefully a couple National Champs, three-time All-American, that’s the goal. I’ve got three years left so I’m trying to win as many National titles as I can before I run out of eligibility.”
He’s played the underdog role well, but Volk is looking forward to turning his sophomore year into the “they had him ranked where???” statement year. The journey to All- American continues at UFC FIGHT PASS’s Battle at the Barn!
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