Ty Watters Makes WVU Wrestling History for Weight Class

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Redshirt sophomore Ty Watters has been one of the anchors of the WVU wrestling lineup all season, and on Friday he etched his name into program history.

Watters earned All-America honors at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships with a thrilling 6-5 decision over Cornell’s Meyer Shapiro in the 157-pound quarterfinals, becoming WVU’s first All-American at the weight since Matt Lebe accomplished the feat in 2005. 

It was another landmark moment in a breakout season for Watters, who entered the national tournament with a 23-3 record, a Top-10 InterMat ranking throughout the year and a bonus rate near 60%. After placing third at the Big 12 Championships, Watters has carried that momentum onto the sport’s biggest stage. 

For Watters, the season’s success has come from a steady approach and a willingness to learn from every result.

“I think it’s just taking it one match at a time,” Watters said. “I like looking at the losses I’ve had, and I’m blessed to have the wins and the losses, but I think the losses helped me so much just because I kind of feel what I’m lacking and feel what I’m doing good in. So it really exposes me and shows me where I need to work and where I need to grow.”

That mindset paid off against one of the toughest draws in the bracket. Shapiro is viewed by many as one of the nation’s very best at 157 pounds, but Watters embraced the challenge instead of fearing it.

“Meyer’s a beast,” Watters said. “I’m so grateful to wrestle against someone like Meyer, so it’s awesome. If I want to be the best, I got to wrestle against those best guys. Obviously, I’m going to be nervous for it, but I’m just going to go out, give 100 percent effort and do my thing.”

The bout unfolded exactly like a quarterfinal between two elite wrestlers should. The first period was tightly contested, with neither grappler able to gain much separation. Shapiro used a reversal to put points on the board, but Watters kept himself within striking distance and began to shift the match in the second period.

After escaping, Watters found a key takedown late in the second to take a 4-2 lead, a sequence that proved pivotal in the outcome. Watters said he felt the pace of the match starting to have an effect and knew he had to stay aggressive.

“I think he was just wearing a little bit,” Watters said. “It was a really high-pace, high-intense match. So kind of just trying to go after him before he can come at me. And I was able to get one in there.”

Watters later extended the lead to 5-2, but Shapiro answered with a takedown in the third period to tie the match at 5-5 and raise the tension inside the arena. In that moment, Watters did not let the scoreboard dictate his mindset.

“I’m just trying to score the next,” he said. “I’m not really looking at the scoreboard. I’m just trying to score.”

That composure showed in the closing seconds. Watters escaped late in the third period to regain the lead and finish off the 6-5 win, punching his ticket to the national semifinals while also clinching All-America status.

The accomplishment is a major step not only for Watters personally but also for the Mountaineer program, which had not produced an All-American at 157 pounds in more than two decades. Even as his season has climbed to new heights, Watters has stayed grounded in the same blue-collar mentality that brought him here.

He also made clear how important head coach Tim Flynn has been in his rise.

“Everything,” Watters said of Flynn’s impact. “I’m so blessed to have someone like Coach Flynn, he’s helped me in every way, and I don’t know, I just love having him.”

Now, with a spot in the semifinals secured and All-America honors in hand, Watters has a chance to keep building on one of the best seasons by a WVU wrestler in recent memory. True to form, though, he is not getting caught up in the magnitude of the moment.

“I don’t really look at it like that,” Watters said. “I just look at it like, I’m gonna go out, I wanna get my hands on them, we’re gonna scrap, and I’m gonna just give maximum effort.”

And with Mountaineer fans rallying behind him, Watters had a simple message.

“Let’s go. God bless, ‘Eers up.”

Watters will face 2025 NCAA Champion at 157 Antrell Taylor from Nebraska in tonight’s semifinals.

Find more coverage of WVU wrestling at WV Sports Now.