WVU Wrestling’s Ty Watters Aims to Build Off Stellar Freshman Season

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — During his post-match interview following the WVU wrestling team’s sweep of the Mountaineer Quad on Nov. 12, Ty Watters was very clear on his goal for his first season in Morgantown, becoming an All-American.

Watters could possibly be well on his way to accomplishing this feat, as the freshman phenom capped off the regular season with a 20-1 technical fall victory in West Virginia’s win over Glenville State this past Sunday.

“I’m very happy with how this year has gone so far,” Watters said. “I just want to keep growing under this system that our coaches are all teaching. I’m going to go to work and break myself every day.”

The Imperial, Pa., native is currently ranked No. 7 in the 149-pound weight class and holds a 21-4 record heading into the Big 12 Tournament.

Watters’ four losses was the second-lowest of the Mountaineers’ starters, only Jordan Titus had fewer with two. He also topped the lineup with 10 pinfall victories and was a team-best 13-2 in dual meet action.

Watters summed up his success this season into one word — consistency.

“I just have to keep grinding and do what I do well on the mat,” Watters said. “I don’t want to be satisfied yet. There are still a lot more things that I can accomplish, and the work doesn’t stop until I reach those goals.”

Watters’ performance so far this season has drawn high praise from the Mountaineers’ coaching staff, with head coach Tim Flynn saying Watters has a big chance of earning honors at both the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments.

“Ty is a talented wrestler and a fun guy to watch on the mat,” Flynn said. “We love him. The sky is the limit for that kid.”

West Virginia will have at least six wrestlers with an individual rank going into the Big 12 Tournament, which is set for March 9 and 10 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Big 12 garnered 65 pre-allocations for the 2023 Division I Wrestling Championship, the second-most out of all Division I conferences.

The conference received a minimum of four pre-allocations in every weight class, with the highest being eight in both the 165 and 285-pound weight classes. The 149-pound class has seven allocations, meaning Watters will be guaranteed a NCAA Tournament berth with at least a seventh place finish.

“This group is special because they’re a bunch of good kids,” Flynn said. “They’re talented. The talent level has definitely risen over the past year. The commitment has risen. It’s all a part of the grind to become an All-American, which is what all of these guys strive to be.”