WVU Wrestling’s Peyton Hall to Begin Quests for Big 12 Title, All-American Honors

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Peyton Hall has embraced his role as one of the leaders of the WVU wrestling team both on and off the mat.

Hall’s hard-nosed attitude and next-man-up mindset gave the hometown competitor a clear edge for his senior campaign, as the Chester, W.Va., native capped off the regular season with a 17-2 technical fall over Glenville State’s Brady Ross in the Mountaineers’ lopsided victory over the Pioneers last Sunday afternoon.

“It means a lot to be in this position,” Hall said. “I’m feeling good. The team is feeling good. We have a big stretch to prepare now before the Big 12 Tournament, and we’re going to be ready. This stretch is more about lifestyle, too, than it is about wrestling.”

Hall headlined the West Virginia squad that claimed 10 dual meet wins for the second consecutive season, the first time a WVU wrestling team accomplished this feat since 1990-91.

Being one of five Mountaineers to surpass 20 wins, Hall currently tops West Virginia with a 24-5 record. He also topped the lineup in takedowns (29), technical falls (10) and was third in pins with seven.

Hall is aiming to reach All-American status for the second time in his career after earning the honor as a sophomore in 2022. He missed the mark this past season after a promising performance before the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments.

He also has the opportunity to surpass 100 career wins within the next month, going into the Big 12 Tournament with 92.

Currently ranked No. 8 in the nation at 165 pounds, Hall utilized a different approach for his matches that led to his success this season.

“This year, I just took it one match at a time,” Hall said. “Instead of thinking about nationals all year, I was thinking about the next match.”

The Mountaineers rose one spot to No. 18 in the NWCA Coaches’ Poll following the win over Glenville State.

Moving up a spot in this week. #HailWV pic.twitter.com/mE5KDD292w

— WVU Wrestling (@WVUWrestling) February 22, 2024

West Virginia will also 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, meaning Hall and Mountaineers heavyweight Michael Wolfgram will be guaranteed a national tournament berth with at least an eighth place finish at the Big 12 event.

“Our whole team has showed improvement this year,” Hall said. “The guys are getting where they need to be. Ultimately, we want to get more guys to the national tournament. More wins in the regular season means we can do that, so I’m definitely thinking we can get some guys there this year.”