Wrestling champion signs with Mustangs

A Wolves wrestling champion will be traveling across the county to become part of the National Champion team. 

Three-time State champion Tommy Dalton recently signed his letter of intent to wrestle for the Western Wyoming Community College Mustangs. 

"​​I'm really excited," Dalton said. "I can't wait to start the season, can't wait to start practicing with the guys."

While he did look into other schools around the country, Dalton was happy to decide to stay closer to home. 

"If the national champion is 12 miles and they're giving me an offer, I can't pass it up," he said. "And it's close to family. It was all-around the perfect situation. I'm really glad they reached out." 

It's no surprise the Mustangs reached out considering Dalton's successful high school career. He is a three-time State Champion and four-time West Region Champion, and he holds over 100 victories.

Dalton remembers how exciting it was to win his first state championship freshman year despite his nerves, but it was his senior year victory earlier this year that meant the most. 

"This year's team title was probably the most special because it took a lot of the team coming together and sitting down and figuring out what we need to do to win State, a lot of extra hours, practicing on Saturdays, stuff like that," Dalton explained. "That just brought us closer and made us one, and then we took Regionals and won State. It was just special all around. That was by far my best high school moment."

The other aspect of wrestling in high school that meant a lot to Dalton was getting to wrestle with his friends. He explained he started wrestling with some of the same boys when he was five years old, and got to keep competing with them through high school. 

"It's been just a big brotherhood," he said. "It's kind of sad that it has to come to an end but it was definitely a good time."

Despite any sadness, Dalton is excited to pursue his wrestling career in college with such a successful team. 

"I'm ready to learn some things from everybody," he said. "You know you're going to have the baddest dudes to practice with, so you know you're only going to get better as long as you put in the work." 

Dalton has been told that no matter where you're at in your wrestling ability, you will improve in the first few months in the Western room. He's excited to start practicing, learning, and getting a feel for college wrestling. 

"I want to become the best wrestler I can possibly be and become a better person," Dalton said. 

While he loves competition in general, Dalton especially loves wrestling because of what it can teach.

"Wrestling allows you to build yourself up, get better at something, and it brings a team aspect into it as well, it's not just individual," Dalton said. "It can make you a better person. Nothing's promised. You're probably going to lose more times than you're gonna win, eventually. It knocks you down but when you get back up, you get that much better. And it just makes it more fun."