Willie Cox wrapped up his high school wrestling career with one more prestigious honor.
Cox, who has signed with the University of Montevallo to wrestle with the Falcons, hit the road with his wrestling club for the biggest tournament of the summer.
The two-time Wetumpka state champion drove to Fargo, North Dakota to wrestle in the 2024 USMC/USAW 16U and Junior National Championships.
In what was the biggest bracket Cox has ever participated in, with more than 120 wrestlers in the heavyweight class, he reached the Round of 16 in the freestyle division before falling and eventually earning Greco All-American status after going 6-3 and finishing in eighth place in the Greco division.
“This tournament was great and probably my favorite tournament,” Cox said. “I was an All-American my first year in 2021 and then haven’t touched the podium again the last two years. Now in my last high school tournament, I got back on the podium. I think that was the happiest I’ve ever seen my coach in the corner.”
The Greco-Roman rules are beneficial to Cox. In a normal freestyle match, there aren’t many rules outside of standard wrestling. Wrestlers can attack any part of the body and can use their legs, or an arm, to execute holds on a rival’s legs.
In Greco rules, wrestlers are allowed to hold their opponents only above the waist. That allows the wrestlers to stand upright since there are no surprise takedowns at the waist or lower. It requires more precision and strength to earn takedowns, which is something Cox excels at.
It also doesn’t hurt that Cox is on the shorter side.
“I really like the Greco rules,” Cox said. “It’s a lot easier because they have to come to me. I’m already really short so it’s easier to get to my offense if they don’t come to me. If they do come to me, it helps me set up more moves.”
Cox and his teammates were in Fargo for nine days. After driving up, the team practiced for two days as the girls tournament was first. On the third day of the event, Cox and his teammates weighed in then started wrestling on Day 4.
Cox wrestled three times on Days 4 and 5, then practiced for two more days before wrestling his final three matches as the end of his trip concluded.
“It was a long tournament and was probably my biggest bracket ever with over 120 kids,” Cox said. “I was prepared though. My training was a lot different and I put my whole summer into this. We did two-a-days and I tried to go to every camp I could to prepare. I went to Daphne and Tennessee. I didn’t miss a practice and I hit the weight room a lot.”
Cox was the No. 17-ranked wrestler in the event.
He started the event with two wins over unranked wrestlers before knocking off the No. 16 wrestler, Landon Morris from Michigan, in the Round of 32. In the next round, Cox fell to the No. 1 wrestler in Wisconsin’s Hunter Vander Heiden.
Cox then went 3-2 in the consolation bracket with another ranked win. His final loss came to No. 12 Dean Bechtold from Pennsylvania.
One of the biggest wins he earned came over Jacob Henry from Texas. Henry, a University of Oklahoma commit, is the son of WWE superstar Mark Henry, who had a 25-year WWE career while he also was a weightlifter and strongman.
Now that the tournament is over and Cox is back in Alabama, he turns his sights to his college career and getting ready to hit the mats for Montevallo.
“I’m back in the practice room and I’m ready,” Cox said. “I think I’m going to be one of the best heavyweights we have and I’ll have a good chance to start.”
