Oklahoma State University Athletics
Assistant Head Coach Mark Branch
October 11, 2007 | Cowboy Wrestling
Branch's NCAA Team Championships
1994 – Oklahoma State – Wrestler (167 pounds)
2002 – Oklahoma State - Associate Head Coach
2003 – Oklahoma State - Associate Head Coach
2004 – Oklahoma State - Associate Head Coach
2005 – Oklahoma State - Associate Head Coach
Branch's NCAA Individual Championships
1994 – 167 pounds
1997 – 167 pounds
NCAA Individual Champions Coached By Branch
1998 – Teague Moore, 118 pounds; Eric Guerrero, 126 pounds
1999 – Eric Guerrero, 133 pounds
2001 – Mark Muñoz, 197 pounds
2002 – Johnny Thompson, 133 pounds
2003 – Johnny Thompson, 133 pounds; Jake Rosholt, 184 pounds
2004 – Chris Pendleton, 174 pounds
2005 – Zack Esposito, 149 pounds; Johny Hendricks, 165 pounds; Chris Pendleton, 174 pounds; Jake Rosholt, 197 pounds; Steve Mocco, Heavyweight
2006 - Johny Hendricks, 165 pounds; Jake Rosholt, 197 pounds
Branch's Big 12 Team Championships As A Coach
1998 – Oklahoma State
2000 – Oklahoma State
2001 – Oklahoma State
2003 – Oklahoma State
2004 – Oklahoma State
2005 – Oklahoma State
2006 – Oklahoma State
With five team NCAA championships to his credit, Mark Branch enters his 11th year on the Oklahoma State wrestling staff. Branch was a member of OSU's 1994 NCAA championship team and served on the coaching staff for the Cowboys' 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 NCAA title squads.
During Branch's coaching career, he has assisted in the development of 15 NCAA individual champions, 44 Big 12 individual champions and has helped lead the Cowboys to seven Big 12 team championships. His coaching was instrumental in Oklahoma State crowning a record five NCAA individual champions in 2005.
Recognized as one of the nation's top assistants, Branch was honored in 2005 as the NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year. His responsibilities lie primarily in training the upper weights.
Branch joined John Smith's coaching staff immediately after graduating from Oklahoma State in 1997. A two-time NCAA individual champion, Branch owns the distinction of being a four-time NCAA finalist. Additionally, he won three individual Big 8 championships during his career on the mat.
His run to the 1994 NCAA individual championship was nothing short of remarkable. Competing as a freshman, Branch entered the NCAA Championships with an 8-9 overall record. In his first-round match, he claimed a 12-2 major decision win over Oregon State's Chad Renner before following that up with an 8-5 win over Duquesne's Jim Brasco in the second round and an 8-3 win over Boston University's Chris Studer in the third round. A 9-2 semifinal victory over Oklahoma's Jason Leonard set up a final-round bout with Cal State Fullerton's Laszlo Molnar, who Branch knocked off by a 4-2 margin to claim his first NCAA individual crown. His effort was instrumental in lifting the Cowboys to the NCAA team championship that year.
The Newkirk, Okla., native compiled a 99-19 overall record during his collegiate career, claiming 21 wins by fall, seven wins by technical fall and 35 wins by major decision. As his career progressed, he steadily became one of the top wrestlers in nation, evidenced by his 64-3 overall record during his junior and senior years. Branch capped his career with a perfect 32-0 season in 1996-97 that included nine falls, three technical falls and nine major decisions. After storming through the 1997 Big 12 Championships, Branch won his first three matches at the NCAA Championships by major decision, then claimed a resounding 10-4 win over Arizona State's Casey Strand in the semifinals before handing Pennsylvania's Brandon Slay a 3-2 defeat in the championship match.
In addition to his decorated career on the mat, Branch was also an outstanding student. He was named to the NWCA Academic All-America team four times and was also the recipient of the Big 12 and NCAA postgraduate scholarship.
Branch came to the Cowboy program from Newkirk, Okla., where he won two state titles. Mark's father Keith played basketball for Henry Iba from 1964-67.
A 1997 graduate of Oklahoma State with a degree in secondary education, Branch earned a master's degree from OSU in athletic administration in 1999. He is married to the former Susan Ailey. He and his wife have a daughter Maggie Belle and a son, Mason Layne.
