MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Relaxing in a lounge chair inside the West Virginia University Wrestling Pavilion, coach Tim Flynn is just days away from the first "official" practice of the 2025-26 season.

Sporting a light gray WVU hoodie, gym shorts and a hat, Flynn chats with his staff as wrestlers funnel in and out of the pavilion for their weightlifting sessions. It's the calm before the storm as the Mountaineers have their eyes set on a season that comes with major expectations.

Considering some of the injuries the team faced, the 2024-25 season could not have gone any better for the Mountaineers. A sixth-place finish at the Big 12 Championships and a top-20 finish at the NCAA Championships, highlighted by a third-place finish by fifth-year Peyton Hall, summed up a year full of milestones.

With those accomplishments come expectations for more as Flynn returns a core of experienced wrestlers while adding to his lineup. Despite entering his eighth year at WVU, Flynn feels he has remained the same in his time as head coach in Morgantown.

"I think most things stay the same," Flynn said. "If you're not making little adjustments, you're probably not learning anything. Minor adjustments every year to try to get this system perfect."
 
The roster this season features a litany of talent. Redshirt sophomore Ty Watters returns following an injury that cut last season short before January. Graduate student Jett Strickenberger looks to follow up his 2025 Big 12 title with one in 2026 and classmate Willie McDougald, a three-time NCAA qualifier at Oklahoma, joins the Mountaineers.

There is no denying the talent Watters brings to the mat. As a true freshman, he placed fourth at the NCAA Championships to cap a season where he won 30 matches at 149 pounds. However, Flynn sees the strength in having Watters with the program in his ability to lead and motivate teammates.

"I think one of the best things he brings to the table is his attitude every day," Flynn said about Watters. "He's a pretty upbeat guy. He's pretty happy. He wants to be here, wants to lift weights, wants to run. I think when you have someone like that around, it's infectious."

Flynn sees many wrestlers who contribute to the team as competitors and as leaders. Redshirt junior Ian Bush earned his first career trip to the NCAA Championships last season after placing fourth at the Big 12 Championships. Flynn has seen Bush's role grow from a leadership perspective due to that success on the mat.

"Some people are leaders by how they conduct themselves," Flynn said. "I think Ian Bush has been a leader for a little bit now because he keeps his mouth shut, comes to work every day and has the same effort every day. I think that's why he has been getting better."

West Virginia wrestles in one of the most competitive conferences in the nation in the Big 12 Conference. Last season, two teams placed in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships, with Oklahoma State leading the conference at third.

"If you're competing well in the Big 12, you're usually pretty good nationally," Flynn said. "The Big 12 is a really difficult conference. I think any time you're doing well within the conference and placing at the conference [championship], you put yourself in a position to do well at nationals, which is ultimately everyone's goal."

Due to the results from last season, Flynn has high expectations for the program as he wants to see growth, while also competing highly in the Big 12 and nationally. 

"We were a top-20 team the last two years; we want to keep moving up," Flynn said. "Top 10 would be the next step, hopefully higher. We have a number of kids who can place this year and a couple of kids who can compete for a national championship.

"Keeping them hungry and healthy is a big part of it. I'm excited. We have a good culture now and a good group of kids. It's a lot of fun, so it makes coaching a little bit easier."