June 17, 2025 – Casper, Wyoming, had not been kind to Will Collier. The 2023-24 Ozark Region Steer Wrestling Champion had a rough go, to say the least, in his first trip to the College National Finals Rodeo. No scores on Go 1 and 2, had him backed against the wall. He rebounded in Go 3 with a time of 11.2, but it was not enough to put him in the Short Go. He knew he had some work to do to get back here.
“It was really cool coming here last year. I think all it did was, it made me more eager just to come and do what I know how to do and do what I worked hard for.”
Fast forward to the 2024-25 season. Collier ended the regular season in second place, closely behind his teammate, Christian Cagle. The duo is inseparable on the region circuit. When asked about their competitive relationship, Collier spoke of the friendship they share. “My best friend Cagle beat me in the region this year. I’m proud of him. He worked hard for it; he earned it.” “Of course you’re trying to win, but you’re also trying to push the guys around you.
Collier’s second place finish in the region was enough to earn him a repeat visit to Casper this year, however. This time, the sophomore from Malden, Missouri, is off to a blazing start. His 3.8 second takedown was good enough to win Go 1 at the CNFR on Monday afternoon. That win will result in some hardware for the big guy, but it will also place him in the driver’s seat heading into Go 2 on Tuesday.
“I think I just got to stay centered, keep my mind right, keep my heart right…just go at them one by one, and just keep on knocking them down,” said Collier.
Collier’s teammates, steer wrestler Christian Cagle and bull rider Dakota Smith, were not as fortunate on Monday-both receiving a no score in their events. Cagle will have a chance to score in the slack round on Tuesday morning alongside Collier. Smith still has a strong chance to get into the Short Go with a good ride on his final go during the performance round on Tuesday night. He and Cagle are both scheduled to compete on the ESPN3 broadcast which begins at 8:00 PM Central.
Will Collier of Northwest Mississippi Community College leads all competitors in steer wrestling at the CNFR after Go 1. (Brian Oakley/nwccrangers.com)
