Morian makes Clarendon College history

By Holly Smith

Clarendon College had its first ever timed-event cowboy, a

steer wrestler, win the 2026 College National Finals Rodeo.

Andrew Morian, a freshman from Gardnerville, Nevada, stopped the clock in 3.7 seconds to win the third round and put him first in the average on 3, headed into the championship round with a total time of 12.2 seconds.

Morian came to Clarendon to pursue his college bulldogging career with Clarendon’s Men’s Assistant Coach, Wyatt Smith. Morian set the Caprock Region on fire placing in eight of the 10 college rodeos during the regular season and winning four of those. He also picked up team roping, with partner Wyatt Williams and ended up being the Caprock Region Men’s Reserve All-Around Cowboy.

Andrew Morian will be a name you’ll hear for years to come. For only being a freshman, his mindset surpasses his age. His ability to handle pressure in big moments is something you can’t teach. Morian qualified for the Extreme Bulldogging Finals in Abilene, Texas, back in March.

“Being up against the best in the world, the guys who have and are making the NFR is a lot of pressure,” Morian said. “But I believe that when I’m prepared for something, there is no reason I can’t compete with the top guys. And there is no other practice than Coach Smith’s that doesn’t leave you unprepared.”

Coach Smith, a 2014 steer wrestling NFR qualifier, had Morian and the Men’s Team running steers almost every day leading up to the CNFR.

“Andrew worked his butt off all year,” Smith said. “He is one of the most talented athletes I’ve coached here at Clarendon College. We had a great team of bulldoggers and they all pushed each other to have the end result we did. I couldn’t be more proud to be their coach.”

Morian will continue his education in Ag Business and Economics and rodeo career at Tarleton State University. He is in the running for the Ote Berry Steer Wrestling World Tour Championship in Las Vegas, Nev., this December.