As the Utah Valley University Wrestling Team prepares to embark on a brand new season, they approach it with high expectations. They have goals for a second individual Division 1 All-American and a first ever Western Wrestling Conference Championship. If they are able to win that title as this year's conference host, they do so with a great mix of experience and youth. Though the team could most likely return (8) starters from last year's team that just missed winning the conference tournament, some of the incoming talent, coming to Orem with prestigious backgrounds could make an impact. A look at their stats shows over 25 State Championships, multiple All-Americans and National Champions. This is one of the best recruiting classes Coach Greg Williams has brought in to date, and it includes a few kids who he thinks can make an immediate impact including last year's top seniors from the state of Utah, and wrestlers from five other states that will all don singlets for the Wolverines this winter. The highlights of this recruiting class are:
Dalton Brady (133): Dalton comes to the Wolverines with an impressive resume. While competing for Chandler High School, Brady complied an impressive 151-1 and 4 state titles. Dalton is also a National Champion and world Team member. In 2011, Dalton won a FILA Cadet Freestyle National Title, which earned him a place on the world team and a trip to Szombathely, Hungary where he placed 5th in the world at 50kgs. More recently, this Queen Creek, Arizona native earned a Cliff Keen/USA Wrestling Folkstyle National Title at 132lbs. last March.
Jed Mellen (133/141) This Payson High star comes to UVU as one of the top two wrestlers to come out of Utah last year. Jed is a 3X State Champion, multiple time All-American, Reno T.O.C. Champion, Rumble Champion, and is now a Wolverine. Last year, Mellen capped off his high school career with an impressive 50 win season, a 5th place finish at NHSCA Senior Nationals, and an invitation to compete in the prestigious Wrestling USA Magazine/Cliff Keen Dream Team Classic, where he competed for Team USA and lodged a 6-1 victory over his opponent from Illinois.
Grant LaMont (149/157): The Maple Mountain graduate is the other top two Utah prospect to sign with UVU. As far as wrestling accomplishments go, Grant's are daunting. To go along with his 3 state titles, Grant is one of three Wolverine Recruits to win a Cliff Keen/USA Wrestling Folkstyle National Title this past year. Grant has earned multiple All-American and National Champion awards and was the Most Outstanding Wrestler at Junior Greco Nationals in 2012. He is a United States World Team Member, Pan American Champion and a recipient of the Academic Merit Scholarship, having earned a 4.0 GPA in high school. Grant is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico and will return to the mat in 2 years.
Alex Aniciete (141): Joining his older brother Napoleon and David Prieto as Las Vegas High School Alumni on the Wolverine squad, Alex, a 3-time state champion with a scholastic record of 135-7, looks to make an immediate impact. His recent 5th place finish at the NHSCAA Senior Nationals brought his All-American total to three.
Ben Andrew (285): Ben is another high profile recruit currently serving a 2-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ben is a 2-time State Champion for Mesa High in Mesa, Arizona. Andrew joins future teammates Dalton Brady and Grant LaMont with a National Championship at the USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals in Iowa at 220lbs. Ben is also an Academic Merit Scholarship Student Athlete.
Tanner Sprenkle (133): Tanner just returned from serving a two-year mission and is the brother of Trent Sprenkle who placed 5th this past year at the NCAA Tournament for North Dakota State. Tanner is a 4-time state champion for Billings High School in Billings, Montana.
Koleton Hardy (157): Koleton just got back from an LDS mission and looks to get back into the swing of things this coming year. Koleton was a 2-time Utah State Champ while going 50-0 his senior year. He earned High School All-American honors and was a Cadet Greco All-American. Overall, he ended with a 171-24 record for Box Elder High School.
Trevor Wilson (149): A Tucson Native, Willson is transferred to UVU from Arizona State University and will be a redshirt freshman. In high school Trevor finished his career with a 150-13 record, was a 2x State Champion and was a Western Regionals Champion.
Ross Taylor (165): Enterprise High School graduate, Ross Taylor, is a transfer from Western Wyoming CC. He was an All-American with a 6th place finish at the NJCAA Tournament last year. In high school, Ross was a 2011 State Champion. This past year at Western, he placed 1st at the Cowboy Open, 1st at the UVU Open and was 2013 Academic All-Conference. He was also named to the 2013 NWCA All-Academic Team.
Abel Gomez (184): Another wrestler from the Vegas area, Abel is a Rancho High School product. He recorded a 156-21 four year record in High School to go along with his state title in 2013. Abel also took 3rd place in state in 2012 and was a 2-time regional champion and Grand Nationals Champion. Abel is one of three recruits to earn the Academic Merit Scholarship at UVU.
Jordan Karst (285): From Centennial High in Vegas, Jordan was a 2013 State Champion and earned a 3rd place finish at the NHSCA Senior High School Nationals. He participated on the USA All-Star Team that wrestled California. Other accomplishments include a 3rd place in 2012 at the state tournament and a 3rd place at the prestigious Five Counties Tournament. Jordan was also an All State defensive tackle.
Aryton Almberg (184): Aryton had a 40-6 record as a senior and was a 2x Nevada State Champ and All-American for White Pine High School in Ely, Nevada. Aryton was also a member of the National Honor Society.
Max Adamson (285): Max, a graduate of Copper Hills High, ended his senior campaign with a 29-3 record and a 3rd place finish in the state tournament. Max took some time off as he served a mission; he is back now and ready to make an impact.
Max Sultan (125): Sultan comes to us from down south in Fayetteville, Georgia, where he was a 2x area champion and 2x state qualifier. Max compiled a 3.8 GPA while in high school.
Richard Larsen (285): Another new Wolverine big man, Richard just completed his senior year at Jordan High School in 2013. He placed 2nd in the Utah Super State Tournament as well as 2nd place in the 5A State Tournament.
Ty Rosevear (165): A Sherwood, Oregon native Ty Rosevear finished his senior year in Oregon with a 45-3 record and 36 of those wins were by fall. Ty placed 6th and 3rd in the Oregon state tournament.
This list represents the future of UVU Wrestling. These young men add to the current base of talent at Utah Valley and should propel the Wolverines toward future success. These are some of the top recruits in the nation. Coach Greg Williams, along with Erkin Tadzhimetov and Justin Ruiz continue to draw top talent. This marks the second time in three years that they have landed a top ranked recruiting class. The pipeline to the top talent out of the Vegas area continues and major Arizona recruits are choosing Utah Valley over Pac-12 Arizona State. The biggest key to their success, however, continues to be the premier talent in Utah is choosing to stay home. With the infusion of new blood into the program, the Wolverines will contend come March and continue to build a tradition of excellence.