Feb. 19, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
OREM, Utah - The Utah Valley University wrestling team will be looking to break the school win record Friday at 7 p.m. as the Wolverines (10-3, 3-1 WWC) will conclude their 2008-09 season playing host to the Falcons from the Air Force Academy (4-10, 1-3 WWC).
"Air Force has beaten us handily the last two years and are very well coached," UVU head wrestling coach Greg Williams said. "They are younger this year, but will continue to fight and push the pace and we are ready for that. We have a much better team this year and are looking to turn the tables on them this year. This is our last match of the season and our guys want to end the year feeling good about themselves. They are going to go out to make a statement."
UVU's ten match winning streak was snapped last weekend by the hands of the University of Wyoming, 21-15. The Wolverines began the season losing their first two duals at wrestling powerhouses, No. 2 Iowa State and No. 10 Boise State. Then Utah Valley got hot winning their next ten duals in a row, including a perfect 3-0 start in the Western Wrestling Conference.
With no seniors on Utah Valley's squad this season, following Friday's matchup with Air Force the Wolverines will only look to get better as every member of the team will be back next season. All three 2008-09 team captains, Benjamin Kjar, Jeb Clark, and Flint Ray are all only sophomores this season and will be becoming juniors in 2009-10 when the Wolverines will be eligible for postseason play.
All-time against the Air Force Academy, the Wolverines have a 1-3 win-loss record. Utah Valley's lone win over the Falcons came back on Feb. 24, 2006 at home as UVU beat Air Force 24-20. The last time these two squads locked-heads against one another the Falcons downed UVU 33-6 in USAFA, Colo.
This season Utah Valley has tied the school record in victories this with a current 10-3 mark. The ten wins currently ties the previous record that was set in the school's first year of existence back in the 2003-04 season as the Wolverines went 10-5 overall. Last year UVU finished the season with a 9-11 clip.
OTHER INTERESTING FACTS:
UVU sophomore Benjamin Kjar is currently ranked 19th in the nation at 125 pounds. Kjar is second on the team with total wins with a 28-8 overall record including a 12-1 mark in duals and a perfect 4-0 record in WWC action.
