UTAH VALLEY vs. WYOMING
Orem, Utah  |  Lockhart Arena (PE Building)
Saturday, Jan. 28  |  4 p.m. MT
Live Video  |  Live Results  |  UVU Match Notes  |  Wyoming Match Notes    
 

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WOLVERINES CAP HOMESTAND SATURDAY AFTERNOON AGAINST WYOMING
OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University wrestling team will put its 3-0 home dual record on the line on Saturday afternoon when it closes its homestand against Big 12 Conference foe Wyoming. The league match will begin at 4 p.m. at UVU's newly named and renovated Lockhart Arena (PE Building).
 
Live video for the Big 12 Conference dual meet will be available by visiting WolverineGreen.com/watch, while live results can also be followed at TrackWrestling.com.
 
"Wyoming is a tough program that is well coached. They are always going to be ready to go and this year will be no exception," UVU head coach Greg Williams said. "It's going to be a good battle. Our guys are improving and we're excited to see how we perform."
 
The Wolverines will enter Saturday's league dual with a 4-2 overall record and a perfect 1-0 Big 12 mark. After defeating Air Force, 18-15, two week's ago, UVU recorded its second straight tightly contested victory with a 21-17 win over CSU Bakersfield of the Pac-12 Conference last week. UVU won six of the 10 bouts in both duals, which included a trio of matches by bonus points en route to recording the win over the Roadrunners.  
 
Redshirt freshmen Kimball Bastian (174 pounds) and Tanner Orndorff (197), as well as junior Dustin Dennison (heavyweight) led Utah Valley to the win over CSUB by all winning their respective matches by major decision. Orndorff, who recorded an upset win over No. 19 Matt Williams on the night, and Dennison won their bouts by respective scores of 15-4 and 13-3 to give the Wolverines an early 8-3 lead. With the contest later all knotted up at 17-17 with just one match to go, Bastian then sealed the victory for UVU with an 8-0 shutout over Bakersfield's Matt Penyacsek.
 
After the win over CSU Bakersfield, two Wolverines found themselves ranked on the first NCAA Coaches' Panel Rankings of the year, as Orndorff debuted at 24th his weight class and Bastian entered at 31st. The 197-pound redshirt freshman Orndorff holds a 17-10 record on the year, while the 174-pound redshirt freshman Bastian is right behind him at 16-9. The heavyweight Dennison is just outside of the rankings and holds a solid 17-6 season ledger while fellow heavyweight Jordan Karst leads the team on the year with a 21-5 clip.
 
UTAH VALLEY ENTERS MID-MAJOR POLL
Fresh off of the pair of victories, Utah Valley entered the first National Wrestling Coaches Association/National Duals Selection Committee Mid-Major Top-20 poll that was announced on Thursday. UVU debuts at No. 20 in the poll with its 4-2 record and 1-0 start in Big 12 Conference action. Cornell (7-2) holds down the number one spot on the inaugural poll, while Lehigh (8-2) ranks second, Northern Iowa (7-2) third, Central Michigan (3-2) fourth and fellow Big 12 foe South Dakota State (8-3) fifth. Fellow Big 12 opponent North Dakota State (10-3) is seventh and Saturday's opponent Wyoming (3-5) is ranked 19th.
 
ABOUT WYOMING
The Cowboys will enter Saturday holding to a 3-5 overall record and a 1-1 Big 12 clip. Wyoming has won its last two duals, with a 32-14 win over Oregon State and a 32-3 rout over Cal Poly. In conference action, the Pokes previously defeated Iowa State, 19-15, before falling to No. 19 South Dakota State in their most recent Big 12 contest by a score of 33-11.
 
Four Cowboys will enter Saturday's dual meet ranked in the top-20 of the latest InterMat poll. Returning NCAA All-American and national runner-up Bryce Meredith (20-4) leads the group, as he's currently the eighth-ranked wrestler at 141 pounds. The 125-pound Drew Templeman (11-5) and 165-pounder and Spanish Fork, Utah native Branson Ashworth (27-4) both come in at 16th in their weight class and 157-pounder Archie Colgan (25-5) is 19th.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VERSUS WYOMING
Saturday's dual meet will mark the 13th all-time meeting on the mat between the Wolverines and Pokes. Wyoming will enter the contest holding to an 11-1 series advantage. UVU's lone 26-19 victory came on Jan. 21, 2006 as part of the Cowboy Duals in Laramie.
 
Feb. 13, 2016 – Wyoming 29, UVU 10 – Laramie, Wyo.
Jan. 17, 2015 – #18 Wyoming 29, UVU 3 – Orem, Utah
Feb. 15, 2014 – Wyoming 32, UVU 6 – Laramie, Wyo.
Jan. 4, 2013 –  #16 Wyoming 20, UVU 12 – Orem, Utah
Jan. 21, 2012 – #12 Wyoming 36, UVU 6 – Laramie, Wyo.
Jan. 22, 2011 – #25 Wyoming 23, UVU 15 – Orem, Utah
Jan. 30, 2010 – Wyoming 37, UVU 3 – Laramie, Wyo.
Feb. 13, 2009 – Wyoming 21, UVU 15 – Orem, Utah
Feb. 9, 2008 – Wyoming 20, UVU 15 – Laramie, Wyo.
Feb. 3, 2007 – Wyoming 32, UVU 9 – Orem, Utah
Jan. 21, 2006 – UVU 26, Wyoming 19 – Laramie, Wyo. (Cowboy Duals)
Feb. 12, 2005 – Wyoming 33, UVU 15 – Orem, Utah
 
UP NEXT FOR UVU
After spending the majority of January at home, the Wolverines will head to the Dakotas for a pair of Big 12 Conference duals against ranked foes next weekend. UVU will first face No. 23 North Dakota State in Fargo on Feb. 3 before closing the trip at No. 19 South Dakota State in Brookings on Feb. 4. The Wolverines will then return home to host the 20th-ranked Stanford Cardinal on Feb. 10.