OREM, Utah – With a program record six grapplers individually ranked, the Utah Valley University wrestling team is ranked 22nd on both the latest Theraworx NWCA Division I Coaches Poll and the InterMat Dual Poll that were released this week.
 
A program record of three Wolverines are also individually ranked in the top-10 this week, as junior Demetrius Romero is ranked eighth by FloWrestling at 165 pounds, redshirt freshman Tate Orndorff is also rated eighth by The Open Mat at heavyweight, and sophomore Matt Findlay is 10th at 141 pounds. Two-time NCAA qualifier and junior 197-pounder Tanner Orndorff is next as he currently finds himself ranked 13th by FloWrestling, while junior 174-pounder Kimball Bastian is 17th by FloWrestling, and senior 184-pounder Will Sumner finds himself in the national rankings for the first time in his collegiate career by debuting at No. 23 on the latest TrackWrestling poll.
 
Four of the ranked Wolverines all earned podium finishes in UVU's most recent competition at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 to set a new program record at the premier tournament. Tate Orndorff led the way by becoming Utah Valley's second CKLV Invite finalist in program history on his way to placing second, while Romero came all the way back to place third. Bastian and Tanner Orndorff both placed eighth to each place at the prestigious tournament for the second time in their respective careers. With the four placewinners, UVU posted a program-best eighth-place finish out of 43 teams at the CKLV Invitational. 
 
Heavyweight Tate Orndorff leads the way with a 12-3 record on the year while the 2018 NCAA qualifier and last week's Big 12 Wrestler of the Week Romero is right behind him at 11-2. Findlay still remains undefeated on the season at 7-0, while Sumner is 8-4, Tanner Orndorff is 8-5 and Bastian is 7-6.  
 
By being ranked 22nd this week, Utah Valley has now been ranked nationally in the NWCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for five consecutive weeks. As a team, the Wolverines are 5-2 on the season with wins over then-No. 15 Rutgers (24-14), Clarion (25-12), Northern Illinois (21-14), Harper College (44-3) and Niagara County CC (47-6). UVU's lone losses were tightly contested setbacks to then-No. 12 Nebraska (19-15) and No. 17 Wisconsin (22-17) on the Big Ten Conference.
 
UVU previously had six wrestlers ranked in the top-33 RPI (rating percentage index) in 2017-18, but never has had six ranked on the weekly top-25 polls like it does now. The three wrestlers in the top-10 is also a new program high, as it has never had more than one wrestler ranked in the top-10 at a time in the past. The Wolverines are achieving this great success with arguably their best wrestler Taylor LaMont (2018 NCAA qualifier) sidelined in 2018-19 with an injury. 
 
The 22nd-ranked Wolverines will be tested after Christmas when they will head to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, for South Beach Duals on Dec. 29-30. There, UVU will face No. 7 NC State, No. 9 Minnesota, No. 13 Purdue and Virginia. Utah Valley will then host its first home action on Jan. 18 when it welcomes both Fresno State and Western Wyoming to town for a pair of duals. 

UTAH VALLEY'S DEC. 11 INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

	FloWrestling	InterMat	TrackWrestling	The Open Mat	Win Magazine
Matt Findlay (141)	10	12	23	14	13
Demetrius Romero (165)	8	11	8	11	11
Kimball Bastian (174)	17	18	20	19	19
Will Sumner (184)	NR	NR	23	NR	NR
Tanner Orndorff (197)	13	14	17	13	NR
Tate Orndorff (285)	10	9	10	8	11

UTAH VALLEY'S 2018-19 WEEKLY RANKING IN THE NWCA TOP 25 COACHES POLL

Preseason	RV (Receiving Votes)
Nov. 6	RV
Nov. 13	21
Nov. 20	22
Nov. 27	22
Dec. 4	22
Dec. 11	22