IRVING, Texas – Utah Valley's Taylor LaMont has been named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Week for week 12 (Jan. 20-26). This marks the first conference weekly honor of the season for the Wolverine junior.
 
Ranked No. 19 in the nation at 133 pounds, LaMont was a perfect 2-0 on the weekend, including posting a first period fall over No. 6 Montorie Bridges of Wyoming. After picking up a win by forfeit against Stanford on Friday, LaMont followed that up with his pin in just one minute of action over the two-time NCAA qualifier and 2018 All-American Bridges. With LaMont having recently qualified to compete at the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman wrestling, LaMont used his Greco background to his favor by locking Bridges in a headlock and throwing him to the mat and pinning him in just 1:05 to record the upset. 
 
With the pair of victories, the 2018 UVU NCAA qualifier improves to 9-6 on the season and 4-2 against conference foes. He also moves up to No. 14 in the latest national rankings. 
 
The Big 12 weekly award marks the second of the career for LaMont, as he was previously named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week after winning the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational as a freshman in December of 2017. It also marks the second weekly honor for a UVU grappler, as sophomore heavyweight Tate Orndorff was previously named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week in November. 
 
LaMont and the Wolverines will open a three-match homestand against Air Force on Thursday, Jan. 30. The Big 12 Conference dual will begin at 7 p.m. MT and will be held at UVU's Lockhart Arena.