OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University wrestling team will ring in the new year by taking on Oregon State in dual action on Sunday, Jan. 2 in Nampa, Idaho.
 
The neutral-site contest will begin at 2 p.m. MT and will be held at Columbia High School. The contest will be streamed live on both FloWrestling and TrackCast (subscription required) and live results will also be available by visiting TrackWrestling.com.
 
Sunday's contest will mark a homecoming for UVU redshirt sophomore 174-pounder Kekana Fouret. Fouret hails from Nampa, Idaho where he was a three-time state champion for Columbia High School. Five other Wolverines also call the state of Idaho home, as 2021 All-American and two-time Big 12 champion Demetrius Romero (165) is from Meridian (Mountain View HS), freshman 125-pounder Kase Mauger is from Wendell (Twin Falls HS), freshman 184-pounder Mahonri Rushton is from McCall (McCall-Donnelly HS), and brothers Will and Sam Edelblute are from Coeur d'Alene (Lakeland HS).
 
UVU will enter Sunday's dual with a 5-2 overall record and an 0-2 clip in Big 12 Conference action after falling in its home opener to No. 4 Oklahoma State, 37-0, in front of 3,522 fans on Dec. 20. Despite having a number of tightly contested matches on the night, the Big 12 power Cowboys managed to pull out all 10 matches en route to shutting out UVU in the first all-time meeting between the two schools. The crowd of 3,522 fans marked the second largest home crowd in UVU history. 
 
With five wins so far on the season, the Wolverines hold wins over CSU Bakersfield of the Pac-12, California Baptist, and non-Division I foes Doane, North Idaho, and Northwest Kansas Tech. 
 
Prior to UVU's home opener against OK State, the Wolverines recorded a trio of podium finishes at the renowned Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in early December. Freshman 133-pounder Haiden Drury led the way by knocking off a trio of ranked foes on his way to placing third, while sophomores Jacob Armstrong (184) and Evan Bockman (197) too both had strong outings en route to each placing eighth. 
 
RANKED WOLVERINES
UVU will enter Sunday's dual currently ranked 25th as a team in the latest InterMat Team Tournament poll and 29th in the most recent FloWrestling Tournament rankings and has five grapplers individually ranked in the latest polls. Returning All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier Taylor LaMont leads the way by being ranked fifth in the country at 125 pounds, while freshman 133-pounder Drury is next by being ranked 15th, followed by sophomores Bockman (197) and Armstrong (184) by checking in at 23rd and 26th, respectively, and redshirt freshman 174-pounder Fouret at No. 32. 
 
UVU LEADERS 
The second-year freshman 133-pounder and Fresno State transfer Drury leads the way for UVU with a 14-3 record, while sophomore heavyweight Jayden Woodruff is next with a 12-3 clip. Sunday's hometown kid Fouret also finds himself in double digits in wins with a 10-5 record, followed by heavyweight Chase Trussell at 9-3, Bockman at 8-6, and returning All-American LaMont remains undefeated at 2-0. 
 
ABOUT OREGON STATE
The Pac-12 Beavers will enter Sunday with a 1-2 overall record and a 0-0 clip in Pac-12 Conference action. Oregon State is currently receiving votes for the NWCA Top 25 Coaches Poll and ranked 23rd by InterMat. The Beavers also posted a runner-up finish at the 2021 Pac-12 Championships. OSU had its most recent dual at No. 1 Iowa canceled due to travel complications getting to Iowa City in late November. The Beavers hold their win over Campbell and have suffered setbacks so far to No. 2 Penn State and Lehigh. OSU most recently won the Reno Tournament of Champion after crowning five individual champions.
 
Receiving votes for the NWCA Top 25 Coaches Poll and ranked 23rd by InterMat, the Beavers currently have eight grapplers ranked. Ohio State transfer Gary Traub leads the way by being ranked ninth at heavyweight, while three-time NCAA qualifier and two-time Pac-12 champion Grant Willits is next by checking in at No. 10 at 141, followed by Trey Munoz at No. 13 at 184, 2021 NCAA qualifier Brandon Kaylor is No. 15 at 125, three-time NCAA qualifier and two-time Pac-12 champ Devan Turner is No. 16 at 133, three-time NCAA qualifier Hunter Willits is No. 17 at 157, Mateo Olmos is No. 23 at 174, and Arizona State transfer Cory Cooks is No. 29 at 149. 
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS OREGON STATE
Sunday's contest will mark the sixth all-time meeting between the Wolverines and Beavers. Oregon State will enter holding a slight 3-2 series lead after winning a tightly contested battle, 18-16, in Corvallis last February. UVU picked up its two victories in the previous two meetings, a 17-16 home victory on Dec. 16, 2016, and a 20-19 win over the then-No. 18 Beavers in Covallis on Nov. 21, 2015. 
 
ON DECK FOR UVU
Following Sunday's contest, UVU will return home for three home Big 12 home duals Jan. 14 and 15 at Lockhart Arena. The Wolverines will first welcome North Dakota State to town on Friday, Jan. 14, before hosting both Air Force and South Dakota State on Saturday, Jan. 15.
 
SUNDAY'S PROBABLE LINEUPS
Utah Valley (5-2, 0-2 Big 12)
125: #5 Taylor LaMont, RJr. (2-0) OR Yusief Lillie, Fr. (6-10)
133: #15 Haiden Drury, Fr. (14-3)
141: Ty Smith, RFr. (1-5)
149: James Emmer, RFr. (1-3) OR Sam Edelblute, RFr. (3-4) 
157: Jaxon Garoutte, Fr. (5-4)
165: Danny Snediker, Fr. (4-3)
174: #32 Kekana Fouret, RFr. (10-5)
184: #26 Jacob Armstrong, RSo. (9-3) OR Hunter Morse, Fr. (7-5)
197: #23 Evan Bockman, RSo. (8-6)
285: Jayden Woodruff, RSo. (12-3) OR Chase Trussell, RSo. (9-3)
 
Oregon State (1-2, 0-0 Pac-12)
125: #15 Brandon Kaylor, RSo. (11-2)
133: #16 Devan Turner, RSr. (12-4) OR Jason Shaner, RJr. (2-2)
141: #10 Grant Willits, RJr. (14-4)
149: #29 Cory Crooks, Gr. (6-5) OR Lane Stigall, RJr. (6-4)
157: #17 Hunter Willits, RJr. (5-4)
165: Matthew Olguin, RFr. (7-7)
174: #23 Mateo Olmos, RJr. (8-6) OR Mason Reiniche, Fr. (6-4)
184: #13 Trey Munoz, RFr. (5-0) OR Jackson McKinney, RSo. (9-5)
197: J.J. Dixon, RSo. (5-9) OR Ryan Reyes, So. (4-1)
285: #9 Gary Traub, Gr. (12-4)
 
*Rankings listed are the highest ranking taken from the latest InterMat, FloWrestling, WIN Magazine and The Open Mat polls.
 
ROMERO OUT FOR THE SEASON
Head UVU coach Greg Williams announced in December that two-time Big 12 champion and 2021 All-American Demetrius Romero suffered a season-ending knee injury in November and that he'll be sidelined for the rest of 2021-22. The three-time UVU NCAA qualifier and redshirt senior was off to a 2-0 start at 165 pounds before sustaining the season-ending injury. With his sights set on winning a national championship, Romero will now look to get a second medical waiver and be back for an eighth season of eligibility in 2022-23.