OREM, Utah — Greg Williams, the longtime Utah Valley University wrestling head coach who retired after this past season, will be inducted into the Utah Wrestling Hall of Fame. Williams will be inducted at the Brunson Utah Hall of Fame Banquet and Awards Night on Oct. 14, 2024 at 6 p.m. in the UVU Grand Ballroom.
During his 18-year career leading the Wolverines, Williams coached the first five All-Americans in program history, including all-time wins leader Ben Kjar, who became the first to achieve the feat when he reached the semifinals and placed fourth at the NCAA Championships in 2011. Jade Rauser (2016), Tate Orndorff (2020), Taylor LaMont (2021), and Demetrius Romero (2021) also earned All-America status under Williams' tutelage. In 2021, LaMont and Romero became the first multiple semifinalists and All-Americans in the same season in program history.
Starting in 2009, the year Utah Valley became a full NCAA Division I member and eligible for the NCAA postseason, Williams helped produce 46 NCAA qualifiers. The first three came in the first year of eligibility in 2010, as Kjar, Flint Ray, and Brad Darrington earned berths and won matches at the NCAA Championships. Williams also coached three four-time NCAA qualifiers: Rauser, LaMont, and Romero.
Williams led the Wolverines into a new era as the program joined one of the nation's premiere wrestling conferences, the Big 12, before the 2015-16 season. During the first year in its new conference, UVU knocked off No. 18 Oregon State, earning them the program's first-ever votes in the top 25 polls.
During the Big 12 era, Williams and his staff coached Romero to two Big 12 titles. In 2021, the year of Romero's second title, UVU had multiple finalists for the first time the same year at the Big 12 Championships when LaMont also made it to the championship bout. In total, UVU has had eight conference champions: the two Romero won at the Big 12, and Ray (2x), Josh Wilson, Adam Fager, Avery Garner, and Rauser all in the WWC.
Throughout the evening, there will a raffle and silent auction. Items will be on display for guests to view, enter the raffle, or bid starting at 5:00pm. The raffle and silent auction will continue throughout the night. We will also have a live auction for several of our big-ticket items. These items are fundraisers for the UVU Wrestling Team.
All proceeds from this event go to support UVU Wrestling as well as promote wrestling throughout Utah. Regardless of who you are or how long you have been part of our community, we would love to have you join us for a fun night to recognize contributions and achievements while raise funds for this amazing sport. This event is our biggest fundraiser for the UVU Wrestling team for the year so come out and support this great event.
