Utah Valley University Athletics

Erkin Tadzhimetov enters his 16th season as an assistant coach for the Wolverines in 2023-24 and his 12th as the associate head coach on Greg Williams' staff.

Since Utah Valley became eligible for postseason competition at the Division I level (July 2009), Tadzhimetov has helped at least one wrestler qualify for the NCAA Championships in each and every year. Just this past season, Tadzhimetov helped UVU crown multiple All-Americans for the first time in program history, as Taylor LaMont placed fifth at the 2021 NCAA Championships at 125 pounds while Demetrius Romero placed sixth at 174 pounds. Tadzhimetov also helped Romero become the program's inaugural two-time Big 12 Champion in the spring of 2021, as Romero won the second Big 12 Conference title of his career (this time at 174 pounds), and a program-record of six Wolverine grapplers earn podium finishes at the 2021 Big 12 Championships. The UVU associate head coach was also instrumental in helping a program-record of eight Wolverines earn NWCA Scholar All-American honors this past summer, as well as the team for posting the ninth-best team GPA on the NWCA's Division I Top 30 Scholar All-American Teams.

In the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season, Tadzhimetov helped a trio of Wolverines qualify for nationals and heavyweight Tate Orndorff earn NWCA First Team All-American honors. He also helped five Wolverine grapplers earn podium finishes at the 2020 Big 12 Championships.

Three year's ago (2018-19), Tadzhimetov helped guide a program-best six qualifiers to nationals as well as help the team hold down a spot on the NWCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for a school record of 10 consecutive weeks. He also helped coach the program's inaugural NCAA Elite 90 Award winner in 141-pounder Matt Findlay, who held the highest GPA of the 330 participants at the 2019 NCAA Championships with a 3.94 cumulative GPA while studying biology and minoring in Russian. 

In 2017-18, Tadzhimetov helped guide a then program-best five qualifiers to nationals and break into the top-25 national rankings for the first time in program history by holding down the 25th spot.

Tadzhimetov was also instrumental in Taylor LaMont's success in 2017-18, as he helped coach the UVU 125-pound freshman to a 27-5 record, the program's first Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational title, the program's first No. 1 national ranking (RPI) and the highest national ranking on one of the major polls in 6th. 

During the 2015-16, Tadzhimetov helped the Wolverines pick up a 20-19 upset win at No. 18 Oregon State en route to receiving the program's first-ever votes for the top 25 poll. He also helped five Wolverine grapplers earn a spot on the podium at the 2016 Big 12 Championship, two qualify for the 2016 NCAA Championships and Utah Valley crown its second All-American in school history in senior 133-pounder Jade Rauser. 

Tadzhimetov returns to UVU as an assistant coach after wrestling for Utah Valley from 2003-06. He tallied an overall record of 48 wins and 16 losses during his two seasons competing at 133 pounds. During his tenure at Utah Valley, Tadzhimetov's 48 career victories made him the all-time wins leader at that time. His 48 victories now place him sixth on the UVU all-time leader board. In his senior season (05-06) he collected 30 wins, which currently places him fourth in single-season victories at UVU.

Prior to wrestling at UVU, Tadzhimetov wrestled for Colby Community College in Colby, Kansas for two seasons. While at Colby CC he was a NJCAA runner-up in 2003.

Tadzhimetov grew up in Tashkent, Uzbekistan where he prepped at the Olympic Sport School. He was a nine-time National Champion and a three-time World Junior Placer.

In December of 2015, Tadzhimetov placed fourth at the U.S. Senior Nationals after wrestling his way to an impressive 5-2 record at the event. The fourth-place finish then earned him a spot at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, in April of 2016. 

Tadzhimetov recieved his degree in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Socialogy from Utah Valley University in 2007. He and his wife, Lola, and their daughter Leyla reside in Orem.

WRESTLING CAREER AT UTAH VALLEY ...
SENIOR ~ (2005): Finished his senior season for Utah Valley going 30-8, while competing at 133 pounds, making him the Wolverines single-season win leader with 30 (at that time, now Ben Kjar holds the current record with 39) ... is also the Wolverines' D-I career win leader with 48 as in his two seasons at UVU he posted a 48-16 overall record. 

REDSHIRTED ~ (2004): Redshirted the 2004-05 season. 

JUNIOR ~ (2003): Finished the 2003-04 season with an 18-8 record, the best win-loss total on the team ... he won two matches by fall, two by technical fall and two by major decision ... won seven straight matches during December of 2003 ... was 5-2 at the Las Vegas Invitational in December of 2003 ... pinned Garrett Eller of the Colorado School of Mines in a school record 38 seconds on January 17, 2004. 

Before Utah Valley ...
Prepped at Olympic Sport School ... was a nine-time National champion ... three-time world junior placer ... was NJCAA runner up at Colby Community College in Kansas in 2003. 

Personal...
Born August 28, 1980 ... graduated from Olympic Sport School in Tashkent, Uzbekistan with a 3.0 GPA ... majoring in physical education ... attended Colby Community College ... parents are Mirza Tadzhimetov and Adilova Shafoat ... married Lola Juldaseva on November 10, 2004 in Utah.