2008-09 Wrestling Season Preview
Nov. 6, 2008
(OREM, Utah) - Utah Valley University wrestling team begins the 2008-09 season Saturday in tournament action at the Northwest Open in Powell, Wyoming. The Wolverines will be tested on the season early, as they will be competing against some very difficult competition right out the gates. "The key with wrestling is to get our guys to Nationals," UVU wrestling head coach Greg Williams said. "Each year we will continue to make our schedule a little tougher and tougher and help prepare our guys to be ready for nationals. This season we are very excited to have Iowa State (No. 2) and Boise State (No. 14) on our schedule, which will allow us to wrestle the competition that we need to see to be prepared for nationals. Work is the key word for us, we need to face these opponents, recognize how good they are, and go to work." Last season Coach Williams' Wolverines finished 9-11 and this seasons schedule includes some very tough competition again. UVU will be tested early. Following this Saturday's Northwest Open, they then travel to Ames, Iowa to face-off against the No. 2 ranked Iowa State Cyclones on Nov. 13. While in Iowa Utah Valley will also compete in the Harold Nichols Open on Nov. 15. On Nov. 19 they will then travel north to take on the No. 14 ranked Boise State Broncos. The following night will take-on Portland State head-to-head and Nov. 22 compete at the Best of the West Open in Crater, Oregon. In January Utah Valley will have their first home action on the season, as they will host the UVU Open on Jan. 10. On Jan. 31 the Wolverines will host their first Western Wrestling Conference (WWC) school as they will take on Northern Colorado. After wrestling at fellow WWC opponents South Dakota State and North Dakota State on Feb. 6 and 7 UVU will then host Wyoming (Feb.13) and Air Force (Feb. 20) to round out the schedule. This is the final year of provisional status at Division-I for UVU. Beginning next season the Wolverines are excited to take a run at their chances in post-season action in the WWC. Utah Valley went 1-4 in conference duals last season and will hope to build on that record this year.
"This year is a year for us to put ourselves in a position to get the experience we need to get us to nationals next season," Coach Williams added. "We have set up the year so that our guys can learn how to work hard and have the intensity that it takes to be successful at this level." UVU will enter the season returning four starters from last seasons starting roster. As a result they will look to a number of redshirts and newcomers to step-up and get plenty of action at their respective weight classes. On the 25-man roster the Wolverines 16 of them are newcomers. Returning starters for the Wolverines this season will be sophomore Benjamin Kjar (125), sophomore Flint Ray (133), junior Jeffrey Newby (141), and sophomore Casen Eldredge (184). Other season probable starters include sophomore Justin Morrill (149) who redshirted last year but started a number of matches in 2006-07. Redshirt-freshman Wade Eldredge (157), redshirt-sophomore Jeb Clark (165) who redshirted last season for UVU after transferring from Northwest CC, redshirt-freshman Brad Darrington (174), and true-freshman Adam Fager (197). The Wolverines will begin the season without a heavyweight. "Our depth is coming along and looking pretty good this season." Coach Williams said. "We have some strong back-ups that will be ready and waiting to fill in when needed and even challenge for the starting spot." Some of the Wolverines key back-ups this season will be freshman Wyatt Ray (133/141), sophomore Shay Lawrence (141), freshman Josh Wilson (149), freshman Jamison Moss (157), sophomore Ramsey Nijem (174), and sophomore Skyler Robertson (174). UVU is a little light in the higher weight divisions and Coach Williams is hoping that he will get through the season without any injury problems. Leading the way for Utah Valley this season will be Kjar, who a year ago went 39-9 making him the UVU single-season wins record holder. Kjar is ranked 18th in the national preseason polls at 125 pounds and is a 2008-09 team captain. Coach Williams has also selected Clark and Flint Ray to be team captains this season. "Ben (Kjar), Flint (Ray), Jeb (Clark) (all captains) and our other guys that have been here before, have been able to train in the off-season, come back in great shape, and understand the work ethic that we expect from them and they have done a great job," Williams said. "Our young guys really look to them, they can see what they are supposed to do and what they are supposed to look like." "Everybody knows Ben (Kjar) and knows what he can do but this season we expect great things from Jeb Clark as well." Williams said. "Jeb went to Northwest CC right off his mission to try to catch the eye of some bigger schools, redshirted for us last year and we are really excited to see just how well he will do for us this year." |
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