UVU wrestling: Seven wrestlers named all-conference

OREM, Utah — The Western Wrestling Conference announced its All-Conference teams for the 2012-13 season on Monday and seven Utah Valley University wrestlers made the cut. Individuals earned spots on the respective teams with their finishes at the 2013 NCAA West Regional/WWC Championships on March 9 in Laramie, Wyo.

Josh Wilson (149 pounds) and Adam Fager (heavyweight) were named to the first team, while Avery Garner (141), Abner Cook (165) and Monte Schmalhaus (174) were named to the second team. Chasen Tolbert (133) and David Prieto were also honored as they made the third team.

The all-conference honors were Fager, Cook, Schmalhaus, Tolbert and Prieto's first but were Wilson and Garner's second as they were each named second and third team, respectively, a year ago.

Team-wise, Wyoming led the way with four first-team honorees. Air Force, North Dakota State and Utah Valley were next with two apiece. Overall, the Cowboys led the way with nine of their wrestlers being named all-conference. NDSU was next with eight, while UVU had seven and AFA finished with five.

The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of six schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming.

Wilson, Fager and Jade Rauser (125) will head to the NCAA Division Wrestling Championships later this week. The tournament will run Thursday through Saturday at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.

FIRST TEAM ALL-WWC

125 — Trent Sprenkle (NDSU), Sr., Billings, Mont. (Billings HS)*

133 — Dylan Hyder (AFA), So., Yelm, Wash. (Yelm HS)

141 — McCade Ford (WYO), Sr., Payson, Utah (Payson HS)

149 — Josh Wilson (UVU), Sr., Morgan, Utah (Morgan HS)*

157 — Josh Kreimier (AFA), Jr., Fort Collins, Colo. (Loveland HS)*

165 — Steven Monk (NDSU), Jr., Wausau, Wis. (Wausau West HS)**

174 — L.J. Helbig (WYO), Sr., Mason, Mich. (Mason HS)***

184 — Shane Woods (WYO), So., Tuttle, Okla. (Tuttle HS)

197 — Alfonso Hernandez (WYO), Sr., Blackfoot, Idaho (Blackfoot HS)***

285 — Adam Fager (UVU), So., Layton, Utah (Layton HS)

SECOND TEAM ALL-WWC

125 — Josh Martinez (AFA), Fr., Colorado Springs, Colo. (Coronado HS)

133 — Josh Rodriguez (NDSU), Fr., Guadalupe, Calif. (Righetti HS)

141 — Avery Garner (UVU), Jr., Boise, Idaho (Centennial HS)*

149 — Cole VonOhlen (AFA), Sr., Jackson, Minn. (Jackson County Central)***

157 — Cody Pack (SDSU), So., Quincy, Calif. (Quincy HS)

165 — Abner Cook (UVU), Jr., Pocatello, Idaho (Pocatello HS)

174 — Monte Schmalhaus (UVU), Jr., Tooele, Utah (Tooele HS)

184 — Mac Stoll (NDSU), Sr., Dent, Minn. (Perham HS)*

197 — Kallen Kleinschmidt (NDSU), Sr., Helena, Mont. (Capital HS)

285 — Evan Knutson (NDSU), So., Wausau, Wis. (Wausau West HS)*