Utah Valley University wrestlers Grant LaMont and Tate Orndorff each earned third-place finishes while competing for Utah Valley RTC on Sunday at the U23 World Team Trials in Rochester, Minnesota.
LaMont earned his bronze finish while competing at 70 kilos in freestyle, while Orndorff recorded his while wrestling at 130 kilos in Greco-Roman.
UVU sophomore 149-pounder LaMont went 4-1 at the U23 World Team Trials with a win by fall and two more technical falls. His impressive run included a 14-3 tech fall victory over three-time NCAA qualifier and 2017 NCAA finalist Lavion Mayes of Missouri, as well as a 10-0 tech fall win over Appalachian State's Mathew Zovistoski in the third-place bout.
True freshman 285-pounder Orndorff too went 4-1 at the tournament en route to earning a third-place finish in his weight class in Greco. Following a first-round setback to SIU Edwardsville's Thomas Helton, Orndorff responded with four-consecutive wins in the consolation side of the bracket to place third. He recorded one win by fall and capped his tournament run with a 6-3 victory over NC State's Michael Rogers in the third-place match.
Three other Wolverines competed at the event, and redshirt freshman 141-pounder Matt Findlay led the way by going 2-2 at 65 kilos in freestyle. Findlay posted a pair of tech falls at the tournament, including a 12-0 tech fall over 2017 NCAA qualifier Colton McCrystal of Nebraska.
Redshirt freshman Landon Knutzen and freshman Brooks Robinson rounded out UVU's competitors by finishing 1-2 at 70 kilos in freestyle and 0-2 at 71 kilos in Greco, respectively.
The Utah Valley wrestling team opens its 2017-18 season on Oct. 27, by hosting the annual Green and Black Intrasquad Dual at UVU's Lockhart Arena. The Wolverines then officially begin their campaign the following weekend on the road at the Clarion Duals in Clarion, Pennsylvania (Nov. 3). UVU will face Big 12 foe West Virginia, Kent State and the host Clarion Golden Eagles while at the event.
James Warnick is an assistant sports information director at Utah Valley University. For more information about Wolverine athletics, visit WolverineGreen.com.