Utah Valley University matched a program record by having eight wrestlers named as National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-Americans, the association announced on April 1.
The recognition highlights the academic achievements of student-athletes in addition to their performance in competition. The honor is given to wrestlers who have demonstrated excellence both on the mat and in their studies.
Seniors Jack Forbes and Bridger Ricks were recognized as two-time recipients, with Forbes maintaining a 3.99 grade point average as a chemistry major and Ricks holding a 3.98 GPA in business analysis. They are joined by Kael Bennie, Jake Castagneto, David Evans, Hudson Rogers, Mark Takara, and Zyon Trujillo. Bennie, Evans, and Forbes also qualified for the NCAA tournament this season.
Head coach Adam Hall said, “I’m proud of our team’s accomplishments this year, both on the mat and in the classroom. Our eight Scholar All-Americans tie a program record and reflect the team’s commitment to excellence academically. We’ve set a high standard, and our student-athletes continue to exceed expectations. Today is another great day for UVU wrestling as we build on our success.”
Since becoming eligible for NWCA honors during the 2008-09 season, Utah Valley has produced 60 Scholar All-Americans overall. Thirteen of those awards have come under Hall’s leadership over just two seasons.
This year’s announcement saw a total of 390 student-athletes from 73 institutions across NCAA Division I recognized for their academic success while competing throughout the season.
