UVU's Romero Earns Second Big 12 Title

TULSA, Okla. — Utah Valley University senior Demetrius Romero won the second Big 12 championship of his career, while junior Taylor LaMont earned a runner-up finish on Sunday evening at the 2021 Big 12 Championships at the BOK Center in Tulsa.

After previously becoming UVU's inaugural Big 12 champion in 2019, Romero then became the program's first-ever two-time Big 12 champion on Sunday after recording a 6-2 decision over Jackson Hemauer of Northern Colorado to win the 174-pound weight class.

"Demetrius wrestled great all weekend. He dictated the pace and controlled all situations," head coach Greg Williams said. "He is peaking at the right time and we are excited for his opportunity to compete for an NCAA title in two weeks."

After going 3-0 on Saturday to advance to the second Big 12 championship bout of his career, the top-seeded Romero then matched up against the No. 6 seeded Hemauer in the title match. The third-ranked Romero got off to a strong start with an early takedown to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Hemauer then earned an escape point in the second to cut the deficit to 2-1. In the third, Romero made his move with an escape, his second takedown of the bout, and an additional riding time point to go on to defeat Hemauer, 6-2, and win the 2021 Big 12 Conference title.

"It feels good. That's my second one that I've won, and I put a lot of time and effort into training, so it definitely feels great for the hard work to pay off," Romero said. "The ultimate goal is to win a national title and I feel that I'm right there. This tournament helped set the tone going into nationals and I'm looking forward to heading to St. Louis and seeing what I can do."

Earlier in the tournament, Romero went a perfect 3-0 on Saturday-which included two wins by major decision-to advance to the title bout. After opening with a 12-2 major over Zack Gonzalez of Fresno State in the prelims, the Wolverine senior then picked up an 11-6 decision the No. 8 seed Anthony Mantanona of Oklahoma in the quarterfinals to move on to the semis. Romero then continued his stellar tournament with a 12-3 major over the No. 5 seed Cody Surratt of Air Force to head to Sunday's championship match.

By winning his second Big 12 title, Romero punches his ticket to his third trip to the NCAA Championships in the process. He also remains undefeated on the season as he ups his season record to 16-0 after going 4-0 on the weekend. He and LaMont will both wrestle for Utah Valley at the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis in two weeks.

UVU had two Big 12 finalists for the first time in program history, as LaMont too wrestled for a Big 12 championship on Sunday. The second-seeded 125-pound junior dropped a hard fought 9-7 decision to the No. 1 seed Brody Teske of Northern Iowa to earn a second-place finish.

After also going 3-0 on Saturday to advance to his first Big 12 title match, the second-seeded LaMont got off to a strong start against the No. 1 seed Teske with a first-period headlock and throw. LaMont was awarded a takedown and a two-point nearfall to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Teske then picked up an escape followed by a takedown to make it 4-3 at the end of one. In the second, LaMont gained an escape but Teske answered with a takedown to tie the match at 5-5 after two periods of action. With Teske holding to a 6-5 advantage late in the third, the now three-time UVU qualifier and fourth-ranked LaMont converted a shot into the go-ahead takedown to take a 7-6 lead late in the final period. Teske countered, however, with a late reversal along with a riding time point to claim the 125-pound title by a score of 9-7. The Big 12 finals appearance marked the first of LaMont's career.

"Taylor had good energy and did what he had to do to get the lead back. Unfortunately, he got reversed and lost the match," Williams added. He is wrestling really well right now but there are a couple things we are going to correct before nationals. Taylor is a gamer and will embrace the opportunity to do his best wrestling at the NCAAs. He has his sights set on a title as well."

LaMont finished his third Big 12 Championship run with his highest Big 12 finish of his career by taking second with a 3-1 record on the weekend. LaMont previously defeated Jace Koelzer of Northern Colorado (11-5) in the prelims, the No. 7 seed Kysen Terukina of Iowa State (7-5, SV-1) in the quarterfinals, and the No. 3 seed Trevor Mastrogiovanni in the semis on Saturday.

The finals loss marked LaMont's first of the season, as he will enter the NCAA Championships with a 9-1 record.

Four other Wolverines also placed at the Big 12 Championships on Sunday morning. Both seventh-seeded sophomore Cameron Hunsaker (149 pounds) and fellow seventh-seeded freshman Danny Snediker (157) each took seventh, while eighth-seeded redshirt freshman Ty Smith (133) and senior 165-pounder Koy Wilkinson both placed eighth.

In a tightly contested team score race, UVU placed 10th out of 12 teams with 55 points to finish just two points back of West Virginia for ninth (57). Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were named co-champions after tying atop the team score with 124 points apiece. Iowa State finished third with 117.5 points, while Wyoming took fourth (105.5), Northern Iowa fifth (79), North Dakota State sixth (78), Northern Colorado seventh (70.5), South Dakota State eighth (67.5), Air Force 11th (32.5), and Fresno State 12th (31).

The 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships will be held March 18-20 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. At-large bids will be announced on Wednesday, March 10. Smith and Hunsaker have the best shots at earning wildcards for the Wolverines, as both are ranked on the latest NCAA Coaches Panel Ranking and both earned podium finishes at the Big 12s.

UVU 2021 Big 12 Champion

• 174 - Demetrius Romero

UVU 2021 NCAA Qualifiers

• 125 - Taylor LaMont
  174 - Demetrius Romero

UVU Results

125 - #2 Taylor LaMont (3-1) - 2nd Place

• #2 Taylor LaMont (UVU) DEC Jace Koelzer (NC), 11-5
• #2 Taylor LaMont (UVU) DEC #7 Kysen Terukina (ISU), 7-5 (SV-1)
• #2 Taylor LaMont (UVU) DEC #3 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (OK State), 5-3
• Championship: #1 Brody Teske (UNI) DEC #2 Taylor LaMont (UVU), 9-7

133 - #8 Ty Smith (1-3) - 8th Place

• #1 Daton Fix (OK State) MD #8 Ty Smith (UVU), 16-4
• #8 Ty Smith (UVU) MED FORFEIT #2 Ryan Sullivan (WVU)
• #3 Zach Price (SDSU) DEC #8 Ty Smith (UVU), 5-3 (SV-1)
• 7th Place: Kellyn March (NDSU) DEC #8 Ty Smith (UVU), 13-6

141 - Stockton O'Brien (0-2)

• #7 Dylan Droegemueller (NDSU) MD Stockton O'Brien (UVU), 15-2
• #8 Chase Zollman (WYO) DEC Stockton O'Brien (UVU), 4-2

149 - #7 Cameron Hunsaker (2-2) - 7th Place

• Jaren Jensen (WYO) DEC #7 Cameron Hunsaker (UVU), 3-2
• #7 Cameron Hunsaker (UVU) DEC Hunter Marko (SDSU), 3-2
• #5 Jarrett Degen (ISU) DEC #7 Cameron Hunsaker (UVU), 1-0
• 7th Place: #7 Cameron Hunsaker (UVU) DEC #8 Jaden Van Maanen (NDSU), 2-0

157 - #7 Danny Snediker (3-2) - 7th Place

• #7 Danny Snediker (UVU) DEC Cayd Lara (UNI), 12-7
• #2 Justin Thomas (OU) DEC #7 Danny Snediker (UVU), 5-1
• #7 Danny Snediker (UVU) DEC Christopher Gaxiola (FS), 7-4
• Alex Hornfeck (WVU) TF #7 Danny Snediker (UVU), 18-0 (5:40)
• 7th Place: #7 Danny Snediker (UVU) DEC Cayd Lara (UNI), 7-6

165 - Koy Wilkinson (1-3) - 8th Place

• #2 Peyton Hall (WVU) DEC Koy Wilkinson (UVU), 7-6
• Koy Wilkinson (UVU) DEC #8 Colten Carlson (SDSU), 7-3
• Troy Mantanona (OU) FALL Koy Wilkinson (UVU), 3:33
• 7th Place: #6 Jordan Robison (NC) DEC Koy Wilkinon (UVU), 3-2 (TB-2)

174 - #1 Demetrius Romero (4-0) - 2021 Big 12 Champion

• #1 Demetrius Romero (UVU) MD Zack Gonzalez (FS), 12-2
• #1 Demetrius Romero (UVU) DEC #8 Anthony Mantanona (OU), 11-6
• #1 Demetrius Romero (UVU) MD #5 Cody Surratt (AF), 12-3
• Championship: #1 Demetrius Romero (UVU) DEC #6 Jackson Hemauer (NC), 6-2

184 - Jacob Armstrong (0-2)

• #1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) DEC Jacob Armstrong (UVU), 5-3
• #7 Darrien Roberts (OU) DEC Jacob Armstrong (UVU), 9-2

197 - Hunter Morse (0-2)

• #8 Kayne Hutchinson (AF) TF Hunter Morse (UVU), 16-1 (3:35)
• #7 Owen Pentz (NDSU) MD Hunter Morse (UVU), 12-0

285 - Chase Trussell (0-2)

• #1 Gannon Gremmel (ISU) DEC Chase Trussell (UVU), 6-2
• #2 Carter Isley (UNI) MD Chase Trussell (UVU), 9-0

*Big 12 Championships seeds listed and not national rankings.

Team Results

• T-1. Oklahoma - 124
• T-1. Oklahoma State - 124
• 3. Iowa State - 117.5
• 4. Wyoming - 105.5
• 5. Northern Iowa - 79
• 6. North Dakota State - 78
• 7. Northern Colorado - 70.5
• 8. South Dakota State - 67.5
• 9. West Virginia - 57
• 10. Utah Valley - 55
• 11. Air Force - 32.5
• 12. Fresno State - 31