UVU Wrestling's 2017 Signing Class Announced

OREM, Uta. — Utah Valley University wrestling Head Coach Greg Williams announced his latest signing class on Tuesday and it features a highly touted class of six individuals that hail from a trio of western states. Five of the six will come to UVU this fall and will begin wrestling for the Wolverines during the 2017-18 academic year.

"We are really excited to have this group of talented recruits coming in next year. They are all very committed to excelling in the classroom and on the mat," Williams said.

Of Williams' six newcomers, five will be coming straight out of high school, while the other one is transferring from Boise State. Jakob Discher (Heber City, Utah/Wasatch), Tate Orndorff (Spokane, Wash./University), Ashton Seely (Nephi, Utah/Juab), Corbin Smith (Midway, Utah/Wasatch) and Dante Springsteen (Tacoma, Wash./Bethel) will all come to UVU out of high school, while Demetrius Romero (Meridian, Idaho/Mountain View) will transfer from Boise State.

Jakob Discher (Heber City, Uta./Wasatch)

Discher is a two-time Utah High School State Champion at Wasatch High School in Heber City, Utah, where he wrestled for his father, Wade Discher. Discher is also a four-time high school place-winner, after finishing second at state in 2015 and third in 2014. He was tabbed a 2017 NHSCA All-American, and helped his high school team to back-to-back-to-back state titles. Discher will wrestle at 157 pounds for UVU.

Tate Orndorff (Spokane, Wash./University)

Orndorff, who is the younger brother of current Wolverine and 2017 NCAA qualifier Tanner Ondorff, was a two-time Washington State High School State Champion at University High School in Spokane. He was also a four-time district champion and a three-time regional champion. Orndorff, who went 142-15 with 103 pins during his prep career, was a First Team USA Wrestling Senior All-American in 2015 and the Dave Schultz High School National Wrestling Hall of Fame Award winner for the state of Washington in 2015. With a 3.98 GPA, he received the Central Valley School District Superintendent Award, as well as being named the 2015 Greater Spokane League Scholar Athlete of the Year recipient and the Spokane Youth Sports Male Athlete of the Year during his senior year as well.

Orndorff has also excelled on the mat on the national scene as well, as he was the 2014 Fila Cadet Greco National Champion, a 2015 USA Junior Greco National Champion, a runner-up at Fargo National Cadet Freestyle in 2013, and a third-place finisher at both Fargo National Junior Freestyle and Fargo National Junior Greco in 2014. Orndorff is the son of former NCAA All-American wrestler Dave Orndorff, and plans to wrestle heavyweight for the Wolverines.

Ashton Seely (Nephi, Uta./Juab)

Seely, who wrestled at Juab High School in Nephi, Utah, was a four-time Utah High School State Champion grappler for the Wasps. He also wrestled his way to a fifth-place finish at Junior Nationals in 2016, and helped his high school claim its first state championship in 12 years in 2017. Seely, who holds a 3.85 GPA, is the son of Justin and Stacy Seely and will wrestle at 197 pounds for the Wolverines.

Corbin Smith (Midway, Uta./Wasatch)

Like his high school teammate Discher, Smith too was a two-time state champion for Wasatch High School. He was also instrumental in helping the Wasps to back-to-back-to-back state titles during his tenure at Wasatch High. Smith will first serve a mission for the LDS Church before returning home to wrestle at 149 pounds for the Wolverines.

Dante Springsteen (Tacoma, Wash./Bethel)

Springsteen is a two-time Washington State High School finalist and a one-time state champion after taking home the state title during his senior campaign (2017). He became the third member in his family to win a state championship for Bethel High School, as his father, Oscar, and his older brother, Phillip, also won state titles for the Braves. Springsteen will wrestle at 174 pounds for UVU.

Demetrius Romero (Meridian, Idaho/Boise State)

Romero is the lone transfer of the group, as he'll transfer to Utah Valley following Boise State's recent decision to drop its wrestling program. Romero, who went 21-17 overall and 5-6 in dual meets as a redshirt freshman for Boise State in 2016-17, will enter his sophomore campaign at UVU this fall. Prior to his time at BSU, Romero was a four-year letterwinner and a one-time high school state champion at Mountain View High School in Meridian, Idaho. Romero will become the third member of his family to be a current student-athlete at Utah Valley, as he'll join his twin brothers Adrian and Andre Jones of the UVU track & field team. Romero will wrestle at 165 pounds for the Wolverines.

Fellow newcomers Spencer Heywood (Wasatch) and Brooks Robinson (Maple Mountain) will join the six additions at UVU wrestling this fall. Both Heywood and Robinson recently returned from serving LDS Church missions and will wrestle at 165/174 and 157 pounds, respectively for Utah Valley.