UVU’s deserved recognition

Reading Time: 2 minutes With UVU still trying to get national recognition, the 2012-13 season might fulfill that desire. UVU will travel to PAC-12 Washington State and host the WAC’s Utah State.

Reading Time: 2 minutes
Head Coach Dick Hunsaker is entering his 11th season with the Wolverines this year, and it might be one of the most important ones for Utah Valley.

Losing Isaiah Williams, Keith Thompson and Geddes Robinson last year, UVU still looks to gain Great West Championship honors with the likes of Holton Hunsaker, Ben Aird and new addition Nick Thompson. They have quite a road ahead of them before they head over to the Western Athletic Conference next season, but they’re not looking toward that season yet.

Although they are still in the lesser known GWC, they have some notable games along the path to championship. Hunsaker might turn to the old coach adage, “One game at a time,” but students don’t have to. Here are some games students should look forward to as the season rolls on.

Washington State Cougars in Washington on Nov. 14

As UVU continues to try and obtain some national recognition, this road test will be a good place to start.

Early in the season, the Wolverines will travel to Pullman, Wash. to take on PAC-12 team Washington State. It will be televised on the PAC-12 network (sorry DIRECTV owners) and could be an upset by UVU. With Washington State getting all the recognition, it will definitely be a chance for UVU to get on the national map early.

Arizona Christian University Firestorm in Orem on Nov. 17

Who? Alright, it might not be their toughest opponent, but it is their home opener. With UVU moving over to the WAC next season, it would be important for students and faculty alike to make it out to UVU’s first home game of the season.

Utah State Aggies in Orem on Dec. 15

Arguably the biggest game of UVU’s season, the Utah State Aggies will travel down to Orem to take on the Wolverines. Year in and year out, USU continues to be a solid team, including last year when they made it to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament championship game, the same tournament UVU lost in the first round.

A huge crowd is expected for this in-state game, but it will be more climactic for UVU as they will look to take on the team who didn’t let them in the WAC conference just a year ago. To add more drama to this game, it will be nationally televised on Fox College Sports.

CSU Bakersfield in Orem on March 9

Not only are they conference rivals this year, but they will be conference rivals next year as they both move to the Western Athletic Conference.

As the last game of the season for UVU before traveling to Chicago for the GWC championship tournament, this game can give the Wolverines the momentum they need for the tournament and the year to come.

This will be the second time they meet in the season. The first time they meet will be on Feb. 2 and it will be an away game for UVU.

Alex Rivera is the assistant sports editor of the UVU Review. You can contact him at [email protected] or through his Twitter account @A_River_Uh.