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Fresno State firm on reinstating wrestling, Castro says
Fresno Bee
For more coverage of college wrestling by The Fresno Bee, go to http://www.fresnobee.com/college-sports/
University President Joseph Castro reinforced that pledge Tuesday during a meeting with The Bee editorial board during which he also stated a new athletic director would be named before the end of the year.
“It’s no longer a question of whether (wrestling will return),” Castro said. “That decision was made on my 100th day when I said we were going to do it. … I expect to make an announcement later this fall.”
Castro announced in November 2013 he would consider reinstating the wrestling program, which was axed in 2006 following a string of lean budget years and gender equity issues.
Last March, Castro took another step by hiring consultant Todd Turner, a former AD at North Carolina State, Vanderbilt and Washington, to review Fresno State’s athletic structure and each of its 17 intercollegiate teams.
Castro and others are currently reviewing Turner’s report.
The timeline to reinstate wrestling, along with the addition of at least one new women’s sport, is independent of Fresno State’s search for a new athletic director, Castro said. Following nine years on the job, Thomas Boeh was reassigned Aug. 12.
However, Castro does want to wait until the women’s soccer/lacrosse field east of Bulldog Stadium is completed.
Stephen Abas – 3X NCAA Champion
Castro said that $2 million project, the final requirement of Fresno State’s decade-long review with the Office of Civil Rights, should be finished by the end of October. The university has grappled with gender-equity issues since the early 1990s.
“As of this morning, it’s still on schedule,” Castro said. “I check on that all the time because it’s so important. Once that happens, I’ll feel a lot better about doing other kinds of things. I just want to close that important chapter, and then we’ll open a new one.”
Wrestling at Fresno State produced 33 All-Americans and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas. Men’s soccer and water polo were cut in prior years.
“I want to stop saying we’re going to do (reinstate wrestling) without giving people a timeline,” Castro said. “I think we’ll be ready to do that by later this fall.”
The wrestling announcement presumably would come before the AD hire. Castro said a search firm would be retained this week and that he hopes to name Boeh’s successor before the holidays, with that person officially coming aboard in early 2015.
“I’m very encouraged by the quality of candidates who are either saying confidentially or publicly that they are interested in the job,” Castro said. “It’s all good for us.”
Episode 34 of The MatBoss Podcast is with four-time All-American and three-time NCAA Division I finalist Gerry Abas of Fresno State. Gerry Abas talks about his start in wrestling in the Bay Area and how his speed, quickness and flash on the wrestling mat had its foundations in break dancing in the 1980s.
He also talks about his classic match and loss to Iowa’s Lincoln McIlravy, coaching his younger brother Stephen at Fresno State, watching the school drop the program and his feelings about it at the time. Abas also speaks about his son Jaden and what we can expect from him on the next level.
Stephen Abas
Stephen Abas, 2008 Olympic silver medalist and three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Fresno State, has been named head wrestling coach at Fresno High School.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Abas to Fresno Unified, knowing that he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with our Fresno High student-athletes,” said Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson.
The statement said Abas would take the helm of the Warriors wrestling program at Fresno High immediately.
As a wrestler at Fresno State University, Abas was a four-time NCAA All-American, winning three NCAA titles at 125 pounds in 1999, 2001, and 2002. Abas tallied a 144-4 overall record for the Bulldogs, including 46 pins. Abas’ career winning percentage of 97.3 percent is also a school record. For all these accomplishments, Abas was named the Fresno State Male Athlete of the Year in 1999 and 2001.
Stephen in high school (Canyon Springs HS & James Logan HS) was a 3X CIF state champion and a NHSCA National Champion in 1996.
Stephen Abas – Fresno State, 3X NCAA National Champion
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Registration/Workout 3:00 – 8:00 pm
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Round 1 Girls Championship Round 1 9:00 am – 11:30 am (10 mats)
Round 2 Girls Championship Round 2 11:30 am – 1:00 pm (10 mats)
Round 1 Boys Championship Pig Tail 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm (10 mats)
Round 2 Boys Championship Round 1 2:30 pm – 6:00 pm (10 mats)
Round 3 Boys Championship Round 2 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm (10 mats)
Round 4 Boys Consolation Pig Tails 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm (10 mats)
Friday, February 22, 2019
Round 5/3 Boys/Girls Consolation Round 1 9:00 – 12:00 pm (10/5 mats)
Round 6/4 Boys/Girls Consolation Round 2 12:00 – 3:00 pm (10/5 mats)
Round 7/5 Boys/Girls Quarterfinals/Consolation Round 3 3:00 – 6:00 pm (10/5 mats)
Round 8/6 Boys/Girls Consolation Round 4 6:00 – 7:30 pm (10/5 mats)
Round 9/7 Boys/Girls Consolation Round 5 7:30 – 8:30 pm (10/5 mats)
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Round 8/10 Girls/Boys Championship Semi-Finals 9:00 – 10:30 am (6 mats)
Round 8/11 Girls/Boys Consolation Semi’s 10:30 – 12:00 pm (6/3 mats)
Round 10/12 Girls/Boys 3rd/5th/7th Places 12:00 -2:00 pm (6/3 mats)
Final Round Championship Finals 5:05 pm (2 mats)
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