Fresno State Athletics
Wrestling
Silva, Israel
Israel Silva
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- isilva@csufresno.edu
- Phone:
- 559-278-4034
The building of a staff started to take shape for Fresno State wrestling when head coach Troy Steiner announced the hiring of Israel Silva as an assistant coach on July 15, 2016.
"I am very excited about adding Israel to our staff here at Fresno State," Steiner said. "He has been an assistant at this level for a number of years and has experience coaching and competing at a high level. His ability to connect with the student-athlete, alumni and fans is very evident and I know I will be able to trust him in helping build the Bulldog wrestling program."
Entering his third season as an assistant coach at Fresno State in 2019-20, Fresno State returns an experienced group of 'Dogs back in 2019-20 with nine of 10 starters back from a season ago, including five who qualified for the 2019 NCAA Championships.
Included in that group is 197-pounder Josh Hokit who became the first All-American wrestler from Fresno State since 2003 after he finished fifth at the 2019 NCAA Championships and completed a 27-8 overall record. In addition to Hokit, AJ Nevills at heavyweight, Gary Joint (133 lbs.), Jackson Hemauer (184 lbs.) and Khristian Olivas (149 lbs.) all made their way to Pittsburgh as both Nevills and Olivas qualified for the second straight year.
The Bulldogs placed fifth at the 2019 Big 12 Championships scoring 59.5 points as six 'Dogs placed in the top six in their respective weight classes. Nevills led the way with a runner-up finish at heavyweight followed by Hokit taking fourth at 197 lbs. A trio of 'Dogs claimed fifth in Hemauer, Joint and Jacob Wright and Olivas rounded out the 'Dogs top finishers with a sixth place finish.
In dual meet action, Fresno State went 9-8 overall with a 4-4 mark in Big 12 action. Ranking in the top 10 nationally in attendance for the second straight season, the Bulldogs picked up four dual meet wins at the Save Mart Center with victories over California Baptist (Jan. 3), South Dakota State (Jan. 20), Oregon State (Jan. 31) and No. 11 Wyoming (Feb. 3).
Helping get the Bulldog wrestling program back underway in 2017-18, Silva helped the 'Dogs to four dual meet victories as the 'Dogs defeated San Francisco State, Cal Poly, Bucknell and Northern Colorado.
Redshirt sophomore 149-pounder Khristian Olivas and freshman heavyweight AJ Nevills became the first two Bulldog wrestlers to qualify for the NCAA Championships competing in Cleveland as Olivas went 1-2 and Nevills fell in two matches.Â
Nevills finished second and 197-pounder Josh Hokit placed fifth at the Big 12 Championships while the ‘Dogs finished 11th as a team.
Israel joins the Red Wave after spending the last two seasons at George Mason, first serving as an interim assistant coach and then last season as the top assistant coach for head coach Joe Russell. In his time at GMU, the Patriots qualified three wrestlers for the NCAA Championships.
"Fresno State is in a unique situation in building a program and I am thrilled to be given an opportunity to be a part of the building process," Silva said. "I would like to thank Coach Russell at George Mason for his mentorship the past two years and I am very appreciative of my time as a Patriot.
"I have known Coach Steiner for a long time as he was my personal coach when I was training at the Northwest Wrestling Regional Training Center and there is no individual I trust more than him. He has a grand vision for this program to compete for trophies at the NCAA Championships and I know we will be willing to put in the work to make that a reality," said Silva.
Prior to his time with the Patriots, Silva spent two seasons at South Dakota State helping to elevate the Jackrabbit program with his enthusiasm, intensity and relentless work ethic.
In his first year as an assistant coach at SDSU, Silva helped lead the team to a 5-12 dual record, 1-4 Western Wrestling Conference record and a fifth-place finish in the conference standings. The team qualified one wrestler for the NCAA Championships via the West Regional.
Silva's second year on campus saw the Jacks go 6-8 overall, including a 3-2 Western Wrestling Conference dual mark and had three wrestlers qualify for the 2014 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla.
From 2009-2012, Silva served as an assistant coach at the Northwest Wrestling Regional Training Center in Corvallis, Ore., where he first connected with Steiner during Steiner's time as an assistant with the Oregon State program. The NWRTC is an Olympic-level regional training center that provides services for senior-level athletes to achieve national and international success. The majority of his time was spent with student-athletes at Oregon State.
Prior to his time at the NWRTC, Silva was a volunteer assistant under head coach Chris Bono at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for three seasons. A two-year starter for the Mocs, Silva earned a degree in sociology. On the mat, he claimed the Southern Conference heavyweight title as a senior and was part of the Mocs' SoCon team championship in 2006.
Once his collegiate wrestling career wrapped up, Silva put together an impressive post-collegiate career on the international wrestling stage, as well. He is a four-time World Team Member for Mexico, three-time Freestyle Pan American medalist and was a 2012 Olympic alternate over his seven years of international experience.
Before wrestling at UTC, Silva was a two-time Junior College All-American at North Idaho College. He placed second at the national tournament his sophomore year and was third as a freshman. Silva led the team to the Junior College National Championship in 2002.
A native of Marysville, Wash., Silva was a four-time state qualifier at Pilchuck High School from 1998-2001. He captured the state title his junior season, finished as the state runner-up his senior year and placed sixth as a sophomore.
Silva File
2016-Present - Assistant Coach, Fresno State
2015-16 – Head Assistant Coach, George Mason
2014-15 – Interim Assistant Coach, George Mason
2012-14 – Assistant Coach, South Dakota State
2009-12 – Assistant Coach, Northwest Wrestling Regional Training Center, Corvallis, Ore.
2006-09 – Volunteer Assistant Coach, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
"I am very excited about adding Israel to our staff here at Fresno State," Steiner said. "He has been an assistant at this level for a number of years and has experience coaching and competing at a high level. His ability to connect with the student-athlete, alumni and fans is very evident and I know I will be able to trust him in helping build the Bulldog wrestling program."
Entering his third season as an assistant coach at Fresno State in 2019-20, Fresno State returns an experienced group of 'Dogs back in 2019-20 with nine of 10 starters back from a season ago, including five who qualified for the 2019 NCAA Championships.
Included in that group is 197-pounder Josh Hokit who became the first All-American wrestler from Fresno State since 2003 after he finished fifth at the 2019 NCAA Championships and completed a 27-8 overall record. In addition to Hokit, AJ Nevills at heavyweight, Gary Joint (133 lbs.), Jackson Hemauer (184 lbs.) and Khristian Olivas (149 lbs.) all made their way to Pittsburgh as both Nevills and Olivas qualified for the second straight year.
The Bulldogs placed fifth at the 2019 Big 12 Championships scoring 59.5 points as six 'Dogs placed in the top six in their respective weight classes. Nevills led the way with a runner-up finish at heavyweight followed by Hokit taking fourth at 197 lbs. A trio of 'Dogs claimed fifth in Hemauer, Joint and Jacob Wright and Olivas rounded out the 'Dogs top finishers with a sixth place finish.
In dual meet action, Fresno State went 9-8 overall with a 4-4 mark in Big 12 action. Ranking in the top 10 nationally in attendance for the second straight season, the Bulldogs picked up four dual meet wins at the Save Mart Center with victories over California Baptist (Jan. 3), South Dakota State (Jan. 20), Oregon State (Jan. 31) and No. 11 Wyoming (Feb. 3).
Helping get the Bulldog wrestling program back underway in 2017-18, Silva helped the 'Dogs to four dual meet victories as the 'Dogs defeated San Francisco State, Cal Poly, Bucknell and Northern Colorado.
Redshirt sophomore 149-pounder Khristian Olivas and freshman heavyweight AJ Nevills became the first two Bulldog wrestlers to qualify for the NCAA Championships competing in Cleveland as Olivas went 1-2 and Nevills fell in two matches.Â
Nevills finished second and 197-pounder Josh Hokit placed fifth at the Big 12 Championships while the ‘Dogs finished 11th as a team.
Israel joins the Red Wave after spending the last two seasons at George Mason, first serving as an interim assistant coach and then last season as the top assistant coach for head coach Joe Russell. In his time at GMU, the Patriots qualified three wrestlers for the NCAA Championships.
"Fresno State is in a unique situation in building a program and I am thrilled to be given an opportunity to be a part of the building process," Silva said. "I would like to thank Coach Russell at George Mason for his mentorship the past two years and I am very appreciative of my time as a Patriot.
"I have known Coach Steiner for a long time as he was my personal coach when I was training at the Northwest Wrestling Regional Training Center and there is no individual I trust more than him. He has a grand vision for this program to compete for trophies at the NCAA Championships and I know we will be willing to put in the work to make that a reality," said Silva.
Prior to his time with the Patriots, Silva spent two seasons at South Dakota State helping to elevate the Jackrabbit program with his enthusiasm, intensity and relentless work ethic.
In his first year as an assistant coach at SDSU, Silva helped lead the team to a 5-12 dual record, 1-4 Western Wrestling Conference record and a fifth-place finish in the conference standings. The team qualified one wrestler for the NCAA Championships via the West Regional.
Silva's second year on campus saw the Jacks go 6-8 overall, including a 3-2 Western Wrestling Conference dual mark and had three wrestlers qualify for the 2014 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla.
From 2009-2012, Silva served as an assistant coach at the Northwest Wrestling Regional Training Center in Corvallis, Ore., where he first connected with Steiner during Steiner's time as an assistant with the Oregon State program. The NWRTC is an Olympic-level regional training center that provides services for senior-level athletes to achieve national and international success. The majority of his time was spent with student-athletes at Oregon State.
Prior to his time at the NWRTC, Silva was a volunteer assistant under head coach Chris Bono at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for three seasons. A two-year starter for the Mocs, Silva earned a degree in sociology. On the mat, he claimed the Southern Conference heavyweight title as a senior and was part of the Mocs' SoCon team championship in 2006.
Once his collegiate wrestling career wrapped up, Silva put together an impressive post-collegiate career on the international wrestling stage, as well. He is a four-time World Team Member for Mexico, three-time Freestyle Pan American medalist and was a 2012 Olympic alternate over his seven years of international experience.
Before wrestling at UTC, Silva was a two-time Junior College All-American at North Idaho College. He placed second at the national tournament his sophomore year and was third as a freshman. Silva led the team to the Junior College National Championship in 2002.
A native of Marysville, Wash., Silva was a four-time state qualifier at Pilchuck High School from 1998-2001. He captured the state title his junior season, finished as the state runner-up his senior year and placed sixth as a sophomore.
Silva File
2016-Present - Assistant Coach, Fresno State
2015-16 – Head Assistant Coach, George Mason
2014-15 – Interim Assistant Coach, George Mason
2012-14 – Assistant Coach, South Dakota State
2009-12 – Assistant Coach, Northwest Wrestling Regional Training Center, Corvallis, Ore.
2006-09 – Volunteer Assistant Coach, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
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