Fresno State Athletics
Wrestling Dogs Win Seventh-Straight WAC Championship
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 6, 1999
Colrado Springs, Colo. - The Fresno State wrestling team defended its title and earned its seventh-straight WAC championship today at the WAC tournament hosted by Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo. Fresno State earned a score of 93 points to place first and was followed by second place finisher Wyoming with 88.5 points. BYU, who the Dogs lost to in January, 25-13, finished in third with 73 points. All ten Bulldogs placed in the top four in todays competition with three wrestlers becoming WAC champions.
Top-ranked Stephen Abas (Hayward, Calif.) went 2-0 today in the 125 pound bracket pinning Air Forces Wes Bennet in five minutes and 53 seconds and scoring his 11th technical fall of the season over Wyomings Chris Bouchard (23-7). Abas picks up his second WAC title and his second WAC Wrestler of the Year honor after he was named it last year as a freshman. Abas is now 32-1 on the season with 11 technical falls, six pins and seven major decisions.
Senior Demetrist Huff (Upland, Calif.) earned his first WAC championship today at 197 pounds after he defeated Air Forces Justin Binder, 12-7, and Wyomings Craig Rumsey, 7-4. Huff, who is ranked No. 12 in the nation, finished second in the heavyweight division at last years conference tournament.
Junior Paris Ruiz won his first conference championship wrestling at the heavier weight of 141 pounds in the Fresno natives first appearance at a WAC tournament. Ruiz went 3-0 with wins over New Mexicos William Dunaway, Air Forces Ryan Montanez and BYUs Tom Meacham.
All three Bulldog WAC champions will advance to the NCAA Championships at Penn State set to take place March 18-20. Stan Greene (133), Jonte Davis (149) and Tim Cornish (157) all qualify as wild-card entrants for the tournament.
Head coach Dennis DeLiddo now has eight conference titles to his credit.
