Fresno State Athletics
Heavy on Lightweights, Light on Heavyweights
12/10/2001 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 10, 2001
Not every wrestling team has a two-time NCAA Champion, three-time All-American and World Team member at the top of their line-up.
Fresno State does.
Senior Stephen Abas is one of the smallest guys in stature on the team, however his presence is that of a giant. Abas led last year's team to a 14th place finish at the NCAA Championships last season. He also captured his second national championship individual title at 125 pounds.
Fresno State's second secret weapon is head coach Dennis DeLiddo. In 20 years of coaching for the Bulldogs, DeLiddo has racked up a 169-139-5 career record at Fresno State. He coached last year's team to a 13-6 record with wins over ranked opponents Oregon, Oregon State and Wyoming.
In his final season, Abas, along with a core of returning starters, will lead the Bulldogs through battles with second and third ranked opponents Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Fresno State, ranked 13th in the Wrestling International Newsmagazine (W.I.N.) and Amateur Wrestling News's preseason polls, will also face No. 17 Boise State, No. 20 Oregon State and No. 9 Arizona State in dual meets.
Fresno State will host 11 dual meets and the West Regional Championships. Early in the season the Bulldogs will wrestle Wyoming. The Dec. 14 meet should be close between Fresno State and Wyoming as the Cowboys are listed as a contending team in InterMat's preseason ranking.
The Bulldogs host the 2002 West Regional Championships on March 9. The West Regional is composed of six teams including Fresno State. Other teams are Air Force, Eastern Illinois, Marquette, Northern Iowa and Wyoming. At last year's regional, hosted by Wyoming, Fresno State took second place behind Northern Iowa.
The 13th ranked Bulldogs plan to dominate teams with their strength in the lower-weights. At the top of the line-up is top-ranked Abas.
Abas (125) is ranked No. 1 in preseason polls and looks to repeat last years perfect 34-0 season. He has racked up 109 wins with only four losses in three years. With just 26 more wins, he will top Fresno State's career win record, which was set by his brother, Gerry Abas, in 1995.
"We'll be looking to him to lead the team again," DeLiddo said. "He's a tremendous wrestler and a great asset to our team."
Senior Derrick Hayes, ranked No. 12, returns to the 133 division after going 20-11 overall last year and qualifying to the NCAA Championships for the first time. His career record is 43-23.
Hayes will be challenged for the starting position by competitive sophomore Ben Martinez who had a 7-4 record last season.
"Hayes is in a tough position because some teammates are working to take over his spot," DeLiddo said.
Junior Ralph Lopez is ranked 13th and will wrestle at 141 pounds. Lopez had a winning season last year going 22-12. His career record is 46-25 and he qualified for the NCAA Championships his freshman and sophomore years.
"He should have a great season. He has a good chance of being an All-American," DeLiddo said. Sophomore Jim Medeiros returns to start at the 149 division. In his first season, Medeiros went 18-15 overall and 8-11 in dual meets.
"As hard of a worker as he is, he should have a good season," DeLiddo said.
Cal State Bakersfield transfer sophomore Zhon Kuraspediani may also see time on the mat in the 149 division. Last year with the Roadrunners, Kuraspediani went 13-14, going 8-6 in dual meets.
In the middleweights, four wrestlers will compete for the starting position at 157 pounds. Veteran Darrick Duran and newcomers Ben Baca, Darnell Williams and Brian Spalliero all have the possibility to compete.
Duran, a senior, wrestled at varying divisions last season with limited success. Baca is a junior from Fresno City College. He wrestled in the 149 division for two years. Spalliero is a transfer from Cal State Fullerton where he wrestled for two years. Williams redshirted last year at Fresno State.
Junior Eddie Gifford returns at the 165 division. His career record is 36-23 and last year he went 21-11 overall and 11-7 in dual meets. He placed in the top-six at three tournaments last season.
"We're counting on him being a consistent winner for us," DeLiddo said.
In positions which were occupied by seniors last year, three freshmen will wrestle in the 174, 184 and 197 divisions.
True freshman Britt Mooney will wrestle at 174 pounds as the first of three freshmen heavyweights. Mooney graduated from East High School in Bakersfield, Calif., and took third place at the state tournament as a senior.
"He's young and he'll have to go through a learning process at the college level," DeLiddo said.
Redshirt freshman Landon Seefeldt will wrestle in the 184 division. Seefeldt graduated from Grace Davis High School in Modesto, Calif. DeLiddo said Seefeldt looks better at every practive.
Freshman Marcio Botelho will wrestle in the 197 division. Botelho is a native of Lemoore, Calif., and took first place at the state meet as a senior. DeLiddo said he counts on him to win consistently at meets.
Senior Billy Blunt will likely handle the 275 division, depending on whether he's granted another year of eligibility. Blunt earned All-American status last year with his fifth place finish at the NCAA Championships. He compiled a 29-8 record, going 15-3 in dual meets. "Blunt should win most of his matches and be an All-American again," DeLiddo said.
