Fresno State Athletics
Wrestling Heads to Nationals
3/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 16, 2004
FRESNO, Calif. - Six Bulldog wrestlers will be wrestling in the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo., March 18-20. They are: Christian Bowerman (125), No. 13 Casey Olson (149), Anthony Rubalcava (174), Greg Gifford (184), No. 10 Marcio Botelho (197) and No. 8 Clint Walbeck (285). The wrestlers qualified to the national tournament by placing first and second at the West Regional on Saturday. Taking six to nationals is quite an accomplishment for a Fresno State team that saw a 7-11 season. Last year when the Bulldogs went 13-6 they only qualified five to nationals.
WEST REGIONAL
Fresno State took third place at the West Regional in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday. The Bulldogs finished behind Northern Iowa and Wyoming, respectively. More importantly than its team standing though was the fact that Fresno State qualified six wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. All six earned automatic bids after placing first or second in their respective divisions. Olson was the team's only champion, taking first in the 149 division. Rubalcava, Gifford and Botelho made it to the finals of their divisions, but lost to take second. Bowerman and Walbeck had to wrestle an extra match to determine the true second place finisher in their divisions after winning the consolation bracket.
