Fresno State Athletics
Abas Goes For Olympics
5/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
May 21, 2004
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State's most accomplished former wrestler, Stephen Abas, will compete Sunday in Indianapolis, Ind., to represent the United States at the 2004 Olympics.
Abas will wrestle in a best-of-three competition with the first match set to begin at 8 a.m. His second match is slated for 1:30 p.m., and if a third match is necessary, it will begin at 3:30.
A challenger tournament for Olympic hopefuls is Friday and Saturday and the winner of that tournament faces the U.S. National Champion.
Because Abas is the 121 pound division national champ, he automatically qualifies to the best-of-three competition.
Other former Fresno State wrestlers who are wrestling in the challenger tournament are Billy Blunt, a 2001 All-American in the heavyweight division, and Yero Washington, who earned All-America in 1996 and 1997 at 134 pounds. Both men have also served as assistant coaches on the Bulldogs staff.
Abas was a four-time All-American and three-time national champion at Fresno State. His 144-4 career record is tops in the record books in amount of wins and win percentage. He also holds the record for win percentage in a season with two perfect seasons (34-0 and 34-0).
