Fresno State Athletics
Photo by: Brett Rojo/For The Big 12 Confer
Bulldogs complete 2020 signing class
8/24/2020 8:30:00 AM | Wrestling
FRESNO, Calif. -Â Fresno State Wrestling head coach Troy Steiner announced the completion of the 2020 signing class on Monday.
With the start of the fall semester getting underway last week, the Bulldogs have added Anthony Molton (Crest Hill, Ill.), Aaron Gandara (Poway, Calif.), Anthony Federico (Belleville, Ill.) and Owen Pentz (Morgan, Utah) to the roster to go along with fall signees Haiden Drury (Toppenish, Wash.) and Nick Villarreal (Gilroy, Calif.).
"We are very excited about this recruiting class," Steiner said. "They bring a lot of experience, attitude and work ethic to our program. I cannot wait to start working with them."
A transfer from Old Dominion, Molton arrives in Fresno after redshirting the 2019-20 season at ODU. A native of Crest Hill, Ill., Molton earned 16 wins, including three falls, while competing unattached for the Monarchs. Molton won the 2018 Class 3A Illinois State title at 120 pounds as a junior at Lockport Township High School and finished third at 126 pounds as a senior in 2019.
Gandara comes to Fresno after splitting his prep career between Poway High School in Poway, Calif. and Cibola High School in Yuma, Ariz. After earning Arizona Division I runner-up honors at 152 pounds as a freshman at Cibola, Gandara sat atop the podium as a sophomore before making his way to California as a junior. He continued his prep career with a fourth-place finish at 152 pounds at the CIF State Tournament in 2019 and closed out his career as a senior last winter with a third-place showing at 145 pounds.
A 2020 graduate of Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville, Ill., Federico was a three-time placewinner in Class 1A at the Illinois State Tournament. After earning sixth-place at 132 pounds as a sophomore in 2018, he moved up to runner-up honors a year later as a junior in 2019. He wrapped up his prep career last winter with a second consecutive runner-up finish at the state tournament moving up to 145 pounds.
Finally, Pentz finds his way back to Fresno after initialing signing with the Bulldogs in their first signing class in November of 2016 before taking a two-year mission. A native of Morgan, Utah, Pentz was a two-time state champion in high school winning the 2017 Class 3A title at 182 pounds as a senior after winning the 170-pound weight class as a junior in 2016. In addition, Pentz was the national freestyle runner-up at 170 pounds in the summer of 2016.
Drury wrapped up his high school career as a four-time finalist and three-time Washington state champion and recorded a school record 168 wins at Toppenish High School in Washington. He was named both the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winner in the state of Washington and was the West Regional recipient in May as the award recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service.
A native of Gilroy, Calif., Villarreal was the number one ranked prep heavyweight in California, and a top 15 heavyweight recruit nationally and closed out his prep career finishing second at the 2020 CIF State Tournament in February.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter: @Fresno StateWRES
Instagram:Â fresnostatewrestling
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
With the start of the fall semester getting underway last week, the Bulldogs have added Anthony Molton (Crest Hill, Ill.), Aaron Gandara (Poway, Calif.), Anthony Federico (Belleville, Ill.) and Owen Pentz (Morgan, Utah) to the roster to go along with fall signees Haiden Drury (Toppenish, Wash.) and Nick Villarreal (Gilroy, Calif.).
"We are very excited about this recruiting class," Steiner said. "They bring a lot of experience, attitude and work ethic to our program. I cannot wait to start working with them."
A transfer from Old Dominion, Molton arrives in Fresno after redshirting the 2019-20 season at ODU. A native of Crest Hill, Ill., Molton earned 16 wins, including three falls, while competing unattached for the Monarchs. Molton won the 2018 Class 3A Illinois State title at 120 pounds as a junior at Lockport Township High School and finished third at 126 pounds as a senior in 2019.
Gandara comes to Fresno after splitting his prep career between Poway High School in Poway, Calif. and Cibola High School in Yuma, Ariz. After earning Arizona Division I runner-up honors at 152 pounds as a freshman at Cibola, Gandara sat atop the podium as a sophomore before making his way to California as a junior. He continued his prep career with a fourth-place finish at 152 pounds at the CIF State Tournament in 2019 and closed out his career as a senior last winter with a third-place showing at 145 pounds.
A 2020 graduate of Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville, Ill., Federico was a three-time placewinner in Class 1A at the Illinois State Tournament. After earning sixth-place at 132 pounds as a sophomore in 2018, he moved up to runner-up honors a year later as a junior in 2019. He wrapped up his prep career last winter with a second consecutive runner-up finish at the state tournament moving up to 145 pounds.
Finally, Pentz finds his way back to Fresno after initialing signing with the Bulldogs in their first signing class in November of 2016 before taking a two-year mission. A native of Morgan, Utah, Pentz was a two-time state champion in high school winning the 2017 Class 3A title at 182 pounds as a senior after winning the 170-pound weight class as a junior in 2016. In addition, Pentz was the national freestyle runner-up at 170 pounds in the summer of 2016.
Drury wrapped up his high school career as a four-time finalist and three-time Washington state champion and recorded a school record 168 wins at Toppenish High School in Washington. He was named both the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winner in the state of Washington and was the West Regional recipient in May as the award recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service.
A native of Gilroy, Calif., Villarreal was the number one ranked prep heavyweight in California, and a top 15 heavyweight recruit nationally and closed out his prep career finishing second at the 2020 CIF State Tournament in February.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter: @Fresno StateWRES
Instagram:Â fresnostatewrestling
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
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