Fresno State Athletics
Former Bulldogs Eyeing Olympic Dreams
 |  As the No. 1 freestyle wrestler in his division the last three years, Stephen Abas is looking for his first world-level medal. His fifth place finish at the 2003 World Championships is his best finish to date. |
July 22, 2004
FRESNO, Calif. - Two former Fresno State standouts will be making their Olympic debut next month and both are looking to make history as well at the XXVIII Olympiad in Athens, Greece.
Three-time NCAA national wrestling champion Stephen Abas (Hayward, Calif.) and All-Western Athletic Conference infielder/outfielder Vanessa Czarnecki (Riverside, Calif.) will represent two different countries come August 11.
Abas' road to the United States Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Team started in 1999-2000 when he redshirted to train for the 2000 Olympics; he finished fourth at the Olympic Trials. Now, four years later, his dream was realized when he defeated 2000 Olympic silver medalist Sammie Henson (5-3, 3-1) at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis on May 23. Abas will compete at the 121-pound/55-kilogram class in Athens.
On the international level prior to the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, Abas has wrestled in World Championships, Pan American, World Cups, World University and Junior World Games. Having won a number of international wrestling events, including the Dave Schultz Memorial, the Colansman International in Canada and two titles at the Sunkist Kids International, Abas was the 1998 Junior World Champion and a bronze medalist at the 1994 Cadet World Championships.
As the No. 1 freestyle wrestler in his division the last three years (won last three World Team Trials), Abas is looking for his first world-level medal. His fifth place finish at the 2003 World Championships is his best finish to date. In 2002 the U.S. did not go to the World meet in Iran while in 2001 he lost early in the tournament to the eventual World champion.
Abas, who is only the second four-time All-America wrestler at Fresno State, posted a 144-4 career record, including a string of 106 consecutive matches won in the 125-lb division from 1998-99, 2001-02. Owning the school's career mark in victories and win percentage (.973), Abas also notched back-to-back perfect seasons (34-0 in 2001 and 35-0 in 2002).
Ending his Bulldog career by being the 40th wrestler in NCAA history to capture three national titles in addition to never losing a match in the 125 division as a collegiate wrestler, Abas begins his quest for Olympic gold on Aug. 22.
Half Greek, Czarnecki was named to the inaugural Greek Softball Team more than a year ago and is the second Bulldog to play for another country on the Olympic level (Pitcher Lisa Mize, Puerto Rico, 1996 Summer Olympic Games). One of 13 Americans on the Greece National Team, she and the rest of her teammates wrapped up its United States tour with a 10-0 mark. Not allowing a run to the competition during its East Coast swing, Czarnecki has played in eight games and is batting .412 (7-17) with a pair of runs and RBI.
The Greeks continue their pre-Olympic tour today with a doubleheader against the Dutch National Team in Amsterdam. The "Hellas" will then travel to Freising, Germany (July 27-28) and the Czech Republic to the play the Czech National Team in Prague (Aug. 2-4).
The Greece Women's National Softball Team opens Olympic competition Aug. 14 against China, the 1996 Olympic silver medalist.
The television schedule for USA Softball during the Olympics is listed below:
USA Softball Olympic Television Schedule
August 14 - USA vs. Italy on CNBC at 2 a.m. PST
August 15 - USA vs. Australia on Bravo at 7 a.m. PST
August 16 - USA vs. Japan on MSNBC at 2 a.m. PST
August 17 - USA vs. China on MSNBC at 2 a.m. PST
August 18 - USA vs. Canada on MSNBC at 7 a.m. PST
August 19 - USA vs. Greece on MSNBC at 2 a.m. PST
August 20 - USA vs. Chinese Taipei on MSNBC at 2 a.m. PST
August 22 - Semi-Finals on CNBC at 11:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. PST
August 23 - Gold Medal Game 9 a.m. on USA Network at 7 a.m. PST