CALIFORNIA DREAMING

Could there be a West coast revival this season?
By Jim Birk, W.I.N. Writer
While California has produced some of the world’s best wrestlers, Title IX has decimated the state’s collegiate wrestling programs. And out of the eight colleges that hung onto their programs only two often end the year in the top 25.
Fresno State and Cal State Bakersfield managed to achieve a national ranking about half the time, while Stanford, UC Davis, Cal State Fullerton and Cal Poly were very rarely in contention.
That was before last March’s NCAAs, where Stanford and Cal Poly made a big move.
Stanford’s Matt Gentry became Stanford’s first NCAA champion by capturing the 157-pound crown. The Cardinal and the Mustangs, as well as the Bakersfield Roadrunners are also ranked among the top 20 this year.
Is this just a passing phase or a sign of the times?
On the international level, California also achieved success this year as the U.S. Olympic team had four California natives who won three medals: Patricia Miranda (bronze) from Saratoga, Stephen Abas (silver) of Fresno, Jamill Kelly (silver) of Atwater and Eric Guerrero from Santa Clara.
Stanford head coach Steve Buddie sees stronger teams in California resulting from improved collegiate programs.
“I do see the Western colleges getting stronger,” said Buddie, who earned one of Stanford’s 11 all-time All-American honors in 1990. “Now that it seems, at least hopefully, that Title IX bleeding has somewhat ceased, we already see evidence that West Coast teams are gaining momentum.
“Dan Hicks has breathed new life into a lethargic Fullerton program, and they are not only surviving, but thriving. Cal Poly made a big step when they took one of the most successful California high school coaches of all time and gave him the reins to their program. John Azevedo’s presence is already paying huge dividends for them.
“It’s my understanding that UC Davis may be getting a scholarship increase, and CSB and Fresno State continue to be great options for any tough California wrestling prospect,” Buddie said.
“Our success having a national champion and a top-20 national finish are already paying off for us at Stanford as bright student-athletes nationwide are giving us serious consideration that they may not always have given us in the past.”
Steve Buddie
Buddie calls it a California revival and hopes to keep California kids in the state.
“With new coaching changes and a renewed commitment to the sport by many athletic directors,” he said, “we could see this upward trend turning into something very positive for the left coast.”
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