Nov. 15, 2007

Fullerton, Calif. - Close to 2,000 wrestlers will descend upon Titan Gym this weekend as the collegiate wrestling season gets underway with a big splash at Cal State Fullerton.

On Friday at 2:30 p.m., the Titans host a Pac-10 dual match against Portland State. More than 1,000 high school wrestlers are expected to be in the stands for the traditional HS Wrestlers Day season opener.

There will be three mats with simultaneous action on the Titan Gym floor with Embry-Riddle University wrestling Menlo College on a second mat and Sierra and Palomar Community Colleges colliding on the third.

On Sunday at 9 a.m., the Titans host the Fullerton Open, which is expected to draw more than 300 competitors from schools such as Arizona State, Stanford, Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, UC Davis, Menlo, Embry-Riddle, Sierra, Palomar and Pima Colleges as well as Portland State and Fullerton and club teams from San Jose State and Arizona.

On Monday night, Fullerton heavyweight Wade Sauer will be the first Titan to compete in the NWCA All-Star Classic in Eugene, Oregon. This is the 42nd annual event. Two of the top competitors from around the nation meet in what is billed as the best regular season field in the nation.

Fullerton Season Preview

Cal State Fullerton enters the 2007-08 wrestling season with higher expectations than at any other time in the program's 40-year history.

Sixth-year Head Coach Dan Hicks has been rebuilding the program and now has it to a point where the Titans are looking at a possible Pac-10 Conference championship and a high national team finish.

"After five years of building the foundation, we are ready for a run at the Pac-10 title and a Top Ten finish at nationals," said Hicks.

"We have a mature team that is focused on having a great season. We have a solid starting lineup and a great recruiting class. Our senior leadership will help us make a run at the national Top 20. With three or four guys nationally ranked, we have a shot at having our best showing ever at the NCAA Tournament.

"Our schedule is the toughest we have had so far. Our guys will be up against many of the best in the country which should prepare us for the Pac-10s, but, more importantly, for the nationals.

"The local wrestling community has been very supportive. We would not have been able to accomplish all we have without their help and we hope to provide them some outstanding Div. I wrestling."

Earl Smith of dIcollegewrestling has the Titans as the pre-season favorite to win the Pac-10. He ranks Teddy Astorga (141), Morgan Atkinson (149), Ian Murphy (184) and Wade Sauer (285) at the top of their respective weight brackets and he also has Fullerton ranked No. 24 in the nation.

In the USA Today, NWCA/InterMat pre-season Div. I coaches poll, Fullerton is receiving votes just outside the Top 25. Sauer is ranked No. 3 in the nation and Murphy and Atkinson are both at No. 13.

"Wade gained a lot of experience last year after seeing little action in his first two years at Fresno State," said Hicks of the 2007 All-American (sixth at NCAA Championships). "Morgan has been to the NCAA tourney twice now and will make a run for All-American this year. Ian returns and he should be a serious contender for the NCAA title."

Fullerton had no seniors last year and returns 11 lettermen including nine starters. Sauer, Atkinson, Murphy and Astorga are complemented by junior T. J. Dillashaw at 133, Paul Tice at 157, Bryan Tice at 165, Ryan Budd at 174 and John Drake at 197. The rookie in the lineup will come at 125 pounds where redshirt freshman Aaron Navarrete from Temecula Valley High School is the leader going into the season.

Sauer had an overall record of 30-15 last year with bonus points on 14 occasions. He placed third at the Pac-10 Championships but then avenged Pac-10 losses to place sixth at the NCAA meet.

Atkinson was the Pac-10 champion and had an overall record of 28-5 to earn the team's most valuable wrestler award. He is a three-year starter who was fourth at Pac-10s in 2006.

Murphy was on his way to a national place when sidelined by academic issues. He won the Tournament of Champions at Reno and was 20-4 overall with a team-high 10 pins. He was 8-1 in duals and 5-1 in the Pac-10. Over the summer he won the University Freestyle national championship at 185 pounds.

Astorga took over the Titans' spot at 141 midway through last season and finished with a 9-5 record. He was 3-1 in Pac-10 duals.

Dillashaw is a two-year starter and was an NCAA qualifier last season. His overall record was 17-14 and he placed fourth at Pac-10s. Bryan Tice also was fourth at Pac-10s and had an overall 23-12 record. Paul Tice, Bryan's twin, is the returning starter at 157 after a 7-14 season but he will be challenged by Devin Velasquez, the California community college champion in 2006 from Santa Ana College.

John Drake at 197 and Ryan Budd at 174 complete the probable lineup. Drake was 19-15 last year and placed sixth at Pac-10s. Budd had a 14-16 record embellished by six pins, second best on the squad.

Other returning veterans who could see some action are redshirt freshmen Adin Duenas (141), Armando Gonzalez (133), Nick Jordan (141), Evan Robinson (149) and Mark Savalle (165). Standouts among the newcomers include Sean Roman-Marin, second in California for Lemoore High School at 125 pounds; Andre Gonzalez, fourth in the state at 125 for Silver Creek High of San Jose; and Todd Noel, sixth in the state at 174 for Righetti High School of Santa Maria.

The Titans open the season at home with their traditional Friday afternoon match for High School Wrestlers Day, this year a Pac-10 match against Portland State, and then host the annual Fullerton Open on Sunday, Nov. 18.

They will compete in additional tournaments in Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada; Arlington, Texas; and San Francisco. They also will face pre-season No. 1-ranked Minnesota on a neutral mat in San Luis Obispo. The Pac-10 meet this year is in Eugene, Oregon.