Benitez Claims Evergreen Open Title as Bulldogs Compete in Olympia
OLYMPIA, Wash. – January 18, 2026
Fresno State sent team captains Jocelynn Benitez and Emmanuel Plascencia north to compete at the Evergreen Open, hosted in Olympia, Washington, as the Bulldogs continued a demanding stretch of road competition to begin the 2026 calendar year.
Benitez continued her strong start to the season at 103 pounds, delivering a dominant performance throughout the bracket to claim the Evergreen Open title. After receiving a first-round bye, Benitez controlled each match, securing three technical falls on her way to the championship and reinforcing her position as one of the top competitors in her weight class.
On the men’s side, Plascencia battled through a deep 149-pound field. After an opening loss sent him into the consolation bracket, Plascencia responded with an impressive run, winning five consecutive matches by fall to work his way back into the placement rounds. He earned a rematch with the same opponent who handed him his opening loss and closed the gap from their first meeting, finishing fourth after a competitive decision.
The Evergreen Open provided Fresno State with valuable mat time against regional competition as the Bulldogs continue to build momentum early in the season.
Tournament Recap
103 lbs – Jocelynn Benitez (Champion)
Benitez received a first-round bye before delivering a dominant performance throughout the bracket. She opened with a 14–3 technical fall over Karen Salas (Evergreen State), followed by a 13–3 technical fall against Sarahi Chavez (Pacific University).
In the championship match, Benitez capped off the day with a 10–0 technical fall over Kassidy Davis (Unattached) to claim the Evergreen Open title at 103 pounds, continuing her strong start to the 2026 season.
149 lbs – Emmanuel Plascencia (4th Place)
Plascencia opened the tournament with a first-round bye before dropping his opening match to Boris Bambalaev (Unattached) by technical fall, sending him into the consolation bracket early. From there, Plascencia put together an impressive run, rattling off five consecutive pinfall victories over Jeremiah Miller (Umpqua Community College), Robert Wade (Unattached), Cameron Kuehn (Unattached), Mason Townsand (Unattached), and George Kovchegov (Clackamas CC).
Plascencia earned a rematch with Bambalaev in the third-place bout and closed the gap from their first meeting, but ultimately fell in a competitive 9–6 decision, finishing fourth at 149 pounds.
