LAS VEGAS, Nev. — February 25, 2023

The Fresno State Wrestling Club opened postseason competition with a third-place finish in the men's standings and seventh on the women's side at the NCWA West Coast Conference Championships. The tournament featured programs from UNLV, Ottawa (Arizona), Colorado State, USC, Utah Tech, Sacramento State, Grand Canyon, San Jose State, UC Riverside, UCLA, and Santa Rosa Junior College. Fresno State finished with 89 team points on the men's side and 13 on the women's.

This year's conference tournament carried added significance. With the NCWA National Championships scheduled for San Juan, Puerto Rico, the cost of travel led conference coaches to allow teams to decline their automatic National Championship bids. For several programs, Las Vegas marked the end of their season.

Fresno State had different plans.

Returning NCWA All-American Nicholas Martino made the most of his return to the lineup, capturing the 157-pound conference title and earning Most Outstanding Wrestler honors. Veteran leaders Luis Jauregui and Ricardo Jauregui added podium finishes, while junior transfer Aaron Vang and freshman Michael Brent each secured National Championship qualifications in their first postseason tournaments with the Bulldogs. On the women's side, Evelyn Guzman and Jamilynne Gonzalez also earned bids to Nationals. Gabriel Martinez qualified at 125 pounds but elected to decline his National Championship berth.

With Nationals no guarantee for many programs, Fresno State accepted its qualifying bids and turned its attention toward San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the Bulldogs would close out the 2022-23 season.

Tournament Recap

125 lbs — Gabriel Martinez (4th Place)
Martinez fell to Isaiah Valle (Ottawa) in the opening round before dropping consolation matches to Erik Escutia (UNLV) and Cesare Riccio (Ottawa). His fourth-place finish earned an automatic National Championship bid, which he later declined.

141 lbs — Jerry Coleman
Coleman opened the tournament with a 3-0 loss to Emanuel Palacios (Ottawa). After receiving a consolation bye, he fell to Atreyu Allen (USC) before dropping the fifth-place match to Palacios by major decision.

157 lbs — Nicholas Martino (Champion, Most Outstanding Wrestler)
After an opening-round bye, Martino recorded a 16-0 technical fall over Ali Eldeiry (Colorado State) before edging Gabriel Ojeda (UNLV), 4-3, in the semifinals. He capped off the tournament with a fall over Jacob Rollans (UNLV) to claim the conference championship and tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.

165 lbs — Aaron Vang (3rd Place, National Qualifier)
Vang received an opening-round bye before defeating Rene Hernandez (UNLV), 3-2, in the quarterfinals. After falling to Nicolas Guynn (Utah Tech) in the semifinals, he battled back with a fall over Bryan Carmenate (UNLV) and an 11-4 decision over Santos Ramos (Ottawa) to finish third.

184 lbs — Luis Jauregui (2nd Place, National Qualifier)
Following an opening-round bye, Jauregui pinned Jett Jackman (UNLV) in the semifinals to advance to the championship match, where he finished runner-up to Alex Sulliban (UNLV).

197 lbs — Michael Brent (5th Place, National Qualifier)
Brent dropped his quarterfinal match to Myles McGary (Grand Canyon) before battling back with a fall over Anthony Taylor (Ottawa). After falling to Nixon Dodds (UNLV), Brent secured fifth place by injury default over Myles McGary (Grand Canyon) to earn his first National Championship qualification.

235 lbs — Ricardo Jauregui (3rd Place, National Qualifier)
Jauregui opened with a 12-1 major decision over Mario Cabrera Jr. (Ottawa). After a semifinal loss to Zach Hocker (UNLV), he rebounded with falls over Walter Polanco (Colorado State) and Jorge Vargas (Grand Canyon) to finish third.

123 lbs — Evelyn Guzman (3rd Place, National Qualifier)
Guzman opened with a fall over Sophia Mercado (San Jose State) before falling to Carly Courcier (Grand Canyon). She concluded the tournament against Bella Devoto (Santa Rosa Junior College), earning a third-place finish and a National Championship berth.

130 lbs — Jamilynne Gonzalez (2nd Place, National Qualifier)
After an opening-round bye, Gonzalez fell to Taliyah Armstrong (Ottawa) before later medically forfeiting to Armstrong in the final round, finishing runner-up and qualifying for the NCWA National Championships.