Spencer's Return Sparks Bulldogs at NCWA National Championships
SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER, La. — March 13-15, 2025
The Fresno State Wrestling Club closed out the 2024-25 season at the NCWA National Championships, but the biggest story of the weekend wasn't a podium finish.
It was the return of senior captainDiara Spencer.
Before the season had truly begun, Spencer stepped away from wrestling due to personal circumstances. Before doing so, Head Coach Jovany Gonzalez asked one thing of his returning All-American: be there for the team one last time during opening weekend.
Spencer answered the call, competing at both the Bill Musick Memorial Open and Veterans Day Duals before suffering an injury that made it easy for him to walk away for the remainder of the regular season. With two events completed, he remained eligible for postseason competition, but few expected him to wrestle again.
As the season wore on, the Bulldogs struggled through injuries, roster shortages, and declining numbers. By the start of the postseason, the team was simply trying to reach the finish line.
That's when Spencer got the call.
“I kept him updated on what was going on with the team," Gonzalez said. “At some point, it stopped being about wrestling. The team needed its leader back."
After receiving a medical wild card into the National Championships, Spencer had just a few weeks to prepare for one final run in a Bulldog singlet.
As excited as everyone was to see the returning All-American back in the lineup, only Spencer and the coaching staff knew the reality of the situation. Months away from training, an injury that never fully healed, and a difficult weight cut left him far from the wrestler that had previously reached the national podium.
None of that stopped him from competing.
Spencer fought his way into the Consolation of 8 round, picking up victories while helping lead Fresno State into the second day of competition.
His return provided a spark throughout the lineup.
William Wareham, Damian Galvan, Michael Brent, and Benito Saldivar all advanced into day two of the tournament, while Brent turned in one of the strongest performances of his season. The Bulldogs ultimately came up short of All-American honors, but five wrestlers reached the second day of competition and the team wrestled some of its best matches of the year.
“I'm grateful for Diara and what he's done for this team," Gonzalez said. “He wasn't physically where he needed to be to make a run at the podium, but he came back anyway. He gave this team something it desperately needed at the end of the year."
The season did not end with medals around their necks, but it ended with something just as important: the belief that the Bulldogs still had plenty of fight left in them.
Tournament Recap
125 lbs — Gabriel Martinez
Martinez opened his tournament with a loss to Todd Sweeney (Springfield Tech). Dropping into the consolation bracket, he was eliminated by Ivan Villescas (Washington State).
141 lbs — Benito Saldivar
Saldivar received a bye before dropping his opening match to Robert Tovmik (Apprentice). He rebounded with a fall over Alexis Zendejas (Western Washington) before forfeiting out of his tournament.
149 lbs — Damian Galvan
Galvan opened his tournament with an 18-12 decision over Nicholas Pointer (Temple). He then fell to Thomas McCane (Central Florida), dropping into the consolation bracket. Galvan received a Medical Forfeit over Lincoln Vick (Iowa State) before his tournament came to a close against Gavin Contreras (Michigan State).
149 lbs — William Wareham
Wareham opened his tournament with a loss to Cade Garcia (Texas A&M). He rebounded with a Forfeit and battling back with a 16-13 victory over Aczel Reyes (Springfield Tech). Wareham advanced to the second day before being eliminated by Fahad Hillesland (Treasure Valley).
197 lbs — Diara Spencer
Competing in his first tournament since the opening weekend of the season, Spencer opened with consecutive falls over Cartale Clark (Akron) and Landon Martz (Slippery Rock). After a 6-0 loss to Ryan Krimpelbein (Life), the senior captain responded with a 19-3 technical fall over Mikey Harrigan (Virginia Tech) to advance to the Consolation of 8 round. His tournament came to a close against Jaimeson Shea (Stony Brook), finishing one match short of the blood round.
235 lbs — Michael Brent
Brent dropped his opening-round match to Jacob Housour (Iowa State) before rebounding with a fall over Noah Niejna (Monmouth). He followed with a 4-0 decision over Pascual Garcia (UC Santa Barbara) to advance into the second day of competition. Brent's tournament came to a close against Seth Ellsmore (Liberty), finishing with a 2-2 record at the National Championships.
131 lbs — Valeria Mendoza
Mendoza received a first-round consolation bye before dropping her opening match to Tru Jones (Xavier–Louisiana). She remained alive in the consolation bracket but saw her tournament come to a close in a narrow 8-7 loss to Alondra Paredes (Sacramento State).
