Three Bulldogs Earn All-American Honors at 2019 NCWA National Championships
ALLEN, TX — March 14–16, 2019
The Fresno State Wrestling Club wrapped up the 2019 NCWA National Championships with a strong showing, bringing home three All-American honors. Seniors Mai Xiong (101 lbs), Rossana Aguilar (123 lbs), and Matt Gamble (125 lbs) all reached the podium, closing their Bulldog careers in impressive fashion.
It was a fitting finale for Xiong and Aguilar, who made history as Fresno State’s first-ever women’s wrestlers to compete at the NCWA Nationals four years prior. Both returned to the same weight classes where their national journeys began — and both left their mark one last time.
Xiong, seeded third, looked sharp throughout the weekend, dropping only a single bout to the eventual national champion before battling back to claim third place. Aguilar, seeded second after dropping down from 143 pounds the year before, was upended in her semifinal by a surprise fall but regrouped in the consolation rounds to finish fourth.
On the men’s side, Gamble put together one of the tournament’s most courageous performances. After a promising start, he suffered a severe ankle sprain midway through competition but continued to fight through the pain, grinding out two more wins to secure his All-American placement before medically forfeiting out of the fifth-place bout.
Together, the trio’s performances showcased the toughness and competitive spirit that define the Bulldog program.
Tournament Recap – men
125 lbs – Matt Gamble (All-American)
After receiving a first-round bye, Gamble fell in a tough match to Keith Skaggs (MIT) but rebounded in dominant fashion. He rolled through the consolation bracket with a technical fall over Sean Halverson (Grand Valley State), a major decision against Raekwon Jackson (Apprentice), and key victories over Manuel Canfijn (West Chester) and Christian Antoine (UMass). Despite battling a severe ankle injury, Gamble pushed through a narrow 2–1 loss to Erik Pawlaczyk (Mott CC) before medically forfeiting the fifth-place match against Elijah Nash (Kent State). His grit earned him All-American honors and a sixth-place finish.
133 lbs – Johnny Platas
Competing in his final collegiate tournament, Platas opened against Eduardo Rodriguez (Big Bend CC) and later faced Logan Perentis (Blue Lights College) in the wrestlebacks. Though his run came to an early end, the senior showed the poise and composure of a veteran leader, battling hard in every exchange and setting the standard for the younger wrestlers in the program.
149 lbs – Llimmy Garcia
Garcia dropped a tight 4–1 match to Cade Cox (Big Bend CC) to open the tournament but bounced back to claim a medical forfeit win over Mitchell Krcellic (Penn State Mont Alto) and a hard-fought 12–8 victory over Victor Tafoya (Grays Harbor). His run ended against Bryce Barclay (Penn State WC), but Garcia displayed excellent composure and fight in one of the tournament’s most competitive weight classes.
Tournament Recap – Women
101 lbs – Mai Xiong (All-American)
Xiong began her run with a first-round bye before being caught in a surprise fall against Cecilia Saavedra (Grays Harbor). Showing her trademark resilience, she stormed back through the consolation bracket, pinning Madeline Torres (Houston-Downtown) and Gissel Avellaneda (Texas A&M) to secure third place and her second career All-American honor.
116 lbs – Paola Juarez
Juarez battled hard through a stacked bracket, dropping a close quarterfinal bout to Cynthia Ramirez (Grays Harbor) and later falling to Shavelle Espindola (Dixie State) in the consolation rounds. The sophomore’s persistence and work ethic stood out as she gained valuable national-level experience.
123 lbs – Rossana Aguilar (All-American)
After receiving a first-round bye, Aguilar opened strong with a win over Alexis Morfin (Grays Harbor) in the quarterfinals. She was caught and pinned in the semis by Erin Aragon (Apprentice) but came back firing in the consolations, pinning Lesly Baires (Grays Harbor) before finishing fourth after a close bout with Lynette Samano (Big Bend CC). The performance marked Aguilar’s second career All-American finish and a memorable close to her Bulldog career.
155 lbs – Toni Rodriguez
Rodriguez faced a tough draw, opening against top-seeded Maxine Knetter (Wisconsin) before being eliminated by Tatiana Molinero-Ceras (Pacific Lutheran). Despite the early exit, Rodriguez’s effort and team-first attitude were evident throughout the tournament.
