(Walnut, CA) After coming oh, so close to the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Team Championship last season, the 2017 runner-up Mt. SAC Wrestling Team begins the 2018 season this Saturday, September 15th.
In his fifth season at the helm of the Mt. SAC Wrestling Program, Head Coach David Rivera is optimistic about the 2018 season.
The Mounties return four wrestlers that placed at the CCCAA State Championships last year:
Adam Valdez (141 lbs.) – Third place (4-1 record), All-American
Matthew Mejia (165 lbs.) – Third place (3-1), All-American
Luis Melecio (184 lbs.) – CCCAA State runner-up, All-American, SoCal Champion
David Chavarria – (197 lbs.) – 7th place
"We have several individuals that are ready to step up and fill in spots left open from those individuals that that have transferred out to four-year colleges," eighth-year Mt. SAC Wrestling coach David Rivera said.
Rivera is counting on some newcomers and additional returners this season: "Individuals that saw action at individual tournaments last season and are looking to step and make an impact include": Nathan Barragan (133 lbs.), Andrew Saucedo (141 lbs.) and Christopher Alvizures (hwt.)
Freshmen looking to make an impact include: Brothers Ethan Diaz (133 lbs.) and Aaron Diaz (141 lbs.), Cristian Ayala (285 lbs.), Jesus Garduno (125 lbs.), Miguel Gallardo (157 lbs.), Jackson Serna and Ian Vasquez (165 lbs.).
2017 Highlights
Rivera led the Mounties to the CCCAA Southern California Championship last season, ending the three-year reign of Cerritos College.
Individually, three Mounties reached the championship finals for the second year in a row and eight of the 11 state finalists earned All-American honors. Apollo Santos (165 lbs.) became the 7th individual state champion for Rivera and was the lone state champion for the Mounties, while Joseph Dominguez (141 lbs.) was the state runner-up.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.