When California’s High School Depth Becomes the Story

California wrestling presents a historical challenge few states can match: there are simply too many exceptional high school careers to fit comfortably into a single hierarchy.

Since the first CIF State Wrestling Championships in 1973, California has produced generations of State champions, multiple-time finalists and medalists, national champions, Fargo All-Americans, NHSCA champions, and nationally recognized prep wrestlers. Many continued their careers at the collegiate level, with a significant number competing in NCAA Division I.

That extraordinary depth is the focus of Tier 4, presented in two parts.

PART I — STATE CHAMPIONS WHO REACHED THE COLLEGIATE STAGE

Part I focuses on California State champions whose excellence extended beyond high school into college wrestling, including a significant number who competed at the NCAA Division I level and qualified for the NCAA Championships but did not earn NCAA All-American honors.

These wrestlers established exceptional prep résumés and continued to compete at a high collegiate level. Their NCAA qualification demonstrates substantial national-level achievement, but because they did not earn All-American status, their collegiate accomplishments do not meet the specific threshold established for Tier 3.

Their inclusion illustrates an important distinction in the project:

NCAA qualification is significant, but NCAA All-American status represents a different level of collegiate achievement.

Tier 4 therefore recognizes these wrestlers for the combination of their CIF State success, collegiate advancement, and overall competitive résumé, while maintaining the boundaries that separate them from higher tiers.

THE TIER 4 STANDARD

Tier 4 recognizes a select population of exceptional California high school wrestlers whose principal historical distinction was established at the prep level, while acknowledging collegiate careers that provide important context.

Part I includes wrestlers whose résumés generally feature:

• One or more CIF State Championships
• Continued competition at the collegiate level
• Significant representation at the NCAA Division I level
• NCAA Championship qualification for many of those whose careers reached that stage
• No NCAA All-American finish
• Additional State medals, finalist appearances, national prep honors, or sustained four-year excellence

The standard is intentionally broader than State-title count alone.

A four-time State champion represents one of the rarest accomplishments in California prep wrestling. A three-time champion who reached the State finals four times represents another extraordinary level of consistency. A two-time champion with four State medals and significant national recognition presents another compelling résumé.

Likewise, a one-time State champion who returned to the State podium multiple times, earned national honors, and then qualified for the NCAA Championships may possess a résumé that stands well above the broader population of State champions.

Tier 4 therefore considers the complete competitive arc:

CIF State achievement → collegiate advancement → NCAA-level competition → the boundary between qualification and All-American status.

THE NCAA BOUNDARY MATTERS

The collegiate boundary is particularly important in Part I.

NCAA Championship qualification places a wrestler among the elite competitors in the country for that season. NCAA All-American status, however, requires advancing far enough at the national tournament to meet the established All-American standard.

For this project, that distinction matters.

A California State champion who qualified for the NCAA Championships but did not earn All-American honors demonstrated a substantial level of collegiate achievement. However, the wrestler remains in Tier 4 unless the overall résumé satisfies another established Tier 1–3 threshold.

This prevents individual accomplishments from becoming automatic promotions and preserves a consistent standard across the project.

PART II — STATE MEDALISTS WITH PREP-LEVEL NATIONAL HONORS

Part II will broaden the Tier 4 discussion to exceptional California State medalists who did not win a CIF State Championship but earned significant prep-level national recognition.

This group includes wrestlers whose résumés may feature Fargo All-American honors, NHSCA championships or All-American recognition, ASICS All-American honors, Amateur Wrestling News or Wrestling USA recognition, and other comparable national-level prep accomplishments.

Their inclusion reinforces the central premise of Tier 4: California’s historical depth extends well beyond its State champions.

A wrestler does not necessarily need a CIF State title to have compiled an exceptional high school career. A State medalist with multiple national honors may have demonstrated a level of sustained prep excellence that warrants historical consideration alongside State champions.

CALIFORNIA’S EXTRAORDINARY TALENT POOL

California has never been a state where success was concentrated in only a handful of programs.

Its wrestling history has been built across hundreds of schools, multiple CIF sections, generations of competitors, and dramatically different eras of competition.

The result is an unusually deep historical talent pool.

A California State champion is already an accomplished wrestler.

A two-time champion has separated himself from an enormous field.

A three-time champion has demonstrated extraordinary consistency.

A four-time champion has accomplished something exceedingly rare.

And some of those wrestlers went on to compete at the highest levels of collegiate wrestling, including the NCAA Championships.

Beyond them are State medalists who accumulated national prep honors without winning a State title.

That is the story Tier 4 is designed to tell.

Part I recognizes State champions who advanced to the collegiate level—many to NCAA Division I—and, in numerous cases, qualified for the NCAA Championships without becoming All-Americans.

Part II recognizes State medalists whose prep-level national accomplishments elevated their résumés beyond those of the broader State-medalist population.

Together, the two parts demonstrate why California’s wrestling history is so difficult to contain within a simple hierarchy—and why even Tier 4 carries an extraordinarily high standard.

FOUR-TIME STATE CHAMPIONS

At the pinnacle of California prep wrestling are the rare four-time CIF State champions.

Seth Nevills — Clovis, Central Section — 2018

Seth Nevills won four CIF State Championships at heavyweight, adding a FLO National Championship, three Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors, two ASICS All-American selections, and Wrestling USA Academic All-American recognition. He continued at Penn State before transferring to Maryland.

Jesse Vasquez — Excelsior, Southern Section — 2020

Jesse Vasquez completed a four-time CIF State Championship career, establishing himself among California’s most accomplished lightweight wrestlers. He continued at Arizona State, where he won a Pac-12 Championship, before transferring to California Baptist.

The four-time champions represent the ceiling of California prep achievement. Immediately below them is another exceptional group.

California Three-Time CIF State Champions and Their National Résumés

Where State Excellence Meets National Recognition

Winning one State championship is a defining achievement. Doing it three times requires sustained excellence across multiple seasons against changing opponents and generations of elite California competition.

Mark Gerardi — Valhalla, San Diego Section — 1987

Mark Gerardi was a three-time CIF State champion who earned two Junior All-American honors in freestyle and two ASICS Third-Team All-American selections. He continued at the University of Notre Dame, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships twice.

Jimmy Aguirre — Clovis, Central Section — 1991

Jimmy Aguirre was a three-time CIF State champion and NHSCA Senior High School National champion who earned two ASICS All-American selections, Amateur Wrestling News recognition, and Wrestling USA Dream Team honors. He continued at Stanford University, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships three times.

Scott Chapman — Rim of the World, Southern Section — 1993

Scott Chapman was a three-time CIF State champion and NHSCA Senior High School National champion who earned two ASICS All-American selections, Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Dream Team recognition, two Cadet All-American honors, and a Junior All-American honor in freestyle. He continued at Stanford University, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Jacob Palomino — Independence, Central Coast Section — 2001

Jacob Palomino was a four-time CIF State finalist and three-time State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, Amateur Wrestling News, ASICS, and Wrestling USA honors. He continued at Fresno City College, where he became a 3C2A All-American and reached the State finals.

Troy Tirapelle — Clovis, Central Section — 2004

Troy Tirapelle was a three-time CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, Amateur Wrestling News First-Team All-American, Wrestling USA Dream Team All-American, and two ASICS Second-Team All-American honors. He continued at the University of Illinois, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships and finished as a Big Ten runner-up.

Luis Bland — Central Catholic, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2008

Luis Bland was a four-time CIF State finalist and three-time State champion who earned All-American recognition from ASICS, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA.

Alex Cisneros — Selma, Central Section — 2012

Alex Cisneros was a four-time CIF State finalist and three-time State champion who won a FLO National Championship and earned three ASICS Second-Team All-American selections, an Amateur Wrestling News First-Team All-American honor, and Wrestling USA Academic All-American recognition.

Nikko Villarreal — Gilroy, Central Coast Section — 2014

Nikko Villarreal was a four-time CIF State medalist and three-time State champion who earned two FLO Nationals All-American honors, NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition, two Cadet Fargo All-American honors, an NHSCA Freshman All-American honor, ASICS Honorable Mention, and Wrestling USA All-American recognition. He continued at Arizona State University.

Daniel Zepeda — Gilroy, Central Coast Section — 2025

Daniel Zepeda was a three-time CIF State champion who won a Junior Fargo National Championship and earned four Fargo All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman and a 16U Fargo All-American honor. He currently competes for the University of Michigan.

Rocklin Zinkin — Buchanan, Central Section — 2026

Rocklin Zinkin was a four-time CIF State finalist and three-time State champion who won a Junior Fargo National Championship in freestyle. He currently competes for Oklahoma State University.

The Three-Time Champion Standard

These wrestlers demonstrate that three CIF State championships represent only one layer of the California story. National prep credentials strengthen a historical résumé, but they do not automatically determine tier placement.

The distinction matters because the California Top 100 project is not simply counting championships. It is identifying the level at which a wrestler established his historical significance.

TWO-TIME STATE CHAMPIONS

The Depth of the Golden State on Full Display

Perhaps nowhere is California’s extraordinary wrestling depth more apparent than among its two-time CIF State champions.

Winning two State championships is exceptional. Doing it while also accumulating three or four State medals, reaching multiple State finals, winning national championships, earning national All-American honors, or competing at major collegiate programs produces an enormous collection of historically significant prep careers.

Terry Markou — Pacific, North Coast Section — 1975

Terry Markou was a two-time State champion who earned All-American recognition from Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine. He competed for Cal Poly, SLO.

Glenn Cooper — San Juan, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1976

Glenn Cooper was a two-time State champion and two-time Junior National champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman. He earned All-American recognition from Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine’s Dream Team. Cooper competed for Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield, where he qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships.

Bruce Terry — Loara, Southern Section — 1979

Bruce Terry was a two-time State champion and a member of Wrestling USA Magazine’s Dream Team.

Ray Gulmatico — Lakewood, Southern Section — 1981

Ray Gulmatico was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing sixth, first, and first. He competed for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Billy Ramos — San Ramon Valley, North Coast Section — 1983

Billy Ramos was a two-time State champion and a member of the Junior World Team in freestyle. He competed for Cal State Bakersfield.

Trent Barnes — Clovis West, Central Section — 1986

Trent Barnes was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing fourth, first, and first. He earned ASICS First-Team All-American recognition and competed for Oklahoma State.

Brandon Dennington — Tracy, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1986

Brandon Dennington was a two-time State champion and three-time finalist, finishing second, first, and first. He earned ASICS Second-Team All-American recognition and four Junior All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman. Dennington competed for Oklahoma and qualified for the NCAA Championships twice.

John Grubbs — El Camino, San Diego Section — 1987

John Grubbs was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing fifth, first, and first. He earned ASICS Third-Team All-American recognition and competed for Cal State Fullerton, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships twice.

Lyndon Campbell — Santa Fe, Southern Section — 1987

Lyndon Campbell was a two-time State champion and a member of Wrestling USA Magazine’s Dream Team. He competed for Villanova University before transferring to Cal State Fullerton, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships three times.

Todd Tomazic — El Dorado, Southern Section — 1987

Todd Tomazic was a two-time State champion and an ASICS Second-Team All-American. He competed for the University of Notre Dame and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Mike Phillips — Capistrano Valley, Southern Section — 1988

Mike Phillips was a two-time State champion and earned ASICS All-American honorable mention recognition.

Tony Trujillo — Covina, Southern Section — 1989

Tony Trujillo was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing first, fifth, and first. He also earned two ASICS All-American honorable mentions.

Zach Cooper — Canyon, Southern Section — 1990

Zach Cooper was a two-time State champion and NHSCA Senior High School National champion. He earned ASICS Third-Team All-American, Amateur Wrestling News All-American, and Wrestling USA Magazine Dream Team recognition.

Can Tran — Arroyo, Southern Section — 1990

Can Tran was a two-time State champion and an NHSCA Senior High School All-American. He earned ASICS honorable mention and Wrestling USA Magazine Academic All-American recognition. Tran competed for Cal State Fullerton and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Tony Okada — Savanna, Southern Section — 1991

Tony Okada was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist. He also earned a 3C2A State medal at Cypress College and won a FILA Cadet World silver medal.

Kyle Porter — Hughson, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1992

Kyle Porter was a two-time State champion who earned two Junior Fargo All-American honors in freestyle and NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition. He also earned ASICS Second-Team All-American, Amateur Wrestling News All-American, and Wrestling USA Magazine Dream Team honors.

Darin Preisendorf — American, North Coast Section — 1992

Darin Preisendorf was a two-time State champion who earned two Junior Fargo All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman and a Cadet Fargo All-American honor in freestyle. He also earned ASICS Second-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine Dream Team recognition. Preisendorf won four Western Athletic Conference championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Lalo Moz — Hanford, Central Section — 1992

Lalo Moz was a two-time State champion who earned three Junior and one Cadet Fargo All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman, as well as NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition. He also earned two ASICS All-American honors, Amateur Wrestling News recognition, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Moz competed for Fresno State and qualified for the NCAA Championships twice.

Joshua Holiday — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 1995

Joshua Holiday was a two-time State champion and an NHSCA Senior High School All-American. He earned two Junior Fargo All-American honors in freestyle, along with ASICS honorable mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Holiday competed for the University of Minnesota and qualified for the NCAA Championships twice.

Joe Calavitta — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 1997

Joe Calavitta was a two-time State champion and four-time State medalist, finishing fourth, third, first, and first. He won an NHSCA Senior High School National championship and earned ASICS, Amateur Wrestling News, Wrestling USA, and Cadet All-American recognition. Calavitta competed for Embry-Riddle in NAIA and Cal State Fullerton where he qualified to the NCAAs. 

Carlos Blanco — Canyon Springs, Southern Section — 1997

Carlos Blanco was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing fifth, first, and first. He won an NHSCA Senior High School National championship and earned multiple national All-American honors. Blanco competed for Purdue University.

Ty Wilcox — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 1997

Ty Wilcox was a two-time State champion who earned two Junior Fargo All-American honors and reached the finals of the NHSCA Senior Nationals. He also earned ASICS First-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine Dream Team recognition. Wilcox competed for Team USA in the Dapper Dan Classic against Pennsylvania before competing for Oklahoma State, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships three times.

Steve Strange — Hughson, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1997

Steve Strange was a two-time State champion who earned Cadet Fargo All-American and NHSCA Senior High School All-American honors. He also earned ASICS honorable mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine recognition. Strange competed for Cal Poly, SLO and became a three-time NCAA qualifier.

Ralph Lopez — Clovis West, Central Section — 1998

Ralph Lopez was a two-time State champion who earned ASICS honorable mention and Amateur Wrestling News All-American recognition. He competed for Fresno State and became a three-time NCAA qualifier.

Hector Torres — Rosemead, Southern Section — 1998

Hector Torres was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing third, first, and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, ASICS honorable mention, and Amateur Wrestling News recognition. Torres competed for Arizona State University and finished sixth at the FILA Junior World Championships.

Max Odom — Foothill-Bakersfield, Central Section — 1999

Max Odom was a two-time State champion, NHSCA Senior High School National champion, Cadet National champion, and Junior National champion in freestyle. He also earned two ASICS All-American honors, Amateur Wrestling News All-American recognition, and Wrestling USA All-American recognition. Odom competed for Harvard University and qualified for the NCAA Championships twice.

Ryan Kane — Temecula Valley, Southern Section — 1999

Ryan Kane was a two-time State champion and a Cadet Greco-Roman All-American. He also earned ASICS honorable mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Kane competed for Northwestern University and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Ben Martinez — Tulare Union, Central Section — 1999

Ben Martinez was a two-time State champion and an NHSCA Senior High School All-American. He won two Fargo National championships in the Cadet and Junior divisions in freestyle and Greco-Roman and earned ASICS honorable mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Martinez competed for Fresno State.

Brody Barrios — Poway, San Diego Section — 2000

Brody Barrios was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing third, first, and first. He earned NHSCA, ASICS, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA recognition and competed for Cal Poly, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Michael Simpson — Brethren Christian, Southern Section — 2000

Michael Simpson was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing fourth, first, and first. He won an NHSCA Senior High School National championship and earned ASICS Second-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Dream Team recognition. Simpson competed for Indiana University and Arizona State University, qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

Paul Baird — Poway, San Diego Section — 2003

Paul Baird was a two-time State champion who earned All-American recognition from Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine.

Joe Williams — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 2003

Joe Williams was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing fifth, first, and first. He won a Cadet National championship and earned two All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman, as well as NHSCA Senior High School, Amateur Wrestling News, Wrestling USA Academic Team, and two ASICS All-American honors. Williams competed for Michigan State University.

Lewis Gonzalez — Turlock, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2005

Lewis Gonzalez was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist. He earned Cadet and Junior All-American honors and NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition. Gonzalez later won a 3C2A State championship and became a 3C2A All-American at Palomar College.

Anthony Meza — Vista, San Diego Section — 2008

Anthony Meza was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing sixth, first, and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA All-American recognition and competed for the University of Northern Iowa.

David Klingsheim — Liberty-Brentwood, North Coast Section — 2009

David Klingsheim was a two-time State champion and four-time State medalist. He also won a Fargo National championship and earned multiple All-American honors. Klingsheim later won a Big 12 championship at Nebraska and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

William “Tank” Knowles — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 2011

William “Tank” Knowles was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing fourth, first, and first. He earned Junior Fargo, Flo Nationals, ASICS, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA honors. Knowles competed for Notre Dame College in NCAA Division II.

Nick Pena — Selma, Central Section — 2011

Nick Pena was a two-time State champion and four-time State medalist, finishing sixth, third, first, and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA All-American recognition and competed for Cornell University.

Daniel Gayton — Clovis, Central Section — 2012

Daniel Gayton was a two-time State champion and four-time State medalist, finishing fourth, third, first, and first. He earned Cadet Fargo, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA All-American honors. Gayton competed for California Baptist University before transferring to New York University in NCAA Division III.

Nikko Reyes — Clovis West, Central Section — 2012

Nikko Reyes was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing third, first, and first. He won a Flo National championship and NHSCA Junior and Sophomore National championships before competing for Illinois, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships twice.

Jeramy Sweany — Vacaville, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2014

Jeramy Sweany was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing eighth, first, and first. He earned Junior Fargo, Cadet Fargo, Flo Nationals, NHSCA, ASICS, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA honors. Sweany competed for Cornell University and became a three-time NCAA qualifier.

Israel Saavedra — Modesto, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2016

Israel Saavedra was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing first, first, and third. He won an NHSCA Junior National championship and earned two Flo Nationals All-American honors. Saavedra competed for Old Dominion University.

Navonte Demison — Bakersfield, Central Section — 2017

Navonte Demison established himself as one of California’s premier wrestlers of his generation, combining an outstanding CIF State career with a strong national résumé. Competing for Bakersfield High School, Demison became a two-time CIF State champion and four-time State medalist, placing third, second, first and first in his four State tournament appearances. His consistency at the State Championships made him one of the Central Section’s most accomplished wrestlers.

Demison’s success extended well beyond California. He earned Junior Fargo All-American honors in freestyle and was named an NHSCA Senior High School All-American. He also won Junior Folkstyle National and Cadet Folkstyle National championships, adding two Cadet Folkstyle All-American honors. His national recognition included ASICS All-American honorable mention and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Demison competed for Arizona State University.

Anthony Montalvo — Buchanan, Central Section — 2018

Anthony Montalvo was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist. He later earned NWCA Second-Team All-American honors at Oklahoma State after the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cleveland Belton — St. John Bosco, Southern Section — 2018

Cleveland Belton was a two-time State champion and Cadet Folkstyle National champion and All-American. He also earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Belton competed for Oregon State and the University of Oklahoma, qualifying for the NCAA Championships twice.

Matthew Olguin — Buchanan, Central Section — 2019

Matthew Olguin was a two-time State champion and four-time State medalist, finishing first, third, third, and first. He won an NHSCA Freshman National championship and earned multiple national All-American honors. Olguin later became a two-time Pac-12 champion and made three NCAA Championship appearances.

Nathan Hass — St. John Bosco, Southern Section — 2020

Nathan Hass was a two-time State champion who earned 16U Fargo All-American recognition. He continued his collegiate career at Nebraska and California Baptist.

Tristan Lujan — Selma, Central Section — 2020

Tristan Lujan was a two-time State champion who continued his collegiate career at Michigan State and later qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Robert Platt — Brawley/Poway, San Diego Section — 2024

Robert Platt was a two-time State champion who continued his collegiate career at the University of North Carolina.

Miguel Estrada — Frontier, Central Section — 2024

Miguel Estrada was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing first, first, and fourth. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition and currently competes for the University of Iowa.

Ronnie Ramirez — Walnut, Southern Section — 2025

Ronnie Ramirez was a two-time State champion and four-time State medalist, finishing second, first, first, and third. He currently competes for Oklahoma State University.

Nikade Zinkin — Clovis, Central Section — 2025

Nikade Zinkin was a two-time State champion and four-time State medalist, finishing fifth, third, first, and first. He earned 16U Fargo All-American recognition and currently competes for the University of Nebraska.

Coby Merrill — Gilroy/JW North, Southern Section — 2026

Coby Merrill was a two-time State champion and four-time State medalist, finishing second, second, first, and first. He also earned three Junior Fargo All-American honors and won a 16U Fargo National championship. Merrill is entering his first year at Iowa State.

Moses Mendoza — Gilroy, Central Coast Section — 2026

Moses Mendoza was a two-time State champion and three-time State medalist, finishing third, first, and first. He won a Junior Fargo National championship and earned four All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman, along with three 16U Fargo All-American honors. Mendoza also finished fifth at the U20 World Championships in Mexico and currently competes for the University of Michigan.

ONE-TIME STATE CHAMPIONS WITH MULTIPLE STATE MEDALS

The following wrestlers won one CIF State championship but compiled multiple State-medal careers and significant national prep credentials. Their placement makes the structure explicit: a one-time State champion can possess a résumé far beyond the basic achievement of a single State title.

Warren Turnage — Clayton Valley, North Coast Section — 1978

Warren Turnage was a CIF State champion and two-time finalist, placing second and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News H.S. All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Dave Ciprian — La Sierra, Southern Section — 1981

Dave Ciprian was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing second, third, and first. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Anthony Palomino — Independence, Central Coast Section — 1983

Anthony Palomino was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fourth, third, and first. He earned Junior Nationals All-American honors in freestyle and competed for San Jose State.

Durbin Lloren, Sr. — Tracy, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1983

Durbin Lloren, Sr. was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for Fresno State.

Joe Pangelinan — San Ramon Valley, North Coast Section — 1984

Joe Pangelinan was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fifth and first. He competed for Cal Poly, SLO, where he won a Pac-12 conference title and qualified for the NCAAs.

Mickey Mayes — Campolindo, North Coast Section — 1984

Mickey Mayes was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing sixth and first.

Eddie Gomez — Caruthers, Central Section — 1985

Eddie Gomez was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first.

Scott Schumm — Edgewood, Southern Section — 1985

Scott Schumm was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fifth, second, and first. He competed for Cal State Fullerton and qualified for the NCAAs.

Scott Bones — Las Plumas, Northern Section — 1985

Scott Bones was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned ASICS Third-Team All-American honors and won a 3C2A State title and All-American honors at Lassen College.

Steve Lawson — El Dorado, Southern Section — 1986

Steve Lawson was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned ASICS Third-Team All-American honors and competed for Cal State Bakersfield.

Kordell Baker — Gilroy, Central Coast Section — 1987

Kordell Baker was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention honors and competed for Cal Poly, SLO.

Mark Trice — Mission San Jose, North Coast Section — 1988

Mark Trice was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing third, second, and first. He earned three Junior All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman, along with All-American recognition from Wrestling USA Magazine, Amateur Wrestling News, and ASICS Honorable Mention. Trice competed for the University of Oklahoma.

Jason Verduzco — Antioch, North Coast Section — 1988

Jason Verduzco was a CIF State champion and three-time finalist, finishing his senior season as champion. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine Dream Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and ASICS All-American honors.

Marcos Carranza — Arroyo, Southern Section — 1988

Marcos Carranza was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first.

Dwayne Buth — Mt. Miguel, San Diego Section — 1989

Dwayne Buth was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention honors, competed for Cal State Fullerton, and qualified for the NCAAs twice.

Robbie Sordi — Madera, Central Section — 1989

Robbie Sordi was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing sixth, first, and second. He competed for Fresno State and qualified for the NCAAs twice.

Javier Gonzales — Overfelt, Central Coast Section — 1989

Javier Gonzales was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention honors.

Eric Miklusicak — Tracy/Turlock, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1990

Eric Miklusicak was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fifth and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors.

Jason Hendrick — Valhalla, San Diego Section — 1991

Jason Hendrick was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fifth, third, and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, Amateur Wrestling News All-American, and Cadet All-American honors in freestyle. Hendrick competed for Palomar Community College, where he earned 3C2A All-American honors.

Rod Ludington — Victor Valley, Southern Section — 1991

Rod Ludington was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors and competed for Cerritos College, where he won a 3C2A State Championship and earned All-American honors.

Aki Yoshikawa — Cupertino, Central Coast Section — 1991

Aki Yoshikawa was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing sixth and first. He won an NHSCA Senior High School National Championship and earned ASICS First-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Junior All-American honors.

Patrick Mack — Valhalla, San Diego Section — 1991

Patrick Mack was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing sixth and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors.

Detran Gant — Roosevelt, Central Section — 1991

Detran Gant was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing third, second, and first. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Gant also won a 3C2A State Championship and earned All-American honors for Fresno City College.

Gary Quintana — Selma, Central Section — 1991

Gary Quintana was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing second, fourth, and first. He won the NHSCA Senior High School Nationals and received Outstanding Wrestler honors. He also earned ASICS Third-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, Wrestling USA Magazine, and Junior Freestyle All-American honors. Quintana competed for Fresno State and qualified for the NCAAs twice.

Nick Quintana — Selma, Central Section — 1992

Nick Quintana was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors.

Dan Maes — Arroyo, Southern Section — 1992

Dan Maes was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, Wrestling USA, and Cadet All-American honors.

Keith Richards — Mission San Jose, North Coast Section — 1992

Keith Richards was a CIF State champion who went on to become a three-time Oklahoma State champion. His prep résumé included ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News All-American, Wrestling USA Dream Team All-American, and Junior Greco-Roman All-American honors.

Tony DeSouza — Chaffey, Southern Section — 1992

Tony DeSouza was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors. DeSouza competed for Cal State Bakersfield, where he won a Pac-10 Championship and qualified for the NCAAs.

Sean Kim — Schurr, Southern Section — 1993

Sean Kim was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, Amateur Wrestling News, and Junior Freestyle All-American honors.

Tracy Brown — Santa Clara, Central Coast Section — 1993

Tracy Brown was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned ASICS Second-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA All-American honors and won two Junior National Championships in freestyle and Greco-Roman. Brown competed for Arizona State and qualified for the NCAAs twice.

Jose Enriquez — John Glenn, Southern Section — 1993

Jose Enriquez was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and fifth. He earned NHSCA Senior High School and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors.

Eric Philp — Madera, Central Section — 1994

Eric Philp was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American honors.

Greg Ford — Whittier, Southern Section — 1994

Greg Ford was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors.

Michael Kawamura — Rosemead, Southern Section — 1995

Michael Kawamura was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing third, second, and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School Nationals and Fargo All-American honors, along with ASICS Second-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Kawamura competed for Arizona State, where he won a Pac-10 title and qualified for the NCAAs.

Tony Gomez — Independence, Central Coast Section — 1996

Tony Gomez was a CIF State champion and three-time state medalist, with finishes of third and first among the recorded placements. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors and won the NHSCA Senior High School Nationals.

Luis Blanco — Canyon Springs, Southern Section — 1996

Luis Blanco was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fifth, second, and first. He earned Junior Greco-Roman, ASICS First-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and won the NHSCA Senior High School Nationals.

Oscar Gonzalez — Independence, Central Coast Section — 1996

Oscar Gonzalez was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American honors.

Dan Jackson — Kingsburg, Central Section — 1997

Dan Jackson was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fifth and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, Amateur Wrestling News, and Cadet All-American honors. Jackson competed for Fresno State.

Telly Sanders — Buchanan, Central Section — 1998

Telly Sanders was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fourth, second, and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Cadet Greco-Roman All-American honors. Sanders competed for Fresno City Community College, where he earned All-American honors.

David Schenk — Anderson, Northern Section — 1998

David Schenk was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fifth, first, and second. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Junior Freestyle All-American honors. Schenk competed for Cal Poly, SLO, and made three trips to the NCAAs.

Justin Flores — Temecula Valley, Southern Section — 1998

Justin Flores was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing sixth, first, and third. He earned NHSCA Senior High School and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors. Flores competed for the University of Nebraska and qualified for the NCAAs.

Kirk Moore — Foothill-Bakersfield, Central Section — 1998

Kirk Moore was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors. Moore competed for Purdue University and qualified for the NCAAs.

Cristobal Gonzalez — Ventura, Southern Section — 1998

Cristobal Gonzalez was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors. Gonzalez competed for Moorpark Community College, where he won a 3C2A State Championship and earned two All-American honors.

Phil Alejandrino — Chino, Southern Section — 1998

Phil Alejandrino was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing sixth and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School, ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and two Junior Freestyle All-American honors. Alejandrino competed for Arizona State.

Ricky Palominio — Independence, Central Coast Section — 1999

Ricky Palominio was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and fourth. He earned Amateur Wrestling News recognition, two Cadet All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman, and a Junior Greco-Roman All-American honor.

Jimmy Medeiros — American, North Coast Section — 1999

Jimmy Medeiros was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School, ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, Wrestling USA, Cadet Greco-Roman, and two Junior Greco-Roman All-American honors. Medeiros competed for Fresno State and qualified for the NCAAs.

Matt Cox — Oakdale, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2000

Matt Cox was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA recognition.

Clint Walbeck — Clovis, Central Section — 2000

Clint Walbeck was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and second. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Walbeck competed for Fresno State and qualified for the NCAAs twice.

Steve Esparza — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 2001

Steve Esparza was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He won an NHSCA Senior High School National Championship and earned Amateur Wrestling News, ASICS Honorable Mention, and Wrestling USA honors. Esparza competed for Cal Poly, SLO, and qualified for the NCAAs.

Kenneth Cook — American, North Coast Section — 2001

Kenneth Cook was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fourth, second, and first. He won an NHSCA Senior High School National Championship and earned ASICS Second-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA All-American honors. Cook qualified for the NCAAs for UC Davis.

Sean Sheets — Centennial-Bakersfield, Central Section — 2001

Sean Sheets was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing seventh, second, and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for Fresno State.

Orlando Galvan — Loara, Southern Section — 2001

Orlando Galvan was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing seventh, first, and seventh. He won an NHSCA Senior High School National Championship and earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA All-American honors.

Miguel Gutierrez — Foothill-Bakersfield, Central Section — 2001

Miguel Gutierrez was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing third, third, and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School, ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA All-American honors. Gutierrez competed for Bakersfield Community College, where he won two 3C2A State Championships, earned two All-American honors, and was named Outstanding Wrestler twice.

Ryan Halsey — Rancho Buena Vista, San Diego Section — 2001

Ryan Halsey was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing sixth and first. His national résumé included NHSCA Senior High School All-American finalist, Cadet National Champion, two Cadet All-American honors, Junior National Champion, four Junior All-American honors, ASICS Third-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Halsey won a Pac-10 Championship at Cal Poly, SLO, and qualified for the NCAAs four times.

Lionel Apineru — Barstow, Southern Section — 2001

Lionel Apineru was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing sixth, sixth, and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors.

Conan Williams — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 2001

Conan Williams was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA recognition and competed for Michigan State.

Chris Lopez — Northview, Southern Section — 2001

Chris Lopez was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and second. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and was a 3C2A State Champion and All-American at Cerritos College.

Juan Mora — Rancho Buena Vista, San Diego Section — 2001

Juan Mora was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA recognition. Mora competed for Cal State Fullerton and qualified for the NCAAs three times.

Gerard Contreras — Buchanan, Central Section — 2002

Gerard Contreras was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and second. He earned NHSCA Senior High School and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors. Contreras competed for Moorpark College and placed at the 3C2A State Championships.

Josh Sherley — Bakersfield, Central Section — 2002

Josh Sherley was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA honors.

Danny Cadwallader — Brethren Christian, Southern Section — 2002

Danny Cadwallader was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing sixth and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School, Cadet Greco-Roman, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Cadwallader competed in the NAIA for Embry-Riddle.

Kyle Devan — Vacaville, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2003

Kyle Devan was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned Cadet All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Gabe Flores — Madera/Clovis, Central Section — 2003

Gabe Flores was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing third, first, and second. He earned two Fargo All-American honors in Cadet Greco-Roman and freestyle, along with NHSCA Senior High School Nationals, ASICS Honorable Mention, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Flores competed for the University of Illinois and qualified for the NCAAs three times.

Yuri Kalika — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 2003

Yuri Kalika was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing sixth and first. He earned two Cadet Greco-Roman All-American honors and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Kalika competed for Cal Poly, SLO.

Micah Ferguson — Del Oro, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2004

Micah Ferguson was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing third, fourth, and first. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors and competed for Cal Poly, SLO.

Alex Herrera — Bakersfield, Central Section — 2004

Alex Herrera was a CIF State champion and three-time finalist. He earned two Fargo Cadet Freestyle All-American honors, along with Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Herrera competed for Bakersfield College, where he was a 3C2A State finalist and All-American.

Ryan Williams — La Costa Canyon, San Diego Section — 2004

Ryan Williams was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fourth, third, and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for Cal Poly, SLO.

Chris Martinez — Clovis West, Central Section — 2004

Chris Martinez was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and second. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Colton Nichols — Poway, San Diego Section — 2005

Colton Nichols was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA honors. Nichols competed for Cal State Bakersfield and qualified for the NCAAs.

Michael Drake — Elk Grove, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2005

Michael Drake was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

David Christian — San Ramon Valley, North Coast Section — 2005

David Christian was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing eighth, sixth, and first. He earned Cadet, NHSCA Senior High School, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA All-American honors. Christian competed for Cal Poly, SLO.

Trevor Machado-Ching — Oakdale, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2006

Trevor Machado-Ching was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and fourth. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention honors and competed for UC Davis.

Filip Novachkov — Fremont, Central Coast Section — 2006

Filip Novachkov was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fourth, second, and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School and Fargo Junior Freestyle All-American honors, along with ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Novachkov competed for Cal Poly, SLO.

Elijah Nacita — Bakersfield, Central Section — 2006

Elijah Nacita was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing seventh, second, and first. He earned Fargo Junior Freestyle All-American, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Nacita competed for Cal State Bakersfield and qualified for the NCAAs.

Greg Crane — Fremont, Central Coast Section — 2006

Greg Crane was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fifth and first. He earned Cadet All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for Cal State Bakersfield.

Nathan Timmerman — Monache, Central Section — 2006

Nathan Timmerman was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing seventh and first. He earned Cadet Freestyle All-American honors.

Justin Danz — Ponderosa, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2007

Justin Danz was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned NHSCA Senior and Junior High School All-American, ASICS Third-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA honors. Danz competed for Hofstra University.

Thomas Williams — South Hills, Southern Section — 2008

Thomas Williams was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing second, first, and fourth. He earned Fargo Cadet and Junior All-American honors, as well as NHSCA Senior High School, Amateur Wrestling News, Wrestling USA Magazine, and two ASICS Honorable Mention selections. Williams competed for American University.

Justin Arredondo — Buchanan, Central Section — 2008

Justin Arredondo was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing third, seventh, and first. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for UC Davis.

Kody Klaus — Vacaville, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2008

Kody Klaus was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA honors and competed for UC Davis.

Chris Uriquizo — Merced, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2009

Chris Uriquizo was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing second and first. He earned NHSCA Senior High School and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Uriquizo competed for Fresno City College, where he won a 3C2A State Championship and earned All-American honors.

Henry Yorba — Poway, San Diego Section — 2009

Henry Yorba was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing sixth, sixth, and first. He earned NHSCA Junior High School, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA All-American honors and competed for Cal State Fullerton.

Ian Daube — Poway, San Diego Section — 2009

Ian Daube was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned two Cadet All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman, along with Amateur Wrestling News All-American recognition. Daube competed for the University of Oklahoma.

Bryan Grubbs — La Costa Canyon, San Diego Section — 2010

Bryan Grubbs was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA All-American honors.

Chris Martinez — Clovis West, Central Section — 2010

Chris Martinez was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fifth and first. He earned Wrestling USA All-American honors and competed for San Francisco State.

Frank Martinez — Northview, Southern Section — 2010

Frank Martinez was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing sixth and first. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Martinez competed for Rio Hondo College, where he won a 3C2A State Championship and earned All-American honors.

Johnson Mai — North Torrance, Southern Section — 2012

Johnson Mai was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and second. He won a Junior Fargo National Championship in Greco-Roman and earned three Fargo All-American honors, two ASICS All-American selections, and Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA recognition. Mai competed for Columbia University.

Jake Elliott — Oakmont, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2012

Jake Elliott was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and second. He earned Junior Fargo, NHSCA Senior High School, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA All-American honors. Elliott competed for the University of Wyoming.

Robert Marchese — Oak Hills, Southern Section — 2012

Robert Marchese was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing eighth, seventh, and first. He earned NHSCA Junior National Championships, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Marchese competed for Bucknell University.

Johnny Schupp — Vacaville, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2012

Johnny Schupp was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fifth and first. He earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Isaiah Locsin — Live Oak, Central Coast Section — 2013

Isaiah Locsin was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing second, first, and second. He earned ASICS Honorable Mention All-American honors and competed for Stanford University.

Luke Wilson — Righetti, Southern Section — 2013

Luke Wilson was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing eighth and first. He earned NHSCA Senior and Junior All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Wilson competed for Cal Poly, SLO.

Peter Santos — Oakmont, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2013

Peter Santos was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fifth and first. He earned FLO Nationals All-American, ASICS Honorable Mention, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Santos competed for North Carolina State before transferring to San Francisco State, where he qualified for the NCAAs.

Emillio Saavedra — Modesto, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2014

Emillio Saavedra was a CIF State champion and four-time medalist, placing third, fourth, first, and third. He won a FLO National Championship and earned three All-American honors, along with ASICS Honorable Mention and Wrestling USA recognition. Saavedra competed for Old Dominion University.

Michael Knoblauch — Clovis West, Central Section — 2014

Michael Knoblauch was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for Clackamas College.

Jonny Parada — San Fernando, Los Angeles City Section — 2014

Jonny Parada was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing first and fifth. He competed for Cerritos College and Mt. San Antonio College.

Ian Baker — La Costa Canyon, San Diego Section — 2014

Ian Baker was a CIF State champion who won the NHSCA Junior Nationals and earned All-American honors at the NHSCA Senior Nationals and from Wrestling USA Magazine. Baker competed for Princeton University.

Wyatt Wyckoff — Paradise, Northern Section — 2015

Wyatt Wyckoff was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing second, second, and first. He earned Junior Fargo Greco-Roman and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for Army at West Point.

Austin Flores — Clovis North, Central Section — 2015

Austin Flores was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fourth and first. He earned two FLO Nationals All-American honors and NHSCA Senior and Junior All-American recognition. Flores competed for Stanford University.

Anthony Hernandez — Vacaville, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2015

Anthony Hernandez was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing seventh and first. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for California Baptist.

Jeremy Thomas — Santiago/Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 2016

Jeremy Thomas was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned Cadet Folkstyle All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for the University of Oklahoma.

AJ Nevills — Clovis, Central Section — 2016

AJ Nevills was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing seventh, second, and first. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for Fresno State and South Dakota State, making several trips to the NCAAs.

Anthony Mantanona — Palm Desert, Southern Section — 2017

Anthony Mantanona was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fourth, second, and first. His national résumé included championships at FLO Nationals, Fargo Junior Greco-Roman, and Cadet and Junior Folkstyle events. He also earned ASICS Honorable Mention and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Mantanona competed for the University of Oklahoma and qualified for the NCAAs three times.

Jaden Enriquez — Mission Oak, Central Section — 2017

Jaden Enriquez was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fourth, second, and first. He won Junior Fargo and Cadet Fargo National Championships in Greco-Roman and earned three Junior and four Cadet Fargo All-American honors across freestyle and Greco-Roman. He also earned NHSCA Senior, Sophomore, and Freshman recognition, including an NHSCA Freshman National Championship, two Junior Folkstyle All-American honors, a Cadet Folkstyle National Championship, and Wrestling USA recognition. Enriquez competed for Michigan State.

Gary Joint — Lemoore, Central Section — 2017

Gary Joint was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing third and first. He earned Junior Fargo, Cadet Folkstyle, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Joint competed for Fresno State and qualified for the NCAAs.

Cade Belshay — Buchanan, Central Section — 2017

Cade Belshay was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fifth and first. He won a Junior Folkstyle National Championship and earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Belshay competed for Arizona State.

Chasen Blair — Rancho Bernardo, San Diego Section — 2017

Chasen Blair was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fifth, fourth, and first. He earned NHSCA Junior All-American, NHSCA Sophomore National Championship, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Brandon Martino — Clovis, Central Section — 2017

Brandon Martino was a CIF State champion and two-time medalist, placing fifth and first. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors and competed for Fresno State.

Josh Kim — Santiago, Southern Section — 2018

Josh Kim was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing third, second, and first. His national résumé included Junior Fargo, Junior Folkstyle, and three Cadet Folkstyle All-American honors, along with Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Kim competed for Harvard University and qualified for the NCAAs.

Ethan Leake — Buchanan, Central Section — 2018

Ethan Leake was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing first, fourth, and third. He earned NHSCA Sophomore, Junior Folkstyle, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. Leake competed for Chardon State and qualified for the NCAAs.

Peyton Omania — De La Salle, North Coast Section — 2018

Peyton Omania was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fifth, sixth, and first. He won the Junior Fargo Greco-Roman Nationals and earned two All-American honors overall, along with Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. Omania competed for Michigan State University and qualified for the NCAAs.

Chase Saldate — Gilroy, Central Coast Section — 2020

Chase Saldate was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing fourth, second, and first. He earned Junior Freestyle All-American honors at Fargo. Saldate competed for the University of Michigan and qualified for the NCAAs four times.

Sonny Santiago — St. John Bosco, Southern Section — 2020

Sonny Santiago was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing sixth, first, and third. He competed for the University of North Carolina and qualified for the NCAAs.

Guillermo Escobedo — Bishop Amat, Southern Section — 2020

Guillermo Escobedo was a CIF State champion and three-time medalist, placing sixth, third, and first. He earned Fargo Junior Greco-Roman All-American honors.

Giano Petrucelli — Clovis, Central Section — 2020

Giano Petrucelli was a CIF State champion and four-time medalist, placing sixth, sixth, fourth, and first. He competed for the Air Force Academy.

THE EXTRAORDINARY DIFFICULTY OF REACHING NCAA DIVISION I

The accomplishments of these wrestlers become even more significant when the difficulty of advancing from high school wrestling to NCAA Division I is placed in perspective.

The pathway narrows dramatically.

California has one of the largest and deepest high school wrestling populations in the country, with more than 35,000 athletes participating in boys’ and girls’ wrestling. From that enormous pool, earning the opportunity to compete at the CIF State Championships is itself a significant accomplishment.

To qualify for the State tournament—and then place among the top eight in a respective weight class—is an extraordinarily difficult task. The State medal stand represents only a very small percentage of California’s high school wrestling population. Less than 1% of California high school wrestlers can claim one or more CIF State medals on their résumé.

That perspective is important. A State medalist has already distinguished himself or herself from a field of more than 35,000 athletes. The wrestler must first navigate a highly competitive sectional qualification process and then defeat some of the state’s best wrestlers to earn a place among the eight State medalists in a weight class.

The pathway becomes even narrower beyond high school. According to the NCAA’s 2024–25 participation data, approximately 0.9% of high school male wrestlers nationally go on to compete at the NCAA Division I level—roughlyone in every 111 high school wrestlers. From that already limited group, only a fraction earn NCAA All-American honors, awarded to wrestlers who place among the top eight at the NCAA Division I Championships.

That context is particularly important when considering Tier 4.

Tier 4 is fundamentally a prep-achievement tier. Placement in this tier is not a judgment on what a wrestler did—or did not do—after high school. The higher tiers incorporate additional collegiate, international, and other accomplishments that meet their respective criteria.

A wrestler may go on to compete successfully in college, earn junior-level recognition such as 3C2A honors, or distinguish himself or herself in other areas without necessarily meeting the criteria for a higher tier. Conversely, a wrestler who has only recently entered college—or remains in high school—may already possess one of California’s most accomplished prep résumés while the remainder of the career is still unfolding.

That distinction is critical. Tier 4 recognizes the extraordinary depth and quality of California high school wrestling. It should not be interpreted as suggesting that a wrestler failed to achieve beyond high school. In many cases, the placement simply reflects the purpose and boundaries of the tier. For younger wrestlers, it also recognizes that their ultimate résumés have yet to be written.

ONE-TIME STATE CHAMPIONS

When One Title Does Not Tell the Whole Story

The one-time State champion category may be the most revealing of all.

These wrestlers demonstrate that even a single CIF State championship can represent only one part of an extraordinary four-year career.

They include athletes who reached the State podium three or four times, repeatedly advanced to State finals, won national championships, earned multiple Fargo All-American honors, or received recognition from respected national prep organizations.

Adam Coffing

Adam Coffing was a four-time State medalist, finishing third, second, first, and second. He also earned Amateur Wrestling News All-American recognition.

Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas was a four-time State medalist, finishing fourth, third, second, and first. He earned ASICS, Cadet Folkstyle, and Wrestling USA recognition and competed for Oklahoma, making four NCAA Championship appearances.

Mason Pengilly

Mason Pengilly was a four-time State medalist, finishing fourth, fifth, first, and second. His national résumé included Junior and Cadet Fargo honors, two FLO Nationals All-American selections, an NHSCA Senior High School National Championship, and Wrestling USA recognition. He competed for Stanford and qualified for the NCAAs.

Durbin Lloren Jr.

Durbin Lloren Jr. was a four-time State medalist, finishing fifth, fifth, first, and second. He earned FLO Nationals, Junior Folkstyle, NHSCA, and Wrestling USA recognition and competed for Utah Valley and Fresno State, qualifying for the NCAAs.

Zach Nevills

Zach Nevills was a four-time State medalist, finishing fifth, second, third, and first. He earned FLO Nationals, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA recognition and competed for Stanford, qualifying for the NCAAs.

Julian Flores

Julian Flores was a four-time State medalist, finishing fifth, fifth, first, and fourth. He earned three Junior Folkstyle All-American honors, along with Cadet and Wrestling USA recognition. Flores competed for Drexel and qualified for the NCAAs.

James Cook

James Cook was a four-time State medalist, finishing seventh, second, fourth, and first. He also won an NHSCA Sophomore National Championship and competed for Campbell.

Hunter Collins

Hunter Collins was a four-time State medalist, finishing eighth, second, third, and first. He also won an NHSCA Junior National Championship and earned extensive national recognition. Collins competed for Michigan.

Ryan Reyes

Ryan Reyes was a four-time State medalist, finishing seventh, third, third, and first. He won NHSCA Freshman and Sophomore National Championships and competed for Oregon State, qualifying for the NCAAs.

ADDITIONAL ONE-TIME STATE CHAMPIONS

The category continues with a remarkably large collection of California State champions

Antonio McKee — Long Beach Poly, Southern Section — 1988

Antonio McKee was a CIF State champion who earned two-time 3C2A State champion honors and completed an undefeated 61-0 community-college career. He was also a two-time All-American at Cerritos College. His 3C2A accomplishments are noted as part of his career record but, under the Tier 4 methodology, junior-college success alone does not automatically qualify a wrestler for Tier 3.

Greg Smith — Rim of the World, Southern Section — 2001

Greg Smith was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, ASICS Third-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Ricky Turk — Rim of the World, Southern Section — 2002

Ricky Turk was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Columbia University.

Zander Wick — San Marino, Southern Section — 2016

Zander Wick was a CIF State champion who earned two Junior Fargo All-American and two Junior Folkstyle All-American honors, along with two Cadet Folkstyle National Championships, ASICS Honorable Mention, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for the University of Wisconsin.

Cade Olivas — St. John Bosco, Southern Section — 2015

Cade Olivas was a CIF State champion and two-time Cadet Folkstyle National Champion who earned three All-American honors, including ASICS First-Team and Amateur Wrestling News First-Team recognition. He was also a FILA Cadet World bronze medalist in Greco-Roman.

Zack Velasquez — Ponderosa, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2015

Zack Velasquez was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Grand Canyon and Northern Illinois.

Allen Kennett — Bellflower, Southern Section — 2001

Allen Kennett was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Mike Hurst — Grace Davis, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2004

Mike Hurst was a CIF State champion who earned Cadet Greco-Roman All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Garrett Spooner — Clovis, Central Section — 2000

Garrett Spooner was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Fresno State and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Quentin Hovis — Poway, San Diego Section — 2017

Quentin Hovis was a CIF State champion who earned ASICS Second-Team, Amateur Wrestling News Second-Team, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for the U.S. Naval Academy.

Mark Andersen — Lemoore, Central Section — 2005

Mark Andersen was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, ASICS Honorable Mention, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for West Virginia and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Joshua Naus — Centennial, Central Section — 1999

Joshua Naus was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School, ASICS Third-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, Wrestling USA Magazine, Cadet Greco-Roman, and Junior Greco-Roman All-American honors. He later competed for the University of Nebraska.

Erin Milsap — South Hills, Southern Section — 1986

Erin Milsap was a CIF State champion who won a Junior National Championship in freestyle and earned four All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman, along with ASICS Honorable Mention recognition. He later competed for Cal State Fullerton and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Derrick Jones — Bloomington, Southern Section — 2013

Derrick Jones was a CIF State champion who won a FLO National Championship and earned FLO All-American and ASICS Honorable Mention recognition. He later competed for Grand Canyon University.

Anthony Rodriguez — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 2001

Anthony Rodriguez was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Lindenwood and qualified for the NAIA Championships.

Brian Sergi — College Park, North Coast Section — 2012

Brian Sergi was a CIF State champion who earned Junior Fargo and Cadet Fargo All-American honors in Greco-Roman, along with Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for Sacramento City College and earned 3C2A All-American honors.

Steven Juarez — Hanford, Central Section — 2004

Steven Juarez was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors, along with two Cadet All-American distinctions in freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Brett Sloan — Vacaville, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2003

Brett Sloan was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American, Cadet Greco-Roman All-American, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Fresno State.

Drew East — Bakersfield, Central Section — 2002

Drew East was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Steve Vieira — Hughson, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1999

Steve Vieira was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Cody Rodebaugh — San Lorenzo Valley, Central Coast Section — 2009

Cody Rodebaugh was a CIF State champion who earned Cadet Greco-Roman All-American recognition. He later competed for Sierra College in the 3C2A.

Rob Lagenwalter — Esperanza, Southern Section — 1990

Rob Lagenwalter was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition.

Darryl Christian — Canyon, Southern Section — 1994

Darryl Christian was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News All-American recognition. He later competed for the University of Oregon and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Rick Monge — Mater Dei, Southern Section — 1990

Rick Monge was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition. He later competed for Cal State Bakersfield and Ohio State and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Roger Roberts — Merced, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1973

Roger Roberts was a champion at the inaugural CIF State Championships who earned Amateur Wrestling News H.S. All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Oklahoma State.

Jason Lara — Calvary Chapel, Southern Section — 2007

Jason Lara was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Oregon State and qualified for the NCAA Championships twice.

Jon Stevens — Castro Valley, North Coast Section — 2002

Jon Stevens was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Lassen College.

Andrew Rogers — Healdsburg, North Coast Section — 2006

Andrew Rogers was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Junior High School and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Jacob Good — Clovis, Central Section — 2019

Jacob Good was a CIF State champion who earned ASICS Honorable Mention and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Arizona State University.

Anthony Valencia — Mark Keppel, Southern Section — 1993

Anthony Valencia was a CIF State champion and NHSCA Senior High School National Champion who also earned Amateur Wrestling News All-American recognition.

Maxx Harpel — Will C. Wood, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2007

Maxx Harpel was a CIF State champion who earned Cadet freestyle All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Bobby Gonzalez — Vallejo, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2003

Bobby Gonzalez was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Norman Abas — Canyon Springs, Southern Section — 1994

Norman Abas was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA All-American honors, along with Cadet and Junior freestyle All-American recognition. He later competed for Fresno City College and placed at the 3C2A State Championships.

Terence Gillem — Helix Charter, San Diego Section — 2016

Terence Gillem was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition.

Juan Alvarez — El Modena, Southern Section — 1994

Juan Alvarez was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition. He later competed for Missouri Valley College.

Angel Wong — Santa Fe, Southern Section — 2002

Angel Wong was a CIF State champion who earned ASICS Third-Team, Amateur Wrestling News, and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors.

Matt Demers — Grace Davis, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1996

Matt Demers was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition. He later competed for Fresno State and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Zakary Levatino — Buchanan, Central Section — 2016

Zakary Levatino was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for Cal State Bakersfield.

Matt Gamble — Monache, Central Section — 2014

Matt Gamble was a CIF State champion who earned Junior Fargo All-American recognition in freestyle. He later competed for Cal State Bakersfield.

Tyler Johnson — Vacaville, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2010

Tyler Johnson was a CIF State champion who earned Cadet Fargo All-American and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors. He later competed for Dickinson State.

Seth Hicks — Centennial-Bakersfield, Central Section — 2009

Seth Hicks was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for Liberty University.

Mike Flemming — El Dorado, Southern Section — 1973

Mike Flemming was a champion at the inaugural CIF State Championships who earned Junior Nationals All-American recognition. He later competed for Fullerton College, where he won a 3C2A State title and earned All-American honors, before transferring to UCLA.

Eddie Ramos — Porterville, Central Section — 1993

Eddie Ramos was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition. He later competed for Fresno City College, winning a 3C2A State title and earning two All-American honors.

Steven Trevino — Santa Fe, Southern Section — 1999

Steven Trevino was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School All-American recognition.

Daniel Murphree — Vintage, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2003

Daniel Murphree was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for UC Davis.

Shad Manigault — Northview, Southern Section — 2006

Shad Manigault was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for West Hills College and earned 3C2A All-American honors.

Garrett Drucker — Edison, Southern Section — 2007

Garrett Drucker was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for Oregon State University.

Justin Bailey — Vacaville, Sac-Joaquin Section — 1999

Justin Bailey was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition.

Lefi Letuligasenoa — Elk Grove, Sac-Joaquin Section — 2010

Lefi Letuligasenoa was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition.

Nick Sierra — Lemoore, Central Section — 2010

Nick Sierra was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Freshman All-American recognition. He later competed for Grand Canyon University.

Hexton Coronado — Clovis, Central Section — 2015

Hexton Coronado was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition.

Andrew Balch — Buchanan, Central Section — 2008

Andrew Balch was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for Cal State Bakersfield.

Mike Kopp — San Ramon Valley, North Coast Section — 1987

Mike Kopp was a CIF State champion who earned ASICS Honorable Mention recognition. He later competed for Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Jeremiah Miller — South Hills, Southern Section — 1992

Jeremiah Miller was a CIF State champion who earned NHSCA Senior High School and Amateur Wrestling News All-American honors. He later competed for Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Bruce Kopitar — Clayton Valley, North Coast Section — 1977

Bruce Kopitar was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News H.S. All-American recognition. He later competed for Diablo Valley College, earning 3C2A All-American honors, and also competed for the University of Oklahoma.

Ernie Flores — Madera, Central Section — 1973

Ernie Flores was a champion at the inaugural CIF State Championships who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for Fresno City College and placed at the 3C2A State Championships.

Fred DeLeon — Oak Grove, Central Coast Section — 1973

Fred DeLeon was a champion at the inaugural CIF State Championships who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition. He later competed for UCLA and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Rande Coste — Claremont, Southern Section — 1976

Rande Coste was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News H.S. All-American recognition. He later competed for Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Jerry Morrison — Leland, Central Coast Section — 1979

Jerry Morrison was a CIF State champion who earned Amateur Wrestling News H.S. All-American recognition. He later competed for San Jose State University and qualified for the NCAA Championships three times.

Taylor Schmidt — Escondido, San Diego Section — 2000

Taylor Schmidt was a CIF State champion who earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition.

Bob Contreras — Kingsburg, Central Section — 1973

Bob Contreras was the inaugural CIF State champion at 98 pounds.

John Siscon — Mt. Miguel, San Diego Section — 1974

John Siscon was a CIF State champion and two-time State finalist.

AGE, CAREER STAGE AND THE SENIOR-LEVEL BOUNDARY

The wrestlers discussed below represent different stages of development. Several are still in high school, while others have only recently entered college or are in their first few years of collegiate competition. Their inclusion does not suggest they have already accumulated the complete collegiate or international résumé required for a higher tier. Others have competed successfully on the junior international stage, including U17 or U20 World Championships. These accomplishments can be extraordinary indicators of competitive level, but they must be classified according to the level at which they occurred. Senior-level achievement is required for Tiers 1 and 2. A U17 or U20 World medal, Junior World result, Fargo championship, or other youth-level international accomplishment is not interchangeable with a Senior World Championship or Olympic achievement. A wrestler may therefore possess an exceptional youth or junior résumé while remaining below the senior-level threshold for Tiers 1 and 2. Likewise, entering an NCAA program does not establish Tier 3; that tier requires the defined collegiate All-American threshold. The tier system evaluates what a wrestler has actually accomplished—not what the wrestler may accomplish later. This distinction is especially important for active wrestlers whose careers are still unfolding: current accomplishments can be documented and evaluated, but future potential cannot preemptively determine historical tier placement.

TIER 4 — THE NEXT CHAPTER

Several Tier 4 wrestlers are still competing in high school or are only beginning their collegiate careers, making their ultimate résumés impossible to know. Their prep accomplishments already place them among California’s exceptional high-school wrestlers, while early collegiate and youth-level international results provide additional context. Sammy Sanchez, Isaiah Cortez, Henry Aslikyan, David Calkins, and Daniel Herrera each illustrate a different stage of this progression—from State championships and Fargo titles to U17/U20 World medals and early NCAA competition. Their accomplishments are significant, but U17 and U20 World results are youth-level international achievements, while U23 competition remains below the senior level required for Tiers 1 and 2. Their stories remain unfinished, with future collegiate, senior-level, and international accomplishments potentially changing where they ultimately fit within the historical framework.

Wrestlers Representing the “Next Chapter”

Sammy Sanchez — Esperanza, Southern Section

Sammy Sanchez was a CIF State champion and Junior Fargo National champion. He also won two U17 World Championships in freestyle.

Isaiah Cortez — Gilroy, Central Coast Section — 2025

Isaiah Cortez was a two-time CIF State champion and four-time State medalist. He also earned a U20 World silver medal and currently competes for Cornell University.

Henry Aslikyan — Birmingham, Los Angeles City Section — 2025

Henry Aslikyan was a two-time CIF State champion and three-time State medalist. He also earned a U17 World bronze medal and currently competes for the University of Michigan.

David Calkins — Liberty, North Coast Section — 2026

David Calkins was a CIF State champion and three-time State medalist. He also won a 16U Fargo National Championship and earned a U17 World bronze medal in Greco-Roman.

Daniel Herrera — Palm Desert, Southern Section — 2024

Daniel Herrera was a two-time CIF State champion. He also won an Iowa State Championship and a U23 National Championship and competed collegiately for Iowa State and Rutgers.

Grigor Cholakyan — St. John Bosco, Southern Section — 2024

Grigor Cholakyan was a CIF State champion and three-time State medalist. He earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American honors, two 16U Fargo All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman, and three Junior Fargo All-American honors in freestyle.

Isaiah Quintero — El Dorado, Southern Section — 2024

Isaiah Quintero was a CIF State champion and three-time State medalist. He earned 16U Fargo All-American honors in freestyle and Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition and currently competes for Purdue University.

Jack Gioffre — Buchanan, Central Section — 2022

Jack Gioffre was a CIF State champion and three-time State medalist, placing second, fourth, and first. He also earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition and currently competes for the University of Oklahoma.

Joey Cruz — Bullard, Central Section — 2022

Joey Cruz was a CIF State champion and three-time State medalist, placing third, second, and first. He also earned Wrestling USA Magazine All-American recognition and currently competes for the University of Iowa.

Nicholas Sahakian — St. John Bosco, Southern Section — 2024

Nicholas Sahakian was a CIF State champion and three-time State medalist, placing third, first, and second. He also won a 16U Fargo National Championship and earned three Fargo All-American honors in freestyle and Greco-Roman. He currently competes for the University of Michigan.

The point is not to project where these wrestlers will finish—it is to recognize that their résumés are still developing. Tier 4 captures what they have accomplished to date while preserving the distinction between exceptional prep/youth achievement and the established thresholds required for the higher tiers.

THE BOUNDARY MATTERS

These cases demonstrate why the tier system cannot treat every additional accomplishment as an automatic promotion.

Tier 4 is not a holding area for wrestlers who accomplished nothing beyond high school. It is a deliberate category recognizing exceptional prep-level achievement.

A wrestler can have a remarkable résumé that includes national youth championships, Fargo All-American honors, U17 or U20 World medals, college competition, or other post-high-school accomplishments and still require evaluation primarily through the Tier 4 lens.

Several wrestlers in this group are also still developing their careers. Some remain in high school; others have only recently entered college. Their current résumés should therefore be distinguished from established collegiate or senior-level competitors with many additional seasons of achievement.

For international competition, the dividing line is explicit:

Junior-level success can demonstrate exceptional achievement, but Tiers 1 and 2 require senior-level accomplishment.

Conversely, once a wrestler achieves an accomplishment that independently satisfies the defined criteria for Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3, that accomplishment must be considered and the wrestler’s placement reevaluated.

The governing principle is straightforward:

Post-high-school accomplishment is not automatically a tier change. Threshold-level accomplishment is.

The system also does not project future achievement.

A wrestler is evaluated on the résumé that exists today, not the résumé that might exist five or ten years from now.

In a state with California’s extraordinary depth, that boundary is critical. The objective is not to reward the longest résumé or the wrestler with the most potential, but to identify the level of achievement actually established and place it in the appropriate historical tier.

THE ENORMITY OF TIER 4

The true significance of Tier 4 is not found in any single wrestler.

It is found in the sheer number of exceptional careers required to create this category.

In many states, a four-time State champion is an obvious historical rarity.

In California, that achievement is only the beginning of the discussion.

Behind the four-time champions are three-time champions. Behind them are two-time champions with four State medals. Behind them are one-time champions with three- and four-time podium appearances and national championship résumés.

And beyond those wrestlers lies an even larger population of State finalists, medalists, national qualifiers, Fargo All-Americans, NHSCA champions, and nationally recognized prep wrestlers.

That is the California phenomenon.

The Golden State’s wrestling history is not defined solely by its most famous champions. It is defined by the extraordinary depth of competition those champions had to survive.

A wrestler could stand on the CIF State podium multiple times and still find himself surrounded by other wrestlers with equally remarkable résumés.

A two-time State champion could compete in an era that also produced three- and four-time champions.

A one-time champion could accumulate enough State medals and national honors to warrant serious historical consideration.

This is why Tier 4 is essential to the California Top 100 project.

It captures the enormous middle and upper-middle layer of California’s prep excellence—the careers that might be overlooked if history were reduced to Olympic medals, NCAA championships, or collegiate All-American honors alone.

These wrestlers represent different generations, sections, weight classes, schools, and eras of California wrestling.

Yet they share a common distinction:

They were exceptional at the prep level.

Their State championships and medals tell one story. Their national championships, Fargo accomplishments, NHSCA honors, and All-American selections tell another.

Together, those accomplishments form a remarkable historical record of a state that has consistently produced elite high school wrestling talent.

And perhaps that is the most revealing conclusion of all:

In California, the depth of wrestling excellence is so extraordinary that even Tier 4 contains careers that would stand among the historical highlights of many other states.

Tier 4 is therefore not a consolation tier.

It is a deliberate recognition of California’s enormous prep wrestling talent pool—a category acknowledging that before many wrestlers ever reached college, the Golden State had already produced careers of extraordinary quality.

The names are numerous.

The generations are many.

The accomplishments are staggering.

And collectively, they help explain the remarkable depth of California wrestling history.

Photos courtesy of Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.

Coming Next in Phase 2: TIER 4: California High School Elite [Part II]

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