San Francisco State University's wrestling team, ranked sixth in the nation in NCAA Division II, will send seven wrestlers to the Division II National Wrestling Championships, held March 14 and 15 in Wheeling, West Virginia. The contingent of seven Gator wrestlers matches the record number that went to nationals in 1987 and 1997.

The wrestlers qualified by placing in the top four spots in the Divison II West Regional/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships held March 2 at SFSU. The team placed second in the tournament.

Joey Bareng, a 125-pound junior from Honolulu, Donald Lockett, a 133-pound sophomore from San Francisco, and Mauricio Wright, a 184-pound senior from Folsom all won their respective weight classes at last weekend's tournament. Wright (above right), a three-time All-American, will wrestle at the Division II National Championship for a fourth straight year.

Pacifico Garcia, a 141-pound freshman from Fresno, and Drew Dunbar, a 197-pound senior from Lafayette, both placed second in their weight classes. Garcia (left) was also named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year. Luke Santos, a 149-pound sophomore from Torrance, and Josh McDonald, a 165-pound senior from San Francisco, placed third in their weight classes.

Head coach Lars Jensen, now in his 20th year, was named Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Co-Coach of the Year with Nebraska-Kearney’s Marc Bauer. Jensen also was named the 2003 NCAA Division II West Region Wrestling Coach of the Year.

For more, see the press release.