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    San Francisco State will be led by NCAA champion Pacifico Garcia

    San Francisco, Calif. -- San Francisco State University wrestling program will look to continue its tradition of having an All-American this season. The Gators streak is at 16 straight years and was continued by a pair of All-Americans including a National Champion last year. Senior 149 lb. wrestler Pacifico Garcia (Fresno, CA/Clovis HS) captured his weight class last season in Omaha, Nebraska, while now Assistant Coach Donald Lockett (Daly City, CA/Lowell HS) finished in third place at 141. As a team, SF State finished tied for 11th place at the Nationals with Central Oklahoma University.

    "This season we are looking to finish in the top three in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and in the top ten at Nationals in March in Findlay, Ohio," stated head coach Lars Jensen. In order to get there, Coach Jensen is looking for returnees Garcia, Eric Fitzpatrick (Sr, 141, Union City, CA/James Logan HS), Mikhail Higa (So, 125, Hilo, HI/Waiakea HS), and Kirk Fitzpatrick (Jr, 157, Union City, CA/James Logan HS) along with freshman Virgil Lockett (Fr, 133, San Francisco, CA/George Washington HS) to lead the way.

    Garcia finished his junior season with a 33-7 record. Besides being a returning National Champion, he is also a two-time All-American for the Gators. Eric Fitzpatrick finished last year with a 6-5 record and a placer at the 2003 RMAC/NCAA Division II West Regional Championships. Higa finished his first season as a Gator with a 8-13 record and also was a place at the RMAC/NCAA Division I West Regional Championships while Kirk Fitzpatrick red-shirted last season.

    Coach Jensen is also looking for newcomers Will Simmons (Jr, 174, Sacramento, CA/Sac City College), Richard Escobar (Jr, 197, Los Gatos, CA/West Valley College), and Sandeep Singh (Sr, 285, Union City, CA/Fresno State University) to play a major role in the Gators' upcoming season.

    In RMAC, Jensen is looking as Nebraska-Kearney, Adams State, and Fort Hays State as the top teams in one of the toughest NCAA Division II conferences in the nation.
    Other returnees for the Gators are: Cleveland Berto (Sr, 157, Winter Haven, FL/Lake Region HS), Alek Butler (Sr, 133, Sonora, CA/San Joaquin Delta College), RJ Clifford (Jr, 165, Huntington Beach, CA/Golden West College), Danny Dahl (Jr, 184, Modesto, CA/Grace Davis HS), Jeff Johnson (So, 141, Antelope, CA/Center HS), Tim Pridmore (So, 184, Napa, CA/Will C. Wood HS), Justin Switzler (So, 157, Elverta, CA/Rio Linda HS), Merrick Tan (So, 149, Union City, CA/James Logan HS), and Brian Watanabe (Jr, 125, Napa, CA/Vintage HS).

    SFSU's newcomers besides Simmons, Escobar, and Singh include Ben Lockett (Jr, 125, San Francisco, CA/Skyline College), Jamil Smart (Fr, 133, Pittsburg, CA/Pittsburg HS), and Nelson Um (Fr, 133, Oakland, CA/Oakland HS).

    The Gators will begin their 2005-06 on Saturday, November 19 in Ashland, Oregon, as they will participate in the Southern Oregon Open. Their first dual meet will be the following Tuesday, November 22 at 7pm against Bay Area rival Stanford University in SF State's Main Gymnasium.
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