SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco State's Josh Nolan claimed the individual championship in the 157-pound weight class Sunday during the final two sessions of competition at the 2011 NCAA Division II Super Regional 4/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Wrestling Championships inside SF State's Main Gymnasium. 

 

Nolan's title was one of many highlights for the Gators, who totaled six national qualifiers on the weekend. Those wrestlers joining Nolan for a trip to the NCAA Division II Championships in two weeks feature Naveed Bagheri, Pierre Bondoc, Isaiah Jimenez, Gene Choi and Matt Thomas. Bagheri placed second in the 141-pound weight class; Bondoc (125), Jimenez (165) and Choi (174) each took third in their respective classes, while Thomas (149) finished fourth. The top four wrestlers in each weight division receive a berth in the DII national meet.

 

Having already clinched a spot in the national championships with two wins in the main draw on Saturday, the top-seeded Bagheri sat out the championship match against second-seeded Dalton Jensen of Nebraska-Kearney to rest an injury.

 

Nolan, another No. 1 seed, recorded an escape in the second period and a takedown in the third to edge Western State's second-seeded Justin Morris by a 3-2 tally. With his victory, Nolan provided the Gators a regional champion for the third straight season after Bagheri accomplished the feat at 133 in 2009 and 2010.

 

Following a 1-1 mark on Saturday, the fourth-seeded Bondoc responded with a pair of wins in the consolation draw, cruising past the No. 6 seed Daniel Romero of Mesa State with a 19-6 major decision, before outlasting Adams State's fifth-seeded Jerry Huff, 2-0, in the third-place bout. Bondoc also defeated Huff in his opening match on Saturday, as the Gator senior punched his ticket to the national meet for the first time in his career.

 

Similarly, the No. 2 seed Jimenez also came up with two victories in the backdraw to earn his first-ever national berth. The SF State sophomore notched an 11-3 triumph by major decision over fifth-seeded Jordan Larsen of Colorado Mines, followed by a gritty 3-2 decision over Grand Canyon's No. 4 seeded Mike Fucci in the third-place bout.

 

Meanwhile, the fourth-seeded Choi, who recorded an 8-3 decision over Colorado Mines' No. 7 seed Brandon Sheldon in the consolation semifinals, before blanking second-seeded Trent Zempel of Chadron State, 10-0, by major decision for third place.

 

Also joining Jimenez, Bondoc and Choi as first-time national qualifiers was No. 5 seeded Thomas, who, despite suffering from nagging injuries, managed to post a big 18-7 victory by major decision in the backdraw semifinals over third-seeded Jesse Snider of Colorado Mines. Thomas kept up short in the third-place match, however, as Adams State's No. 4 seed Kenny Jordan defeated the Gator junior for the second time this weekend, including a 12-3 major decision on Sunday.

 

Elsewhere, fifth-seeded Zach Jimenez was stymied in his quest for a second straight visit to the national championships after dropping a pair of bouts in the consolation round at 184. The SF State sophomore experienced a 5-3 setback at the hands of Chadron State's Jordan Debus, before dropping a 9-2 decision to the No. 4 seed Tyler Gonzales of Fort Hays State/

 

As a team, the Gators recorded their second consecutive fourth-place finish after notching 97 points, trailing Nebraska-Kearney (127.50), who won its eighth regional crown in the past 10 seasons, Western State (120) and  Grand Canyon (117), while Adams State (67.50) rounded out the top five.

 

SF State will now have two weeks to prepare for the DII national championships to be staged March 11-12, in Kearney, Neb.

 

Consolation Semifinal: Won by major decision over [6] Daniel Romero (MSC), 19-6

Third-Place Bout: Won by decision over [5] Jerry Huff (ASC), 2-0

 

Championship: Lost by medical forfeit to [2] Dalton Jensen (UNK)

 

Consolation Semifinal: Won by major decision over [3] Jesse Snider (CSM), 18-7

Third-Place Bout: Lost by major decision to [4] Kenny Jordan (ASC), 12-3

 

Championship: Won by decision over [2] Justin Morris (WSC), 3-2

 

Consolation Semifinal: Won by major decision over [5] Jordan Larsen (CSM), 11-3

Third-Place Bout: Won by decision over [4] Mike Fucci (GCU), 3-2

Consolation Semifinal: Won by decision over [7] Brandon Sheldon (CSM), 8-3

Third-Place Bout: Won by major decision over [2] Trent Zempel (CSC), 10-0

 

Consolation Semifinal: Lost by decision to Jordan Debus (CSC), 5-3