After dismantling the competition in the Pac-10 Championships two weeks ago, ASU sophomore wrestler Anthony Robles is taking his act to the national stage.
Robles won the Pac-10 title at the 125-pound weight class by defeating Cal State Bakersfield’s Brandon Zoeteway 17-1 on March 2, and will begin his quest for a national crown today at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis.
“I think his performance at the Pac-10 championships just showed what he is capable of at nationals,” ASU coach Thom Ortiz said. “He was sick earlier in the year and lost a match, but he got through it, and he is wrestling very well right now.”
Robles became the 100th Sun Devil to win an individual Pac-10 title. It was also the 50th-career win for the sophomore who is 25-6 this season.
Robles will be joined in Missouri by sophomore teammate Chris Drouin.
The 141-pounder, who entered the Pac-10 Championships ranked No. 5 in the nation in his weight class, lost a heartbreaker in the Pac-10
finals, dropping a 9-8 decision to the No. 2 tournament-seed Elijah Nacita.
Drouin fell behind in the match early 5-0, but he battled back and nearly stole the conference title.
Drouin’s coach said the bitter loss has his wrestler highly
motivated heading into today’s national meet.
“Sometimes things happen for a reason,” Ortiz said.
“[Drouin] came up short at the Pac-10’s, but he’s ready to come out and wrestle strong at nationals.”
Drouin has an individual title under his belt this season with a first-place finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions.
The two sophomores have been the undisputed leaders of a young Sun Devil squad this season, and Ortiz has lauded the integrity the duo has shown toward the ASU program.
“It was a tough time this summer when the program got cut,” Ortiz said. “Those two could have had full-ride scholarships to wrestle somewhere else, but they are loyal to this program. They could have gone somewhere else, but they are Sun Devils through and through.”
Robles and Drouin are both seeded in the top 12 in their respective weight classes. Wrestlers who finish in the top eight in their weight class earn All-America honors. Both wrestlers fell one victory short of obtaining that mark during last year’s NCAA Championships.
The finals of the national meet, which will take place at the Scottrade Center on Saturday, will be broadcasted live on ESPN.
Reach the reporter at nkosmide@asu.edu.
