Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Georgia State

Started by the legendary Gary Kurdelmeier in the 1991-1992 season Georgia State wrestling only last seven seasons.  Yet in that seven seasons, under both Kurdelmeier & later head coach Keith Watson, the Panthers accomplished quite a bit.  They won the 1995 East Regional team title & in their last season of 1998 they came close finishing in second place.

134 lbs
Jared Ezzell

Ezzel came to Georgia State from North Carolina, where he won three high school state titles for Orange High School.  Originally slated to wrestle for the Tar Heels, Ezzell won an East Regional title for the Panthers in 1995. At this tournament he was named the outstanding wrestler. Declared academically ineligible for the 1995-1996 season, Ezzell hit the books hard & finished his degree with a 4.0 GPA & a top student on the Dean's list.

Billy Maldonado

Maldonado came from Indiana where he won two state titles for East Chicago Central high school in 1996 & 1997.  As a true freshman in 1998, Maldonado won an East Regional title & two matches at the NCAA tournament.  Forced to find a new home after the Panthers discontinuation of wrestling, Maldonado chose to wrestle for the Cyclones of Iowa State.  There he finished off his career as an All American finishing in sixth place at the 2002 NCAA tournament.

150 lbs
Freddy Rodriguez

Rodriguez was a two time East Regional champion for the Panthers winning titles in 1995 & 1996

167 lbs
Robert MacArthur 

Another recipient of the East Regional's Outstanding Wrestler award, MacArthur won titles in 1995 & 1996.

177 lbs
Pat Lynch

One of the greats in New Jersey high school wrestling where he placed four times, made the finals three times & won two state titles for Ocean City High school, the standout with 134 wins & 103 pins originally went to Arizona State to wrestle for the Sun Devils.  While at ASU, he finished as the runner-up at the PAC 12 championships twice, placing fourth at the NCAA tournament as a sophomore.

He transferred to Georgia State winning a East Regional title & finishing a match shy of All American honors his junior year of 1995.  No doubt that had it not been for breaking his hand shortly before the East Regionals in 1996, he most likely would've been the Panthers first All American.  Before the injury that ended his collegiate career, Lynch was ranked #7 in the nation with a 43-2 record.