Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Alaska-Pacific

Wrestling at times can be exceptionally pessimistic.  I've gotten in numerous discussions over the years of with various people in wrestling of where collegiate wrestling could work & where it couldn't work. In regards to the state of Alaska, those on the negative end treat the argument as if it is objective. As if their opinions are facts. 

 "There's no way a collegiate wrestling program could ever work in Alaska."  

Arguments include that it'd be too difficult to recruit. That a schedule would be impossible to put together.  No one would want to go up into Alaska to dual. Home meets would be impossible.  It'd be too expensive to drive down into the states for away duals & tournaments. It would just be too costly.  

I'm not saying that these arguments don't have merit, because they do.   Yet there's one major problem with those that stand on the "It'd never work" side of the argument....

It has....

It may not have lasted an exceptionally long time & it may have came to an end after the 1989-1990, but the Moose of Alaska-Pacific did have a wrestling program.  On top of it, they had a full roster & a full schedule. IF that isn't enough, they were rather competitive.   In their final four years on the mat they finished as the NAIA runner-up in 1987, fourth in 1988 & back to back eighth place finishes in 1989 & 1990. 

So what "Wouldn't work" did.  

From what I have been able to gather the wrestling program was started sometime in the early 1980's by Mike Blewett, who in partial convinced a weary athletic director of starting a wrestling program because of his experience as a travel agent.  He was able to put together a schedule for the wrestling program that fit a reasonable budget.   

The program was dropped eventually & from what I understand it wasn't the only athletics program that the school eliminated.  In fact today I think the only sports program the school has is Nordic skiing. 

Jeff Wallace
126 lbs 

Wallace was a three time NAIA All American for the Moose, earning three bronze medal finishes in 1986, 1987 & 1988. 

Randy Talvi
150 lbs 

Talvi began his collegiate career in the NJCAA at North Idaho. There he made the NJCAA finals in 1984.  Wrestling for Alaska-Pacific, Talvi earned a third place finish at the 1987 NAIA championships.   

Today Talvi works as a Commercial Fisherman, an Owner of Port Ashton Lodge. 

Jeff Steele
158 lbs 

A graduate of Plainwell High School in Michigan, Steele began his career at Muskegon Community College.  There he placed sixth at the 1985 NJCAA, winning an NJCAA in 1986.  Competing for the Moose, he then took third at the 1987 NAIA championships, placing fifth in 1988. 

John Fredrickson
177 lbs 

Another byproduct of North Idaho, Fredrickson took third at the NJCAA championships in 1985 before coming to Alaska-Pacific.  Competing for the Moose he won back to back NAIA titles in 1987 & 1988. 

Torey McCully 

Another standout wrestler who began his career at North Idaho, McCully was a graduate of Elma High School in Washington.  He took runner-up honors at the NJCAA tournament in 1985, capturing a NJCAA title in 1986.  Transferring to Alaska-Pacific he made the NAIA finals in 1988. 

Kirt Allen
118 lbs  

Allen was a three time state finalist for Lanthrop High school as he began his collegiate career at North Idaho where he won two conference titles.  Transferring back home to Alaska,  Allen earned two NAIA All American honors competing for the Moose.  He placed third in 1989 & fourth in 1990. 

He later became a police officer & high school wrestling coach. 

David Bierria

Bierria was a took time NAIA All American for the Moose taking fifth & fourth place finishes at the 1989 & 1990 championships.