Gone, Lost & Forgotten: California Baptist

 

This is the 485th "Gone, Lost & Forgotten" article that I have written.  Can you believe that?  485 articles written by JT1Wrestle about collegiate wrestling teams that we have lost over the years. According to Jason Bryant, that number is actually closer to 700.  The thing about it is, it's hard to say exactly where we're at as of numbers today Vs has, dropped & reinstated. Mike Moyer & the NWCA have done a tremendous job of both starting up new programs as well as restoring others. Yet it seems every time we celebrate the addition of one program, we are mourning the loss of another. 

I think the most disheartening fact in all of it, is that we often seem to lose wrestling programs in areas where wrestling is needed most.  Southern California has grown tremendously over the years in terms of high school wrestling & the popularity of wrestling overall.  Yet collegiately speaking, it is severely underserved.  Hell, the whole state of California is severely underserved in terms of having enough opportunity for talent it produces to wrestle at the next level.  There have been over 70 collegiate wrestling programs in California that have been discontinued. 96% remaining discontinued, with only College of the Redwoods, CPU-Humboldt & Stanford reinstating. 

Riverside, California, a short drive from Los Angeles is an area that needs college wrestling. 

John Petty

Do I have a personal connection to California Baptist Lancer wrestling?  Well, sorta.  I'm not here to give you my life story, but I'll give you the connecting dots to give where I'm going some connotation.  I did not wrestle in college.  I went to school for theatre & thought at the time I needed to dedicate 100% of myself to that. So that's what I did. I went to Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.  My freshman & sophomore seasons, Paul Bartlett was the head coach.  My junior season, Paul Bartlett stepped down & John Petty took over.  John Petty wasn't at Northwestern (IA) very long. 

It was announced that Petty was leaving to start a new program in California. A school called California Baptist. He was taking two of our best wrestlers with him, Enock Francois & Lamar Reed.  Was I jealous? Yeah, a little bit but I was also realistic.  Even if I had wrestled in college, my eligibility would have been up by that point, even if I had redshirted.  Secondly, Petty never would've taken me to California with him.  I've have been left in cold of Northwest Iowa.  That's a fact no matter how many times Doc Brown would go back & try and fix it.  

Lancer wrestling started off NAIA, placing 8th at the national tournament in 2010.  In Petty's final season as head coach, 2011 they were in a transition season & they won the NCWA tournament. 

Lenny Zalesky

Lenny Zalesky took over the Lancer program for John Petty & was there up until 2022, when he got the Head Coaching position at the restored CPU-Humboldt program.  While at CBU, he took his team to a second place finish at the NCWA nationals in 2012 & another NCWA title in 2013.  Once the Lancers were officially NCAA DII, he head them to two Regional titles, as well as back-to-back 3rd place showings at the NCAA DII National tournament in 2017 & 2018.  May I also add that his 2014 squad won the NCAA D2 Academic title. 

Derek Moore

Upon Coach Zalesky's departure, NCAA DI champion Derek Moore took over for the program.  It has been under his leadership that the Lancers have qualified two of their wrestlers to the NCAA DI championships.  Eli Griffin (Who is now at Rider) in 2024 & Hunter Leake, who qualified in both 2024 & 2025.  Moore is unfortunately used to being dumped on by those he has worked so hard to honor.  After winning an NCAA DI title for UC Davis in 2007, the school gave him a huge middle finger by dropping the wrestling program in 2010.  Now he's at CBU, doing his best to help grow the wrestling program, and CBU says, "better schedule a dentist appointment while you're still on our dental plan, cause we're about to give you a kick right in the teeth." 


And you have to ask yourself why.  Why are we losing wrestling at California Baptist?  Not why as in, ask them and believe the bullshit lies they try and scapegoat, but the actual why. 

Rocko DeLuca

I think this picture helps to illustrate the reality of the situation. Seeing Rocko DeLuca rubbing his hands together, looking like Montgomery Burns from THE SIMPSONS at the thought of $$ pretty much sums up everything we need to know about Mr. DeLuca.  Rumor has it, and rumor is most likely true that the discontinuation of wrestling, golf, swimming & diving, is because the school wants more funds & resources for basketball.  In other words, as it is most of the time, another circumstance where the programs really don't need to be cut. 


I know that there are a lot of people still in the fight to try and save California Baptist wrestling.  Hopefully that can be done.  In the event that it is not, and we do lose this program, let me now celebrate some of the best wrestlers CBU produced. 

Enock Francois

I was a sophomore in college, when this absolute specimen, looking like a Greek God showed up on campus.  A kid with a funny name that no one knew how to pronounce had shown up at Northwestern College. The Coaching staff spoke very highly about him.  He was a hidden gem that they were well aware they were extremely lucky in getting.  He had been a soccer player in Florida, discovered by a wrestling coach.  He started wrestling as a junior in high school & by the next year didn't lose until the state semi-finals.  His potential hadn't even been remotely touched yet.  We all knew this Enock Francois was going to be good. 

I wrestled Enock a few times, if you want to call it that.  It wasn't quite a genocide, but pretty close to it.  Two hours worth of wrestling Enock one night, my only points the whole time were catching him in a headlock once. To this day I still hold on to that five seconds of bliss where I was throwing him through the air, because Enock Francois is without a question in my mind, the most gifted athlete I ever trained with.  He was the total package.  Quick, strong, powerful, smart.  I mean the only thing he lacked was experience. 

For the Northwestern College Red Raiders, Francois earned NAIA All-American honors of 4th as a sophomore & 6th as a junior.  

He'd spend his senior season at California Baptist, following Head Coach John Petty, as well as wrestler Lamar Reed, to Riverside.  There he would not only make the NAIA finals, he would be selected for the NWCA All-Star classic where he took DI All American Zach Geisen into sudden victory.  

Post college Francois has had success internationally & he's coached at various colleges & programs. 

Lamar Reed

Lamar Reed came to Northwestern College from Oakland, California.  Believe it or not, his first varsity wrestling match was against Marcus LeVesseur!  It was then I knew that Reed was going to be good.  LeVesseur at the time was already an undefeated three-time NCAA DIII champion, who would eventually become the first (and only) undefeated four-time D3 champion.  Reed nearly kept it a decision with LeVesseur.  Lost 8-0, with the final two points coming in the last 15 seconds.   Not bad for a freshman Vs a three-time D3 champ! 

While at Northwestern, Reed was a two-time NAIA qualifier.  He'd follow Petty & Francois out to Riverside to compete for the Lancers.  As a junior in Reed placed 4th in the NAIA & as a senior he would take 6th place honors.  Today Reed is the head women's wrestling coach at Maine Maritime, an NCAA Division III school. 

Chauncey Phillips

Chauncey Phillips came to California Baptist from Sierra College, where he had been a CCCAA place-winner.  Competing for the Lancers, he made the NAIA finals in 2010. 

Sam Fragoza

4th & 7th in the California High School State championships, Sam Fragoza started off his collegiate wrestling career at Fresno State.  Competing for the Bulldogs, he finished 3rd at the West Regional.  Transferring to California Baptist for his final season of collegiate competition, he finished 8th in the NAIA nation, winning 20 matches. 

C.J. Knowland

A native of Temecula, C.J. Knowland began his collegiate wrestling career at Cal State Fullerton.  When the Titans discontinued their wrestling program, Knowland transferred to California Baptist.  As a sophomore in 2009, he took 8th place honors at the NAIA championships.  He qualified again as a junior in 2010, but did not compete at the national tournament.  His senior season of 2011, the Lancers were now competing in the NCWA, where Knowland finished 5th. 

Chris Santana

Chris Santana was another former Sierra College transfer to wrestle for the Lancers.  While at Sierra, Santana placed 3rd in the CCCAA championships.  While competing for California Baptist, he won an NCWA title his junior season of 2011, going 43-8 on the year. 

Caleb Gerl

When you think California Baptist wrestling, you think of the Gerl brothers.  Another CCCAA standout, Caleb came from Cerritos College, where he was 2nd & 1st for the Falcons.  Competing for the Lancers, Gerl won an NCWA title as a junior in 2011. 

Jimmy Martinez

If you haven't noticed the trend yet, California Baptist was an excellent pipeline for CCCAA talent.  Jimmy Martinez won his CCCAA title for Santa Ana College.  He then came to CBU where he finished 2nd in the NCWA as a junior in 2011, winning the NCWA title as a senior in 2012. 

Zach Merrill

The son of NFL Green Bay Packer/New York Giant Casey Merrill, Zach Merrill not only won an NCWA title for the Lancers, he also placed 7th at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational!  Transferring to Oklahoma, Merrill would placed 3rd & 2nd at the RENO tournament of champions.  Post college, competing for Puerto Rico, Merrill won a bronze medal at the PAN-AMERICAN championships. 

Brad Gerl

Another member of the Gerl family, Brad had an outstanding career for the Lancers.  Placing 6th at the NCWA as a freshman in 2012, he would win the NCWA title as a sophomore in 2013.  Upon CBU's first season in NCAA DII wrestling, he would become their first D2 All-American with a 5th place finish in 2014. 

Bronson Gerl

Like brother Caleb, Bronson Gerl came to CBU from Cerritos College, where he placed 4th in the CCCAA.  Gerl would take 3rd place honors at the NCWA tournament his junior season for the Lancers. 

Joe Fagiano

An Illinois state champion, Joe Fagiano started off his collegiate career competing in NCAA Division I.  As a freshman he qualified for the DI championships, finishing 6th at the BIG 10 championships competing for Indiana. As a sophomore, he once again qualified for the NCAA DI championships, this time placing 4th in the CAA for Hofstra. He's transfer to California Baptist, becoming the Lancer's first NCAA DII champion in 2016. 

Jake Waste

A Minnesota High School State champion for Apple Valley, Jake Waste started off his collegiate wrestling career for Buffalo.  He soon transferred to California Baptist, where he had an outstanding collegiate career in NCAA Division II.  Finishing 5th in the D2 nation as a sophomore, he was 3rd as a junior, capping off his career as a national champion as a senior. 

Daxton Good

Daxton Good won an NCAA DII title for the Lancers his junior season of 2018. 

Jake Mitchell

At first Jake Mitchell thought he wanted to skip the collegiate scene in order to concentrate fully on his Greco-Roman career.  He went to Northern Michigan, with that in mind.  Soon after, he reconsidered and found himself at Clackamas College, where he won the NJCAA title.  He then transferred to California Baptist, where he finished as the NAIA runner-up his junior season of 2014. 

Nolan Kistler

A member of the famous Kistler family who competed for the University of Iowa, Nolan Kistler had an outstanding career at California Baptist, getting it done on both the mat & in the classroom.  His final three-seasons as a Lancer, he went 7th-4th-2nd at the NCAA DII championships, also earning Academic All-American honors in each of those three seasons as well. 

Christian Smith 

Christian Smith's junior year of college ended the exact same way his senior year of high school did.  One match shy.  One match shy of standing on the award stand at the California High School state championships & one match shy of standing on the award stand at the NCAA Division II championships. Smith would NOT be denied his senior season of 2018, as he not only made NCAA DII All American status, he made the national finals! 

Nick Fiegener

Nick Fiegener started off his career wrestling for Cal Poly, where he was an NCAA DI qualifier.  He then transferred to California Baptist, where he was 2nd in the D2 nation as a junior in 2017 & 4th in the D2 nation as a senior in 2018. 

Hunter Leake

Regardless of what the future holds, Hunter Leake will go down in history as the Lancer's first two-time NCAA DI qualifier, earning spots among the top 33 wrestlers in the nation in both 2024 & 2025.  

Eli Griffin

Griffin was an NCAA DI qualifier for the Lancers in 2024.  He's on a mission to earn NCAA DI qualification #2 this season, competing for Rider.  Thus far, he has placed 2nd at CKLV, currently riding a 14-4 record. 


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The end?? 

Richard Murillo            Jesse Vasquez

There is a ton of pressure being put on a freshman & on a sixth year senior as we approach the final three months of the 2025-2026 NCAA DI wrestling season.  An unfair pressure, that should never be placed upon anyone. Yet here we are.  We don't live in a world of how it should be, we live in a world of how it is. This could very well be the Lancer's final year on the mat & if any two guys can get through to the NCAA DI championships this year, it is Richard Murillo & Jesse Vasquez.  Neither a shoe-in, and it'll take wrestling extremely well the rest of the season, as well as at the BIG 12's.   Be awesome to see both make the trip to Cleveland this year.  A consumption of spit, blood & teeth, right dab in the eye of DeLuca.  That'd make my day.