SAN FRANCISCO—Nine former members of the Arizona State wrestling team have been named to the Pac-12 Wrestling All-Century Team, the Pac-12 Conference announced on Monday’s episode of ‘Pac-12 Sports Report’.
The team from ASU incudes Anthony Robles (2008-11), Zeke Jones (1987-90), Shawn Charles (1990-93), Eric Larkin (1999-03), Markus Mollica (1993-96), Steve Blackford (1997-01), Dan St. John (1986-90), Ray Miller (1990-93), and Mike Davies (1984-88).
The Sun Devils, along with Oregon State, leads the team in representation, with nine wrestlers apiece. The 28 wrestlers have won 28 individual national titles, 25 Conference Wrestler of the Year awards, and 70 conference titles.
The 28-man class was voted on by 20 experts, including coaches, wrestlers, administrators, and members of the media. In each of the 10 weight classes, the two wrestlers who received the most votes made the All-Century Team.
Members of the All-Century Team will be recognized at Saturday’s Pac-12 Wrestling Championships, Saturday, Feb. 27 in Tempe, at Wells Fargo Arena. The first and second rounds will begin at 11:30 a.m. MT, followed by the consolation semifinals at 4:30 p.m. MT. The championship session is slated for a 6 p.m. MT start and will air on the Pac-12 Networks.
Anthony Robles (2008-11)
Captured the 2011 NCAA Championship at 125 pounds in his senior season to cap a perfect 36-0 season and earn his third All-America honor... advanced to the NCAA Championships four times in his career, falling one win shy as a redshirt freshman of becoming a four-time All-American... finished fourth as a sophomore and seventh as a junior before winning the title as the No. 1 seed his senior season... advanced to the Pac-10 Conference finals all four seasons and won the title his last three years... capped his career with 122 victories, the eighth-most in school history... also ranks 10th all-time in ASU history with 53 wins in dual meets... one of the most prolific point-scorers in ASU history, won 75-percent of his career matches (92 of 122) with bonus points, including a school-record 47 technical falls... as a senior, set single-season records for bonus-point wins (31) and technical falls (24).
Head Coach Zeke Jones (1987-90)
Jones, who’s 134-21-3 record ranks fourth in wins at ASU, was a member of the 1988 NCAA Championship team while also earning three All-America honors and three Pac-10 titles. Owns the ASU single-season record for dual wins with 22. A national runner-up at 118, Jones later went on to international success as he took the silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Jones, a 1991 World Champion, also is a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Returned to his alma mater to helm the Sun Devil wrestling program in April of 2014. Inducted into the ASU Sports HOF in 2004.
Shawn Charles (1990-93)
Charles was ASU’s first four-time wrestling All-American and was a two-time Pac-10 individual champion at 126. A two-time NCAA finalist, He helped ASU to a second-place finish at the 1990 NCAAs as well as three Pac-10 titles (1990, 1991, 1993). He collected 103 victories in his collegiate career, ranking him tied for 19th on the program’s all-time wins list at Arizona State. He also ranks 19th in career dual-match victories after he posted a 44-15-5 record in those matches. Inducted in the ASU Sports HOF in 2010, was the Sun Devil wrestling head coach from 2009-14.
Eric Larkin (1999-03)
In 2003, Eric Larkin went 34-0 en route to the NCAA title at 149 pounds, as well as his fourth Pac-12 title, to earn the Dan Hodge, known as the Heisman Trophy in the wrestling world, and capped a stellar senior campaign in Tempe. Larkin was only the third Pac-10 wrestler to earn the award first given in 1995, following Stephen Neal of CSU Bakersfield in 1999 and Oregon State’s Les Gutches in 1996. A three-time Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year, Larkin is one of ASU’s four, four-time All-Americans in program history.
Markus Mollica (1993-96)
Mollica was a two-time NCAA Champion (158, 1993 & 167, 1995). One of the most decorated wrestlers in school history, his first title came in his freshman season, making him the first ASU freshman in any sport to capture a national title. Mollica was a four-time Pac-10 Champion, including two at 158 pounds and two at 167 pounds, while also garnering All-America honors four times. At the NCAA Championships, Mollica placed first, fifth, first and fourth, respectively. He is one of two Sun Devils to win individual NCAA titles in two different weight classes, and was inducted into the ASU Sports HOF in 2008.
Steve Blackford (1997-01)
Blackford was a three-time all-American. He was also a two-time Pac-10 champion in 2000 and 2001, and his 138 victories rank second on ASU’s all-time list. Bllackford had one of the best seasons ever as a Sun Devil wrestler with a record of 43-4, which tied him for the second-most victories in a single season by an ASU wrestler. He finished as the Pac-10 runner-up his first two years at ASU before being the Pac-10 champion in his junior and senior years, and ended his ASU career with a record of 138-30. Blackford died in a tragic automobile accident on Sept. 3, 2004.
Dan St. John (1986-1990)
Arizona State’s all-time wins leader with a 147-17-3 record, St. John was the program’s first two-time NCAA champion, winning crowns in 1989 (158 pounds) and 1990 (167 pounds). St. John is one of two Sun Devils in program history to earn NCAA titles in multiple weight classes. A three-time Pac-10 champion, St. John was a member of four Pac-10 championship teams while also competing for the 1988 NCAA Championship team. St. John also holds program records for wins in a season (45) and career dual wins (71). Inducted into the ASU Sports HOF in 2001.
Ray Miller (1990-93)
Miller compiled 115 victories in a career that came to a close with the 1993 NCAA Championship at 167 pounds. One of the first two wrestlers in Sun Devil history to earn four All-America honors in a career, Miller also was a national runner-up in 1992. A three-time Pac-10 Champion, Miller was twice honored as the Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year and was a member of three Pac-10 Championship squads.
Mike Davies (1984-88)
Davies was instrumental in helping ASU become the first western school to win the NCAA team title in wrestling as he captained the team to the crown in 1988, the same year he finished as the national runner-up. A two-time All-American, Davies compiled a 136-32-3 overall record with the Sun Devils to claim the third-most wins in program history. Davies also was a three-time Pac-10 champion at 190 pounds.
Complete Pac-12 All-Century Wrestling Roster
Anthony Robles, Arizona State (2008-2011)--125 lbs
Zeke Jones, Arizona State (1987-1990)--125 lbs
John Miller, Oregon (1967-1970)--125 lbs
Tanner Gardner, Stanford (2005-2008)--125 lbs
Shawn Charles, Arizona State (1990-1993)--133 lbs
Babak Mohammadi, Oregon State (1991-1995)--133 lbs
Robin Reed, Oregon State (1923-1924)--141 lbs
Derek Moore, UC-Davis (2002-2007)--141 lbs
Roger Weigel, Oregon State (1969-1971)--141 lbs
Eric Larkin, Arizona State (1999-2003)--149 lbs
Larry Owings, Washington (1970-1972)--149 lbs
Dan Hicks, Oregon State (1976-1979)--149 lbs
Matt Gentry, Stanford (2002-2005)--157 lbs
Ben Cherrington, Boise State (2002-2006)--157 lbs
Markus Mollica, Arizona State (1993-1996)--165 lbs
Steve Blackford, Arizona State (1997-2001)--165 lbs
Kirk White, Boise State (1997-2001)--165 lbs
Dan St. John, Arizona State (1986-1990)--174 lbs
Ray Miller, Arizona State (1990-1993)--174 lbs
Les Gutches, Oregon State (1993-1996)--184 lbs
Shane Webster, Oregon (2001-2006)--184 lbs
Greg Strobel, Oregon State (1971-1974)--197 lbs
Howard Harris, Oregon State (1977-1980)--197 lbs
Mike Davies, Arizona State (1984-1988)--197 lbs
Stephen Neal, CSU Bakersfield (1996-1999)--Heavyweight
Jess Lewis, Oregon State (1968-1970)--Heavyweight
Larry Bielenberg, Oregon State (1974-1977)--Heavyweight
Fred Bohna, UCLA (1976-1979)--Heavyweight
Coach of the Century
Dale Thomas, Oregon State (1956-1990)
Wrestlers of the Century
Les Gutches, Oregon State (1993-1996)
Stephen Neal, CSU Bakersfield (1996-1999)