After acing two more tests on Friday, the two will compete for an individual national title on Saturday evening beginning at 4 p.m. AZT on ESPN. Figueroa and Teemer, sporting perfect 4-0 records this week at the T-Mobile Center, will attempt to win the school's first individual title since Zahid Valencia in 2019. The Sun Devil duo mark the first time since 2011 that ASU has had multiple NCAA finalists, when Anthony Robles and Bubba Jenkins did it last.
Even better? Robles won it as a 125-pounder and Jenkins at 157 - the same weight classes as Figueroa and Teemer, respectively.
Figueroa remained red-hot against Anthony Noto (Lock Haven), outdoing him Friday evening in a thrilling 4-3 finish. It's Figueroa's first swing at the NCAA Championships, and he'll be first up Saturday night in front of an electric Kansas City crowd.
Teemer, meeting Pac-12 rival Daniel Cardenas (Stanford) for the fourth time this season, attacked early and often, putting away the Cardinal in a 12-2 major decision. In his post-match media scrum, Teemer credited his laser-like focus and resolve, and it resulted in another finals berth for the Sun Devils.
FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
125 | #8 Richard Figueroa (ASU) vs. #3 Drake Ayala (Iowa)
157 | #2 Jacori Teemer (ASU) vs. #1 Levi Haines (Penn State)
How he got there.
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) March 23, 2024
Jacori will wrestle for a national championship tomorrow night.
?? @espn | #NCAAChampionships pic.twitter.com/04sfczLQDW
Ticket. Punched.
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) March 23, 2024
Richie Figs will see you tomorrow night.
?? @espn | #NCAAChampionships pic.twitter.com/r3xweRMaIb
In between Figueroa and Teemer, Kyle Parco came up just short against Austin Gomez (Michigan), losing 11-7. It brought an unreal run in KC to an end for the Danville, California, native, who was on the doorstep of his first NCAA Championship final appearance. Regardless, Parco has put himself in position to wrestle for a third-place finish -- and, more importantly, rack up more points for the Sun Devils in the team standings.
The Sun Devils tried to send a third to the finals to close Friday, but Cohlton Schultz couldn't get past top-ranked Greg Kerkvliet, falling in an 8-1 decision. Like Parco, Schultz will be tasked with keeping the Sun Devils within the top-four of the team standings, as he'll now contend for a third-place finish at-best.
TEAM STANDINGS AFTER FRIDAY
1) Penn State, 148
2) Michigan, 64.5
3) Iowa, 60
t-4) ASU, 59.5
t-4) Iowa State, 59.5
Brackets | NCAA Championship Tournament Central | Sun Devil National Champions | KC-You There! Eight Sun Devils to Compete at NCAA Wrestling Championships
FULL NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 21 | Session 1 (9 a.m. AZT) / Session 2 (4 p.m. AZT)
Friday, March 22 | Session 3 (9 a.m. AZT) / Session 4 (5 p.m. AZT)
Saturday, March 23 | Session 5 (8 a.m. AZT) / Session 6 (4 p.m. AZT)
Teemer history vs. Daniel Cardenas (Stanford)
Teemer, 12-2 major decision (2024 NCAA Championships)
Teemer, 5-4 decision (2024 Pac-12 Championships)
Teemer, 7-5 decision (Feb. 17, 2024/Tempe, Ariz.)
Teemer, 14-6 major decision (Dec. 1, 2023/Cliff Keen Invitational)
Since Teemer's early season loss against Iowa State's Cody Chittum, he's rattled off 15 consecutive victories, four of which have come right here at the NCAA Championships.
SUN DEVIL WRESTLING INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (12 TITLES WON BY NINE INDIVIDUALS)
Zahid Valencia, 174 (2019)
Zahid Valencia, 174 (2018)
Anthony Robles, 125 (2011)
Bubba Jenkins, 157 (2011)
Eric Larkin, 149 (2003)
Markus Mollica, 167 (1995)
Markus Mollica, 158 (1993)
Ray Miller, 167 (1993)
Dan St. John, 167 (1990)
Dan St. John, 158 (1989)
Eddie Urbano, 150 (1985)
Curley Culp, HWT (1967)
SUN DEVIL WRESTLING TEAM NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (1)
1988
MOST SINGLE-SEASON ALL-AMERICANS IN SUN DEVIL TEAM HISTORY
8 | 1990
7 | 1988
5 | 1979, 1985, 1989, 1993, 2021, 2022
4 | 1980, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2006, 2023, 2024 (Figueroa/Parco/Teemer/Schultz)
SUN DEVILS IN THE POSTSEASON UNDER HEAD COACH ZEKE JONES
Year | Pac-12s | NCAAs
2023-24 | 1st | TBD
2022-23 | 4th | 7th
2021-22 | 1st | 4th
2020-21 | 1st | 4th
2019-20 | 1st | N/A (Ranked #4 in last poll)
2018-19 | 2nd | 12th
2017-18 | 1st | 10th
2016-17 | 1st | 14th
2015-16 | 2nd | 33rd
2014-15 | 2nd | 29th
For the first time since 2011, @ASUWrestling will have multiple NCAA finalists. They haven't had three since 1993.
— Joe Healey (@JoeHealey42) March 23, 2024