CORVALLIS, Ore. – Back on top! Backed by five individual victories, the Sun Devils captured the 24th Pac-12 Championship title in school history on Sunday evening at Oregon State's Gill Coliseum, scoring 137.5 team points to outlast runner-up Little Rock (114.5).
The Sun Devils shot a jolt through the arena from the get-go when they won four of the first five bouts of the final session, courtesy of Richard Figueroa (125), Jesse Vasquez (141), Kyle Parco (149) and Jacori Teemer (157). They closed the tournament with an emphatic finish via Cohlton Schultz's big win (285), who pinned Oregon State's Boone McDermott just 1:01 into the championship match. It was Schultz's second fall of the day, as he combined to wrestle just 2:06 across both wins.
Teemer and Schultz became the sixth and seventh wrestlers in Pac-12 history to win four conference championship titles.
FINAL TEAM SCORES
1) Arizona State, 137.5
2) Little Rock, 114.5
3) Oregon State, 109
4) Stanford, 101.5
5) Cal Poly, 96.5
6) CSU Bakersfield, 38
It was a fitting ending for the Sun Devils at the Pac-12 Championships, as they won both the first conference tournament (1963) and the last (2024). It's also the team's fourth title in the past five seasons and the sixth under head coach Zeke Jones.
Jones surpassed former Sun Devil head coach Lee Roy Smith (5) for the second-most conference titles in team history, as he now sits alone behind the all-time leader in Bobby Douglas (8).
RESULTS
125 | #3 Richard Figueroa | Sanger, Calif. | 1st place
- Quarterfinal – Richard Figueroa (ASU) won by tech fall over Jeremiah Reno (Little Rock) (TF-1.5 0:00 (19-3))
- Semifinal – Richard Figueroa (ASU) won in sudden victory over Nico Provo (Stanford) (SV-1 4-1)
- FINAL – Richard Figueroa (ASU) won by decision over Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) (Dec 2-1)
133 | #3 Julian Chlebove | Northampton, Penn. | 2nd place
- Quarterfinal – Julian Chlebove (ASU) won by fall over Santino Sanchez (CSU Bakersfield) 0-1 (Fall 0:00)
- Semifinal – Julian Chlebove (ASU) won by decision over Zeth Romney (Cal Poly) (Dec 4-2)
- FINAL – Nasir Bailey (Little Rock) won by decision over Julian Chlebove (ASU) (Dec 8-3)
141 | #2 Jesse Vasquez | Corona, Calif. | 1st place
- Quarterfinal – Jesse Vasquez (ASU) 8-2 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Jesse Vasquez (ASU) won by major decision over Jason Miranda (Stanford) (MD 11-2)
- FINAL – Jesse Vasquez (ASU) won by decision over Cleveland Belton (Oregon State) (Dec 5-2)
149 |#1 Kyle Parco | Danville, Calif. | 1st place
- Quarterfinal – Kyle Parco (ASU) 20-3 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Kyle Parco (ASU) won by major decision over Nash Singleton (Oregon State) (MD 12-4)
- FINAL – Kyle Parco (ASU) won by decision over Chance Lamer (Cal Poly) (Dec 5-1)
157 | #1 Jacori Teemer | Long Beach, New York | 1st place
- Quarterfinal – Jacori Teemer (ASU) 19-3 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Jacori Teemer (ASU) won by fall over Legend Lamer (Cal Poly) (Fall 3:26)
- FINAL – Jacori Teemer (ASU) won by decision over Daniel Cardenas (Stanford) (Dec 5-4)
165 | #3 Chance McLane | Bozeman, Mont. | 3rd place
- Quarterfinal – Chance McLane (ASU) won by major decision over Michael Goldfeder (Cal Poly) (MD 13-3)
- Semifinal – Hunter Garvin (Stanford) won by decision over Chance McLane (ASU) (Dec 11-4)
- Consolation semifinal – Chance McLane (ASU) won by decision over Guillermo Escobedo (CSU Bakersfield) (Dec 4-2)
- Third-place – Chance McLane (ASU) won by major decision over Fouret (Oregon State)
174 | #4 Cael Valencia | Pico Rivera, Calif. | 3rd place
- Quarterfinal – Cael Valencia (ASU) won by major decision over Thor Michaelson (Stanford) (MD 16-5)
- Semifinal – Adam Kemp (Cal Poly) won by decision over Cael Valencia (ASU) (Dec 4-3)
- Consolation semifinal – Cael Valencia (ASU) received a bye () (Bye)
- Third-place – Cael Valencia won by major decision over Mason Reiniche (Oregon State) (MD 16-4)
- NCAA Championship allocation match – Cael Valencia (ASU) won by tech fall over Tyler Brennan (Little Rock)
184 | #2 Tony Negron | Brentwood, New York | 2nd place
- Quarterfinal – Tony Negron (ASU) 13-8 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Tony Negron (ASU) won by decision over Jack Darrah (Stanford) (Dec 3-0)
- FINAL – Trey Munoz (Oregon State) won by decision over Tony Negron (ASU) (Dec 8-3)
197 | #5 Jacob Meissner | Maple Grove, Minn. | 5th place
- Quarterfinal – Jarad Priest (Cal Poly) won in sudden victory over Jacob Meissner (ASU) (SV-1 5-2)
- Consolation semifinal – Nick Stemmet (Stanford) won by tech fall over Jacob Meissner (ASU) (TF-1.5 6:34 (19-4))
- 5th place – Jacob Meissner (ASU) won by fall over Ryan Arrington (CSU Bakersfield) (Fall 4:50)
HWT |#1 Cohlton Schultz | Parker, Colo. | 1st place
- Quarterfinal – Cohlton Schultz (ASU) 7-1 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Cohlton Schultz (ASU) won by fall over Josiah Hill (Little Rock) (Fall 1:05)
- FINAL – Cohlton Schultz (ASU) won by fall over Boone McDermott (Oregon State) (Fall 1:01)
QUALIFIERS FOR THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Richard Figueroa (125/1st place)
Julian Chlebove (133/2nd place)
Jesse Vasquez (141/1st place)
Kyle Parco (149/1st place)
Jacori Teemer (157/1st place)
Cael Valencia (174/3rd place)
Cohlton Schultz (HWT/1st place)
Sun Devil Wrestling Pac-12 Individual/Team Champions | Pac-12/NCAA finishes in team history | Team record book | Pac-12 Championships Central
CURRENT SUN DEVILS WITH PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES
Jacori Teemer, 157 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024)
Richard Figueroa, 125 (2024)
Jesse Vasquez, 141 (2024)
Kyle Parco, 149 (2022, 2023, 2024)
Cohlton Schultz, 285 (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
SUN DEVIL WRESTLING PAC-12 TEAM CHAMPIONS AND COACH
Zeke Jones (6): 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017
Thom Ortiz (3): 2006, 2005, 2003
Lee Roy Smith (5): 2001, 1998, 1997, 1995, 1993
Bobby Douglas (8): 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, 1980
MOST SUN DEVIL PAC-12 TEAM CHAMPIONS WON BY COACHES
Randy Lein, Men's Golf (8): 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 2008
Bobby Douglas, Wrestling (8): 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
Zeke Jones, Wrestling (6): 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024
Linda Vollstedt, Women's Golf (6): 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
Lee Roy Smith, Wrestling (5): 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001
SUN DEVIL WRESTLING INDIVIDUAL MULTIPLE SEASON PAC-12 CHAMPIONS
FOUR-TIME PAC-12 CHAMPIONS
With four career Pac-12 titles now under their belts, Cohlton Schultz and Jacori Teemer have joined an elite club of Sun Devil Wrestlers after winning on Sunday in Corvallis.
Cohlton Schultz, 285 (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Jacori Teemer, 157 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024)
Kordell Norfleet, 197 (2022, 2021, 2020); 184 (2018)
Anthony Valencia, 165 (2021); 174 (2020); 165 (2018, 2017)
Eric Larkin, 149 (2003); 141 (2002, 2001); 133 (1999)
Markus Mollica, 167 (1996, 1995); 158 (1994, 1993)
Curley Culp is also a member of that crew, as he captured four Western Athletic Conference titles in his illustrious career (1965-68).
THANK YOU, ART MARTORI!
The Sun Devils paid tribute to a wrestling icon on Sunday afternoon at Mullett Arena prior to the Nebraska dual, celebrating the accomplishments and legacy of Art Martori, who's closing the doors of his legendary Sunkist Wrestling Club this year.
Martori was honored with a pre-match ceremony with friends, family and nearly two dozen Olympic medalists he's shaped throughout this storied career. He was also celebrated during intermission of the dual.
The ASU alum was touched by the outpouring of support he and his family felt throughout the event.
"You don't go off doing this for that, for people who pat you on your back. When you get this kind of support and people coming back and saying thank you, it's overwhelming. It's not expected. We did change lives and for people to say that to your face and give you a hug, it means a lot. In my time here with ASU with all the fellows I wrestled with, we were brothers. To be able to come back to wrestling and then people come back and tell you how you helped us, you can't measure that."
LEADING THE CHARGE
A three-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year and 1988 Sun Devil national champion, head coach Zeke Jones was hired to lead his alma mater in April 2014 and immediately turned the program into a national powerhouse while continuing the Sun Devils' tradition of success in the conference.
Jones is directly responsible for bringing five Pac-12 Championships to Tempe since his arrival - bringing ASU's total conference title count to 23. He developed a two-time national champion in Zahid Valencia, a 125 national runner-up in Brandon Courtney (2021) and in 2022, led heavyweight Cohlton Schultz to national runner-up honors. ASU has celebrated 29 All-America honors since Jones' hiring.
Jones is directly responsible for 32 individual Pac-12 titles, five NCAA top-10 finishes, four Pac-12 Most Outstanding Wrestlers, six Pac-12 Wrestlers of the Year, and three Pac-12 Freshmen/Newcomers of the year.
FOLLOW ALONG
One tournament remains in the 2023-24 season – the NCAA Championships in Kansas City. The Sun Devils will compete at the T-Mobile Center from March 21-23 with more than half of their starting roster to have qualified.
Keep up with the Sun Devils throughout the championship weekend via @ASUWrestling and @sundevilwrestling1962.
AT A GLANCE
The Arizona State wrestling team is one of the most decorated programs in the west as the Sun Devils have captured 23 conference titles in their over 50-year history, including 21 Pac-10/12 and two Western Athletic Conference crowns.
Since joining the Pac-10/12 Conference in time for the 1978- 79 season, the Sun Devils have been one of the most dominant member institutions, claiming half of the titles. The only West-coast school to have won the NCAA Championships, the Sun Devils have accumulated over 120 individual Pac-10/12 titles and 28 WAC crowns (Over 140 total titles in program history).