The Brief
Johnny Lopez is the first national champion from San Francisco State University since 2013
Lopez’s mentality leads him to a lot of wins on the wrestling mat
His success benefits the wrestling program with recruitment and finances
SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco State University All-American wrestler Johnny Lopez pulled off two historic milestones at the NCAA Division II national championship in Indianapolis in March. It’s the first time since 2013 that an SF State wrestler has become a national champion, and Lopez is the 14th national champion in their school history.
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“I’d been picturing this day for a long time, and it finally came to fruition. I was excited, but I wasn’t surprised,” said Lopez.
Lopez admitted he was nervous entering the tournament due to the environment. But once he stacked win after win, his confidence grew, and since he brought home some hardware. He has a bit of an aura on SF State’s campus.
“I mean, my teammates are always hyping me up about it because they live it, they go through the hard work, and they’re just really proud of me. I’ve had a few people come up to me like, ‘Oh you’re Johnny, right? Yeah, it’s me,'” said Lopez.
Lopez may not be the biggest or quickest, but he claims his mentality is what leads him to a lot of wins on the wrestling mat.
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“I know I’m one of the best wrestlers and I know how much time I put into this sport. I know what I know, and I’m confident in it and I know it every time I hit it. It’s got a good percentage to finish,” said Lopez.
Lopez and his teammate Kyle Botelho, a Burlingame native, finished in second and third place at the NCAA Division II Super Regional IV, where the Gators finished eighth as a team.
Their head coach, Jason Welch, says in his eight years of coaching, Lopez is the best wrestler he’s been able to coach. And Lopez’s success is making his job easier.
“We love that he’s a sophomore, so we have two more years with him, and we also love that when we go to recruits this spring or to our alumni for fundraising et cetera. We’re not saying ‘hey we’ll be good eventually, hey if you invest in us, we’ll give back’. We’re saying, ‘Hey we’re winning now, come to our school. Hey, we’re winning. Why don’t you donate more money so we can win more,'” said Welch.
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Why you should care
The majority of the San Francisco State wrestlers aren’t on athletic scholarships.
Lopez’s plan for next season is to dominate his opponents to truly show he’s the best.
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