December 15, 2025, Santa Rosa, CA — The Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC), Wrestling team delivered an outstanding performance at the 2025 3C2A State Championships, held December 12/13 at Sierra College. The Bear Cubs, earned five medals, three All-American honors, one individual State Championship, and a seventh-place overall team finish among California’s top community college programs.
Freshman Connor Jeong (125 lbs.) captured the 3C2A State Championship with a perfect 4-0 tournament record, becoming SRJC’s first individual wrestling state champion in nearly 15 years. Jeong defeated Cerritos College’s Adrian Jimenez, 14-5, in the semifinals before edging Fresno City’s Alijah Ortiz, 4-2, in a tightly contested championship match that came down to the final seconds. Jeong also earned All-American honors with his first-place finish.
Sophomore Joe Ellis (197 lbs.) rebounded after a narrow semifinal loss to Moorpark’s William Fulguentes to claim a fourth-place medal and All-American honors, defeating Cerritos College’s Nelson Ramirez by fall at 4:23. Freshman Ryan George (197 lbs.) also earned All-American honors, placing third after posting a 5-1 tournament record and winning four consecutive matches following a quarterfinal setback.
Additional medalists included David Sypnicki (165 lbs.), who finished seventh after pinning Mt. SAC’s Wendell Mitchell at 4:06 in his final collegiate match, and sophomore Ali Hamzia (174 lbs.), who placed eighth after defeating Mt. SAC’s Jacob Longcrier 8-5 in sudden victory to reach the medal round.
The Bear Cubs finished seventh overall as a team, just 2.5 points shy of a fifth-place finish. Key contributions throughout the tournament came from Erickson Edpao (133), Chase Claassen (141), Lucas Wold (149), John Reg (157), Barrett Carrancho (184), and Asher Nischke (285). Claassen and Nischke both reached the “blood round” and narrowly missed podium finishes.
“This group competed with grit, confidence, and pride in the SRJC program,” said Head Coach Fred Duerr. “To bring home our first state champion in nearly 15 years and place in the top ten as a team speaks to the hard work these student-athletes have put in all season.”
With a strong showing from a talented freshman class, the SRJC Wrestling program looks ahead with momentum and optimism for the coming season.
