Former Rio Hondo College wrestling standout Javier Gonzalez recently finished in seventh place at the NAIA National Championships and was named an All-American for Menlo College in Northern California.
Gonzalez began the season unranked for the Oaks, but quickly climbed up the polls to as high as No. 4 in the nation in the final regular-season poll. Gonzalez wrestled a great tournament in Kansas at the National Championships and battled through some setbacks to earn a spot on the podium, finishing seventh overall at heavyweight, good for All-American status.
Gonzalez began the second day of competition by dropping a match to Justin Smith of Missouri Valley to move him to the seventh-place match. Not at all discouraged, Gonzalez drew Terrell Moore of Campbellsville (Ky.) and used a slick move to pin his opponent in just 23 seconds. He finished his junior season with a 39-10 overall record.
Gonzalez, along with teammate Troy Lakin who won a national title, helped lead Menlo College to a 13th-place team finish at the NAIA National Championships.
Javier Gonzalez - Menlo College Bio