WRE

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco State Wrestling’s Johnny Lopez and Jason Welch have earned inaugural Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) honors. Lopez was named the 2024-25 Men’s Wrestler of the Year while Welch was named the 2024-25 Men’s Wrestling Coach of the Year.Lopez becomes the MPSF’s first-ever MPSF Men’s Wrestler of the Year recipient. He posted a 27-2 record, and entered his first-ever NCAA National Championships ranked No. 8 in Division II at 141 lbs. by the NWCA. Lopez went 4-0 in Indianapolis to earn the program’s first individual national championship since 2013. He won the championship bout 8-7 over No. 18 West Liberty’s No. 10 Khyvon Grace after winning the semifinal 7-5 over No. 25 Fairmont State’s No. 25 Colton Stoneking. Lopez opened nationals with a 13-5 major decision and won his quarterfinal bout by injury over No. Lake Erie’s top-seed Christian Small. Lopez got hot at the right time, finishing third at NCAA Regionals, and bouncing back in the consolation bracket with a fall to punch his NCAA ticket with an 11-9 decision over No. 4 Grayston DiBlasi (Colorado School of Mines). Lopez, who also earned NCAA All-American honors, was the 141 lb. MPSF Champion with a 3-0 all-conference performance at the inaugural MPSF Championship.Eighth-year head coach Jason Welch becomes the first-ever MPSF Men’s Wrestling Coach of the Year recipient. Welch guided Johnny Lopez to the Gators’ 14th individual National Championship and coached Kyle Botelho to his second NCAA Division II National Championships appearance. San Francisco State placed second overall at the inaugural MPSF Championship, winning several individual conference titles along the way, including Lopez at 141 lbs., Zach Wright at 133 lbs., Botelho at 165 lbs., and Kydyn Lima at 174 lbs. In addition to the quartet of Gator MPSF Champions, SF State produced five other podium results (three second-place and two third-place outcomes) for all-conference honors.