State Wrestling Might Be Moved

The state wrestling finals, held at University of the Pacific in Stockton for the past 10 years, might be moved permanently to Fresno next season.

Administrators for the California Interscholastic Federation are expected to decide within a few weeks whether to accept a bid from Fresno city officials and move the tournament to Selland Arena, which has about double the capacity of Pacific’s 5,400-seat Spanos Center.

“People from both cities are very interested,” said Margaret Davis, CIF administrator in charge of wrestling. “It’s a bit of a political thing to move a state championship. It impacts a lot of schools.”

The state tournament began in 1973 and has been held in nine cities, including Fresno, before Stockton became its home in 1988.

Coaches have complained, however, about a shortage of hotel accommodations in Stockton. Parking space near Spanos Center also is in short supply.

General-admission seating for last Saturday’s final round at Spanos Center was sold out three hours before the first match.

“The CIF is interested in accommodating fans,” Davis said.

Highland Coach Mike Young, who had three wrestlers in Stockton last week, said some coaches would prefer the meet be held at a university with a wrestling program.

Fresno State has a wrestling team, Pacific does not.

Sticking around: Cal State Northridge women’s basketball Coach Michael Abraham, who is 9-45 in two seasons, agreed to a two-year contract extension on Tuesday. Terms were not released.