NCAA champion wrestler Richard Figueroa to coach at Petaluma clinic

A national champion wrestler is coming to Petaluma this weekend for an up-close visit with those who might aspire to follow in his footsteps.

Young wrestlers will get that opportunity Saturday, when Richard Figueroa appears in Petaluma to provide an exclusive clinic to those learning the sport.

Figueroa, who wrestles for Arizona State University, earlier this year won the NCAA Division I national championship at 125 pounds.

As the ninth seed in the title tournament in March, he upset top-seeded Braeden Davis of Penn State with a 3-2 decision in the quarterfinals. The redshirt sophomore out of Selma then beat LeHigh’s Anthony Noto with a 4-3 decision in the semifinals before besting Iowa’s Drake Ayala, the third seed, in the final with a 7-2 decision.

Figueroa is returning to run the Petaluma clinic for a second straight year. His visit takes place at Esteem Jiujitsu but is hosted by wrestling coach Steve Butts and the Esteem Wrestling Academy. Last year, 35 aspiring wrestlers took part.

“The guy has a huge wealth of knowledge in the sport and is one of the best technicians in the game,” Butts said. “I can’t even begin to say how much it’s going to help these kids out. I think it’s a great opportunity to get a current national champ into a small town like Petaluma.”

This year, Figueroa has opted for quality of the session over quantity, capping attendance at 40 wrestlers. Limited spots remain.

Prior to Arizona State, Figueroa was a three-time state champion for Selma High School in the San Joaquin Valley, capturing the title at 106 pounds in both 2018 and 2019 before winning at 113 pounds in 2020. His attempt to go 4-for-4 in his senior year in 2021 was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joining Figueroa will be his mother, Frances Barocio, who helped guide her son through adversity in the beginning of his college career.

The clinic will start at 9 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. at Esteem Jiujitsu at 345 Lakeville St. in Petaluma. The sign-up link can be accessed here.

You can reach Staff Writer Kienan O’Doherty at 415-887-8650 or kienan.odoherty@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @kodoherty22.