Feature Archives - Fresno Sports Magazine

Nov 30

0

Bulldogs winning streak snapped in ‘Return to Selland’

By Al Scott | Basketball, Feature | No Comments

A special day was spoiled by a rough second half, as Fresno State fell 6-3 following a 76-71 loss to Cal State University Bakersfield on Sunday afternoon at Selland Arena in front of several alumni and one of its biggest crowds of the season (4,374 attendance). Head Coach Vance Walberg expressed his frustration after the game, on not being able to deliver the Red Wave a victory.

“I’m just disappointed for the fans,” Walberg said. “We’ve been playing pretty darn good basketball, and today we kind of laid an egg.”

Walberg said that practicing more zone defense will be an emphasis. Protecting the interior was a struggle against the Roadrunners, stopping Dailin Smith in particular.

The 6’6” guard was flowing in and out of the key without much trouble at all, scoring 30 points (21 in second half). He made 6-of-13 from the field and 9-of-10 from the line to lead the game in scoring.

A big chunk of his production came late in the half when Bulldog guard DJ Stickman came out of the game holding his hip. The freshman returned to the game about five minutes later but it was too little, too late.

“DJ is probably our best defensive player,” Walberg said. “(Losing him) hurt a bit, but we got to find a way to get it done.”

Fresno State made just 24-of-65 (37%) of its field goal attempts, something Walberg would certainly like his squad to improve upon.

“I feel like we cut a lot better the last couple games. This game, a little bit of pumping and so forth took us out,” Walberg said.

He added that they are a much better shooting team, particularly from beyond the arc than they showed. They made just 8-of-33 of their attempts on Sunday. If you removed point guard Zaon Collins, that number goes to just 5-of-27 (18.5%).

Key players

Zaon Collins (FS): 17 points, 4 assists, 4 steals
Jake Heidbreder (FS): 20 points, 3 rebounds
Dailin Smith (CSUB): 30 points, 6 rebounds
CJ Hardy (CSUB): 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists

What happened

A back-and-forth affair early on. The Roadrunners got a three from AJ George. A minute later, CJ Hardy pulled up for a midrange jumper. Then former Bulldog Pierre Geneste Jr. quieted the Red Wave with an alleyoop dunk.

The Bulldogs responded with a trio of threes from Jake Heidbreder, Zaon Collins and Jac Mani. Collins would drain another one from the top of the key to give the Bulldogs an 18-15 lead 10 minutes into the half.

Following a stepback jumper from Hardy, Fresno State went on a 9-0 run thanks to a pair of layups from DeShawn Gory and Collins. Wilson Jacques also added a dunk. The run forced a Roadrunners timeout with Fresno State leading 25-17.

Fresno State’s offense being able to not completely fall apart when Heidbreder is on the bench has been a struggle all season, but they were able to manage for a few minutes in the first half on Sunday, finding open threes for Cameron Faas and David Douglas Jr.

Bakersfield kept themselves in it however. Tom Mark nailed a jumper off the key to cap off an 8-0 run to draw the Roadrunners deficit to just 31-28.

Fresno State used a pair of driving layups from Heidbreder and Stickman to take a 40-34 lead into halftime. Collins led all scorers with 13 points. He also had 4 steals.

The Bulldogs only led by six points despite a 27-12 rebounding advantage at halftime, something Walberg has pushed as an area of emphasis they need to improve on.

Scoring was hard to come by in the second half for both teams. The Bulldogs were able to get Heidbreder going a little though after a quiet first half. The Clemson transfer passed out to Mani, only to then cut backdoor for a give and go layup to give Fresno State a 53-45 lead with 12:34 left before a media timeout.

Out of the break, Gory converted an and-one and a driving layup to extend the ‘Dogs lead to 10. A pair of free throws from Dailin Smith and a coast-to-coast layup, and-one from Hardy cut it to 5. Smith added another layup and two more makes from the charity strip to give the Roadrunners a 10-0 run, cutting the deficit to just one.

Smith made an off-balance jumper while getting fouled by Heidbreder, then converted the and-one to tie the game at 62 with 4:38 remaining. A pair of baskets from Smith and Hardy gave the Roadrunners a 66-64 lead a minute later.

Fresno State struggled to make shots down stretch, while not being able to prevent baskets going in on the other end resulting in Bakersfield taking home the victory, 76-71.

What’s next

Fresno State will play at #22 Arkansas next Saturday, Dec. 6. at Bud Walton Arena. This will be the only non-conference game played outside of California this season. Walberg and Associate Head Coach John Welch are both familiar with Razorbacks Head Coach John Calipari during their time at Kentucky together.

“One of the most talented coaches in our country who has been ahead of the trends. His style of play will help get recruits and be appealing to fans. He is a gatherer who will bring people together for a common cause,” Calipari said in a statement, following Walberg’s hiring in April of last year. Now he’s going up against Walberg.

“John’s a very good friend. I appreciate him getting us a chance to go out there and play them,” Walberg said.

Fresno State will wrap up non-conference play at Cal State Northridge on Wednesday, Dec. 10 before beginning Mountain West Conference play at UNLV on Saturday, Dec. 20. The Bulldogs will return to the Save Mart Center on Dec. 30 to host Utah State.

Walberg added that despite the loss, he enjoyed the atmosphere and would like to be able to make the ‘Return to Selland’ game an annual thing.

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Vincent Ordonio (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 29

0

Fresno State overwhelms rival Spartans, reclaim Valley Trophy

By Al Scott | Feature, Football | No Comments

It won’t be the last time Fresno State and San Jose State meet, but the Bulldogs will forever hold bragging rights for taking home the Valley Trophy for the last time as Mountain West foes.

Led by a relentless defense, Fresno State defeated San Jose State 41-14 on Saturday night at CEFCU Stadium in Silicon Valley. The Bulldogs recorded five interceptions and held the Spartans to just 227 total yards. Offensively, they ran the ball 53 times for 259 yards.

WIth the win, Fresno State finishes the regular season at 8-4 (5-3) in its first year under Head Coach Matt Entz.

Key players

Josiah Freeman (FS): 6 receptions, 76 yards, TD
Simeon Harris (FS): 2 INT’s, 1 TFL
Elijah Gilliam (FS): 9 carries, 92 yards, 2 TD’s
Jordan Pollard (SJSU): 19 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT

What happened

For the second straight week, EJ Warner won the quarterback battle in practice over Carson Conklin. After three straight three-and-outs, Warner took over on the San Jose State 35 yard line thanks to a poor punt less than five minutes into the game.

The Bulldogs ran for five of the six plays on the drive, before settling for a 34-yard field goal from kicker Dylan Lynch.

Late in the first quarter, San Jose State quarterback Tama Amisone looked down the left sideline for star receiver Danny Scudero, only for the pass to be tipped. Nickelback Simeon Harris came down with it for his fourth interception, leading to another Lynch field goal, this time from 41 yards out.

The next drive, the Bulldogs secondary stepped up again. This time it was senior Al’zillion Hamilton with his 4th interception of the season (8th of his career), giving the Bulldogs the ball back on the 37 yard line.

Warner found wide receiver Josiah Freeman for a pair of medium sized completions on the outside, setting up a Brandon Ramirez touchdown run up the gut to give Fresno State a 13-0 lead. The Bulldogs got the ball back after forcing another three-and-out.

Facing 3rd and short on the Spartans 45 yard line, Warner missed Freeman only to find the hands of Spartans linebacker Jordan Pollard who ran the ball back 58 yards for a touchdown.

Warner redeemed himself late in the second half, finding Freeman open for a 37-yard pass for six points. Freeman followed it up with a reverse to give Fresno State the two-point conversion and a 21-7 lead heading into halftime.

Like in the first half, the Bulldogs used another interception to set up points. This time it was safety Ethan Tierney. The turnover led to a third Lynch field goal, giving the Bulldogs a 24-7 lead.

San Jose State did not score offensively until the fourth quarter. Third string quarterback Xavier Ward found Scudero open on a 3rd and long completion for 37 yards. Despite multiple goalline stops, the Spartans finally got through with Viliami Teu rushing in for a touchdown.

The Bulldogs were relentless though, wearing down the Spartans defense. Elijah Gilliam, Ramirez and Jonathan Arceneaux ran seven times for a combined 75 yards and a touchdown from Gilliam.

The rest of the quarter was more of the same, two more interceptions (Jayden Davis and Harris) as well as a cutthroat Bulldog running game that surpassed 2,000 yards in a season for the first time since 2018.

Fresno State would go on to win 41-14.

What’s next

The Bulldogs will get at least a few weeks off before finding out their next destination. Fresno State is bowl eligible for the fifth straight season.

The next game at Valley Children’s Stadium will come on Sep. 12 next year against Sacramento State for week two of the 2026 season.

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 29

0

A Klassy conversation: the future of Fresno State athletics

By Al Scott | Feature, Feature Length Story | No Comments

Being ‘Bulldog Born: Bulldog Bred’ is a term often thrown around at Fresno State and while he only came to Fresno a mere 16 months ago, Director of Athletics Garrett Klassy has always had that Bulldog mentality.

“We’re putting that valley DNA, that grit, into everything we do and and we’re trying to do things here that really align us to the culture and the values of this community,” Klassy said.

That community is one that has become a safe haven for him. A lot has happened in his life since April of 2024, between uprooting his family for a dream job and losing both of his parents.

“It is tough anytime you go through transition,” Klassy said.

When he first moved to Fresno, several people in the community offered up their homes to help with that transition process, something that reminded him of his roots.

“The way that the community accepted me and my family, it’s special. And I can’t say that about every place I’ve worked at,” Klassy said. “This is a Midwestern town in the middle of California with much better weather, but the people are very much Midwestern like me, and this, this is home.”

Home indeed, the Klassy family has indulged in Yosemite and China Peak as well as trips to the ocean on occasion, but for the Fresno State Director of Athletics, he is more than content exactly where he’s at and enjoys exploring all of Fresno County.

The New Glaus, Wisconsin native is not unfamiliar to agriculture, though admittedly he hadn’t milked a cow in nearly 20 years, something he got to do last week along with the Jordan College of Agriculture.

“Turns out it’s like riding a bike,” Klassy said.

The future of Fresno State hoops and Vance Walberg

The Bulldogs men’s basketball team is coming off a season in which they went 6-26. With a historically bad season comes uproar and fans have on more than a few occasions called for the firing of Head Coach Vance Walberg.

Klassy for what it’s worth, did not hire the coach, having come to Fresno State 2.5 months after Walberg signed a three-year deal. No one would fault him for wanting to bring in his own guy. Klassy made it clear though that he is Walberg’s “biggest fan” and envisions him to be around for a while.

“Vance Walberg is our coach, and I expect he will be our coach for the foreseeable future. I’ve already seen improvement in this team from last year to this year, and it’s an exciting team to watch,” Klassy said.

Despite last season’s struggles, Walberg has been determined to win at Fresno State, even risking his personal fortune to do so in an initiative to try and reverse the fortunes. Walberg and his family donated $1 million to Valley Co-Op earlier this year, per the Fresno Bee. The money would largely be used for N.I.L. purposes as they aim to recruit and retain high-end talent.

The early results have been promising, with the Bulldogs at 6-2 to begin the 2025-26 season, already matching its win total from a year ago. Walberg, who has mentioned his hatred for losing on several occasions, cited the inverse following the team’s win over New Orleans on Nov. 21.

“Winning, I always tell you, ‘best drug in the world,’” Walberg said.

The joy on his face is much different this season, in a good way. Walberg was able to chuckle after a unique incident following the game against New Orleans.

Beyond the on-court results, Walberg’s dedication to winning and turning the program around has resonated with his Athletic Director.

“There’s no one that wants to win more for Fresno State basketball than Vance and his coaching staff. “He’s put his blood, sweat and tears and resources into this program, and we are supporting him with as much as we can,” Klassy said.

Oftentimes when a new athletic director comes in, they like to set a new standard and bring in new coaches. Klassy has certainly done that to an extent, though it should be noted that most of said hires were replacements rather than moving on due to performance.

Matt Entz (football) was hired to replace Interim head Coach Tim Skipper who stepped in for the retired Jeff Tedford, Ryan McCarthy (women’s basketball) was hired to replace Jaime White who retired, and Charlotte Morgan (softball) was hired to replace Stacy May-Johnson, who left in May to come the head coach at her alma mater (Iowa).

The only changes Klassy has made due to performance have been in women’s soccer (more on that later) and women’s golf.

“When you make tough decisions, people understand them, and as long as you’re transparent and authentic, they’ll support you,” Klassy said.

In Walberg’s case, he signed a unique three-year deal in April 2024 with an option for two more years. It included a guarantee that Fresno State would keep him under contract for at least the first two seasons.

Beginning in May of 2026, Fresno State would have the option to buy out the coach’s deal for $164,070. The university pays about 55% of his total annual salary, with the remainder covered by the Fresno State Athletic Corporation. Klassy is optimistic it won’t come to that though.

“I hope this fan base gets behind him and supports them, because not only does Vance deserve it, his coaching staff deserves it and the student athletes do as well,” Klassy said. “They’re working really hard. I like Vance. We have a great working relationship, and he’s doing everything possible to turn this team into a consistent winner.”

Future of Fresno State athletics

The Bulldogs are closing in on the end of its 6-year run with Adidas as the University’s official athletic footwear, apparel and accessory brand. The current deal is set to expire in June of 2026, meaning there’s a chance Fresno State athletics will have a new apparel partner this time next year.

Fresno State hasn’t ruled out a reunion with the Portland based company known for its three stripe logo.

“Adidas has been an incredible partner, but we’re still wrapping up some things on where we’re going,” Klassy said.

In addition to Adidas, the University has had discussions with both Nike and Under Armour. A new deal is expected to be made official before the new year, potentially in the next week or so.

The new deal will coincide with Fresno State joining the Pac-12, a move just a few months into Klassy’s tenure.

“This move not only elevates our national profile but also brings tremendous opportunities for our student-athletes to compete at the highest level. We are committed to upholding the values and traditions of both Fresno State and the Pac-12 while embracing the innovative future ahead,” Klassy said in a statement following the announcement in Sept. 2024.

With that, Fresno State will need to grow and improve internally (no intention of adding new sports anytime soon).

“We have to be great at what we’re currently doing before we can start looking at other ventures,” Klassy.

One area on the list of things to get done is renovating the current facilities, especially the football stadium.

Building a new tomorrow

Plans for a new or rather improved football venue has been a discussion for a long time at Fresno State. Bulldog Stadium, now called Valley Children’s Stadium, was built in 1980 and has seen moderate renovations over the years, mainly through field improvements and the addition of luxury boxes.

Wear and tear has caught up with it overall though. Unfortunately for the University and the Red Wave, the funds for said stadium improvements have not gotten to where they need to be in order to pursue a large-scale project.

Fans have already seen two different sets of plans, most recently with the Elevate campaign, only for the project to fall through, something Klassy says President Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and himself are wanting to avoid.

“We’re actively exploring options, but we want to make sure that this is realistic before we move forward with any plans that we may have,” Klassy said.

Funding said project has been a difficult venture in itself but not one without efforts put in. Multiple campaigns for Measure-E, which would have included money towards athletics have failed.

The University also hosted its first ever concert at Valley Children’s Stadium in August, bringing Shakira to Fresno. Klassy envisions a future in which they can host 4-5 special events a year (in addition to football) at the stadium, bringing in money for Fresno State as well as providing the community with great entertainment.

“We think we’re a great market to have more shows, because the reality is we’re a completely separate market than Sacramento or San Francisco or Los Angeles, “Klassy said. “For us to be able to compete at the highest level in the Pac 12. We need that revenue source to continue to help us to invest it in our student athletes.”

The Shakira concert did well and wasn’t considered a failure but technical issues on Fresno State’s end in preparing for the concert has made it difficult to set up future events soon. Klassy is confident though that the appropriate adjustments have been made and they will be ready for the next opportunity.

Time for a change

The Bulldogs decided to part ways with former women’s soccer head coach Brian Zwaschka on Nov. 18, following 17 seasons under his tenure. While at Fresno State, Zwaschka compiled a 112-143-51 overall record and Western Athletic Conference Championship in 2010.

“I just want to wish him the best and thank him for his service to Fresno State,” Klassy said. “Coaching jobs aren’t easy, and anytime you’ve been in a job that long speaks volumes.”

In terms of replacing him, Klassy said they are looking for a head coach that is able to create an incredible student athlete experience, in a three-pronged approach: “obviously the competitive piece, but it also includes graduating student athletes and turning our student athletes into great citizens.”

Like with both McCarthy and Entz hires, Klassy values head coaching experience at the collegiate level. But he didn’t rule out other possible candidates.

“I don’t like backing myself into the corner, and I like to put a wide swath out there,” Klassy said. “We’ve talked to assistant coaches through every process. Also, if you’re a successful club coach that has sent a lot of student athletes to the Division I level, that’s intriguing or if you have a lot of local connections, there’s lots of very good soccer in the valley.”

The right guy for the job

Will there be challenges ahead? Yes, especially in regards to raising money. But Fresno State is headed in the right direction and they seem to have the right guy in the right place at the right time leading the charge.

Story written by Al Scott, photos courtesy of Fresno State Athletics

Nov 22

0

Bulldogs crumble in second half to Utah State

By Al Scott | Feature, Football | No Comments

A night that began with celebrating 27 seniors, ended in agony following a rough second half that saw Utah State outscore Fresno State 21-0. The result would be the Bulldogs (7-4) falling 28-17 to the Aggies (6-5) on Saturday night at Valley Children’s Stadium.

“Frustrating night, one that we wish we’d probably have back,” Head Coach Matt Entz said. “Too many errors, we got in our own way.”

What happened

Despite allowing a pair of chunk plays, the Fresno State defense got a first drive stop thanks to a pass breakup from Ryan Wilson.

In a surprise twist, Entz opted to switch quarterbacks from sophomore Carson Conklin, back to senior E.J. Warner.

Two possessions later, the Bulldogs took over on its own 31-yard line. Rayshon “Speedy” Luke broke away to the outside, running 69 yards down the Fresno State sideline for a touchdown (6th rushing TD of the season) to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.

Utah State responded late in the first quarter, a lateral throw from Bryson Barnes to Anthony Garcia, who then found Brady Boyd open in the end zone to tie the game.

Fresno State began the second quarter with a wide receiver reverse to Josiah Freeman, who ran 55 yards into the end zone. The play was called back, however.

Seniors Finn Claypool and Korey Foreman both had drive ending sacks in the first half, the latter of which led to a 30-yard field goal from Dylan Lynch.

Fresno State took over again late in the first half. On the seventh play of the drive, Warner evaded a pair of Aggies defenders before finding Jahil McClain over the middle of the field for a 43-yard touchdown.

Utah State moved the ball down the field but missed a 46-yard field goal attempt heading into half, down 17-7 to the Bulldogs.

Warner went 12-of-15 in the first half with 129 passing yards, leading them to 256 yards of total offense, the most first half yards in a game this season.

Following a three-and-out from the Bulldogs, Barnes led the Aggies down the field on a 15-play, 78-yard drive, resulting in another lateral for a touchdown, this time from Barnes to Garcia, back to Barnes.

With just over a minute remaining in the third quarter, the Fresno State safety Camryn Bracha forced a fumble from Aggies running back Miles Davis, picked up by Bulldog linebacker Jadon Pearson in the Utah State red zone.

The ‘Dogs fumbled the prime opportunity a few plays later though, as Warner was intercepted over the middle of the field by linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr.

Utah State got the ball back to end the third quarter and took advantage of a pair of massive Bulldog defensive penalties, including a third down facemask from Mordecai Hines. Utah State ended up moving the ball down the field. The drive would end in a 19-yard rush up the middle for a touchdown from tailback Javen Jacobs.

The Bulldogs had a 3rd and short opportunity, but opted to throw instead of running it. Aggies safety Ike Larson read it perfectly, breaking up a pass intended for Elijah Gilliam, giving the ball back to Utah State following a three-and-out.

Utah State went on to win 28-17.

What’s next

The Bulldogs will wrap up the regular season next Saturday, Nov. 29, at San Jose State with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. It will also be the third rivalry game of the season as the two teams will battle for the Valley Trophy.

The next official game at Valley Children’s Stadium will come on Sep. 12 next year against Sacramento State for week 2 of the 2026 season.

Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 21

0

Bark over bite, Fresno State wins 3rd straight

By Al Scott | Basketball, Feature | No Comments

Grinning ear to ear, Head Coach Vance Walberg spoke after the game following the team’s three game winning streak.

“It feels great winning. I always tell you, ‘best drug in the world,” Walberg said.

Fresno State improved to 5-2 with an 85-76 victory over the University of New Orleans on Friday night, led by Clemson transfer Jake Heidbreder who scored a career high 33 points. Zaon Collins also flirted with a triple double.

“It’s the hardest working team I’ve probably been on. Everyone’s in the gym every day getting extra shots up, working together, doing all this type of stuff to where we’re gonna make the shots. What happens when you work that hard,” Heidbreder said. “It’s showing the game is just the reward of it.”

Heidbreder leads the team scoring 19 points per game this season, while shooting 50% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc.

The Bulldogs have now won 4 of its last 5 games since losing to USC Upstate. The team is just one win away from its win total from a year ago. Walberg remains optimistic that there is still potential to grow.

“We’re going to get much better than what we are now. Hopefully that translates to wins, but I just know we’re still trying to figure out how to do certain things,” Walberg said.

Key players

Jake Heidbreder (FS): 33 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal.
Zaon Collins (FS): 14 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals.
Jakevion Buckley (NOLA): 25 points, 14 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal.
MJ Thomas (NOLA): 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists.

What happened

It was the Jake Heidbreder show in the first half. The Clemson transfer scored the Bulldogs first eight points of the game and 14 of the first 19, giving Fresno State a 19-14 lead seven-and-a-half minutes into the game.

“I gave him 52 seconds off tonight. But he’s in that kind of shape where he can keep playing, keep playing, keep playing. And you know, he tries to work down it, his opponent, that’s what we’re trying to do. I just got to find ways to get him shots a little bit easier for him,” Walberg said.

During that span, Privateers big man Churchill Abass was given a flagrant two and ejected after biting Fresno State point guard Zaon Collins while scrambling for a loose ball (Yes, that is a real sentence).

“[Zaon] comes up with some goofy stuff. ‘He bit me,’ you know, so we asked the referees to check it, and he obviously bit him,” Walberg said. “In 48 years of coaching, I’ve never seen that in the basketball game.”

Walberg added that Abass was a pretty good rebounder and he was relieved it gave them a bit of a break in that department. The two squads both finished with 36 rebounds on the night.

A pair of free throws a few minutes later from New Orleans forward MJ Thomas cut the score to 22-20. Fresno State took control of the game over the next several minutes with a 15-6 run, extending its lead to 37-26. The Bulldogs last field goal in the first half however came on a layup from Heidbreder with over six minutes remaining.

The Privateers took advantage, erasing an 11 point deficit to make it 39-37 with 43 seconds left in the first half. A pair of free throws from Gasper Kocevar gave the Bulldogs a 41-37 lead going into halftime.

At half, Heidbreder had 19 points to lead Fresno State in scoring. New Orleans had three players with 8+ points. Neither team shot particularly well; however, with Fresno State making 12-of-31 from the field. New Orleans made 11-of-29 and just 2-of-11 from beyond the arc.

Jakevion Buckley opened the second half with a layup but it was answered right back with a dish from Collins inside to big man Wilson Jacques. DeShawn Gory and Heidbreder followed with a pair of threes to give the Bulldogs a 49-41 lead.

The Privateers went on a brief 5-0 run before Collins found Jacques again. The next possession, following a rebound Collins found Gory open in front of the Bulldog bench for a corner three. De ja vu entered the building as the Privateers went on another 5-0 run, thanks to a pair of jump shots from Coleton Benson.

Bulldog forward Cameron Faas made a layup with just over eight minutes left in the game, giving Fresno State a 69-61 lead. A bad pass leading to a turnover forced a Privateers timeout.

“We’re gonna live and die with Jake shooting,” Walberg said.

They did just that and it worked out.

The Bulldogs went on to win 85-76 led by Heidbreder, who made 11-of-14 from the field including 4-of-6 from three. Fresno State as a team shot 47% from the field and 9-of-27 from three.

Collins had 14, 10 and 7 in a do-it-all effort. He also had three steals on defense. Gory (11 points) was the only other Bulldog to score in double figures.

“They are our two leaders. They’re the ones that got to perform each night,” Walberg said. “Tonight they both had a very good game and that’s why we won.”

Buckley had 25 points (9-of-16 FG) to lead New Orleans. He also had 14 rebounds.

What’s next

The Bulldogs will play at Pepperdine on Wednesday, Nov. 26, before hosting CSU Bakersfield downtown at Selland Arena on Sunday, Nov. 30 to finish the month.

It is worth noting that Pepperdine beat New Orleans 90-79 on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

The Bulldogs don’t return to the Save Mart Center until Dec. 30, hosting Utah State for the second game of Mountain West Conference play.

Story written by Al Scott, photos from Vincent Ordonio (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 16

0

Toughness won as Fresno State drowns Cowboys 24-3

By Al Scott | Feature, Football | No Comments

The season has not been perfect, but with only two games left to play, the Fresno State Bulldogs (7-3, 4-2) are right in the thick of the race for the Mountain West Championship game in December.

In the thick of the rain, the ‘Dogs defeated Wyoming 24-3 late Saturday night behind a strong rushing attack and gritty defense

Linebacker Tytus Khajavi said after the game that special teams coach John Baxter told the team pregame, “I don’t care if we see Noah’s Ark going down the ramp, we’re going to play some Bulldog football.”

And Bulldog football they did, the defense in particular was effective limiting the Cowboys to just 184 yards of total offense and an interception.

Khajavi led the defense with six tackles, including a sack. While he wasn’t interested in talking about his individual performance, the Clovis West alum did say that the win gave the team a lot of momentum.

“It’s not an individual game. I don’t see myself better than anybody on the field. 11 men on defense. I just want to do my part and execute it and then see success for our defense,” Khajavi said.

If the Bulldogs win out, they may have a chance at redemption with rival San Diego State in December. With the win, the ‘Dogs are currently tied for second place in the Mountain West Conference standings. They also hold tiebreakers over both Hawaii and Boise State.

Head Coach Matt Entz said after the game that he was encouraged by the win and is excited to see the team continue to grow down the stretch.

“Can we be better? We sure can. I’m not satisfied, but seven wins is a good starting spot. We got an opportunity to win a couple more this year,” Entz said.

What happened

Fresno State used a 10-play, 73-yard opening drive, capped off by a 12-yard rush to the left corner of the end zone by sophomore Bryson Donelson to get on the board early. After a pair of penalties, kicker Dylan Lynch nailed the point after to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.

The Cowboys ran twice with running back Samuel Harris before quarterback Kaden Anderson gained a first down, courtesy of a sneak up the middle. The following play, Anderson eluded a Bulldog pass rush before lofting a ball downfield, finding wideout Chris Durr Jr. open for a 40-yard gain. It set up a 41-yard field goal for Wyoming kicker Erik Sandvik (6:39 remaining in the first quarter).

That was the last time either team scored until 26 seconds left in the first half, when Lynch nailed a 40-yard field goal, finishing off an 11-play drive.

Neither team was able to muster much offensively, with Fresno State outgaining Wyoming 156-73 in total first half yards. This was especially apparent in the passing department, with neither team throwing for 50 yards in the first half.

“Those kids are having fun playing football. You see it every day. They’ve got great energy. We’re playing with a lot of people. So there’s a lot of guys that are engaged on a weekly basis, probably playing 8-10 defensive lineman. We’re playing four linebackers, a ton of guys in the secondary,” Entz said.

The second half looked awfully similar to the first half with neither team seeming to be able to move the ball down the field. Wyoming gave the ball to Fresno State on the Bulldog 36 yard line with just under 11 minutes to go in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs methodically moved the ball down the field using over eight minutes of play clock on a 16-play drive, including four first downs. Unfortunately for Fresno State, it resulted in no points on a missed 27-yard FG try from Lynch.

Wyoming got into Fresno State territory early in the fourth quarter thanks to a pair of big runs from Harris. Aiming to make a big play, Anderson looked for wide receiver Jackson Holman deep over the middle of the field, only to be intercepted by Bulldogs corner Al’zillion Hamilton.

On the very first play of the drive, Fresno State running back Johnathan Arceneaux got loose on the outside, running 58 yards down the right side of the field for a Bulldog touchdown, giving them a 17-3 lead. It was the second touchdown for Arceanaux’s career, a pivotal one for the senior.

“He has tremendous value, not just from the running back room, but a great leader on our football team. He broke the team down just a second ago in the locker room, and it was fun to see him get his moment there tonight,” Entz said.

It was the ‘cherry on top’ for a classic Matt Entz football game, tough defense and nose to the ground defense.

On a 2nd and 13 with four minutes remaining, Anderson was sacked by Bulldogs fifth year senior Julius Gandy. Two plays later, the Cowboys turned it over on downs.

Carson Conklin found Josiah Freeman in the left corner of the end zone in the final minutes to extend the Bulldogs lead to 24-3, and secure Conklin’s first touchdown pass as a Bulldog.

The sophomore transfer completed 12-of-27 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Noteworthy, for the second straight game, he led an offense that did not commit a turnover.

Key players

Rayshon “Speedy” Luke (FS): 16 carries, 92 yards, 3 receptions, 16 receiving yards
Al’zillion Hamilton (FS): 3 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 BrUp
Samuel Harris (WYO): 12 carries, 96 yards
Evan Eller (WYO): 9 tackles, 1 TFL

What’s next

The Bulldogs will stay home this next week, hosting the Utah State Aggies for the sixth and final home game of the 2025 season on Senior night.

Kickoff for next Saturday, Nov. 22, is set for 7:30 p.m. For those that cannot make it to Valley Children’s Stadium, the game will also be available to watch on CBS Sports Network.

In addition to honoring the team’s seniors, Saturday is Boots and Buckles Night and whiteout The team will wear all-white uniforms with Green-V lettering on both the jersey numbers and the helmets in recognition of the Central Valley’s rich agriculture. Click here for a uniform preview.

Fresno State will finish the regular season at San Jose State (kickoff TBA) on Saturday, Nov. 29.

Story written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 13

0

Preview: Dogs set to host Wyoming with season on the line

By Al Scott | Feature, Football | No Comments

The third and final bye week of the season has finally passed and the Fresno State football team (6-3, 3-2) has three games left in its quest to return to the conference title game in its final season in the Mountain West.

Head Coach Matt Entz is eager to get back on the gridiron.

“I was bored to death on Saturday,” Entz said.

While the Bulldogs were resting up, Hawaii upset San Diego State and both Utah State (51-14 W vs Nevada) and UNLV (42-10 W at Colorado State) had huge wins to make things complicated down the stretch.

With three weeks left to play, seven teams are within a game of each other atop the MWC and still in contention of hosting the conference title game in early December.

“You have to be prepared, especially when you go on the road. Road victories are hard to come by in this league, and so you have to make sure that you’re fully prepared in all levels, in all three areas, and make sure that your kids are aware of the kind of the traps that are out there,” Entz said.

He added that the ‘parity’ is exciting but that his focus remains that of Fresno State and not on other schools.

“Worry about us, we have to take them one at a time. You let in those outside distractions, and I think you’re setting yourself up,” Entz said.

What’s next

The Bulldogs final three games are all in California, with the next two Saturdays hosting Wyoming (Nov. 15) at 7:30 p.m. and Utah State (Nov. 22) before wrapping up the regular season in Silicon Valley to take on rival San Jose State (Nov. 29).

Welcoming the Cowboys

On Saturday, Fresno State (3.5 point favorites) will host the Wyoming Cowboys for the 16th matchup in program history, with the ‘Dogs leading the series 9-6 including a 6-1 record at home.

It will also mark the 45th anniversary of the game played at what now is called Valley Children’s Stadium. The Bulldogs beat Montana State 21-14 on Nov. 15, 1980 to open up Bulldog Stadium.

The Cowboys have been held to seven or fewer points in four of its last five meetings with Fresno State, the only exception being the Cowboys 24-19 win over Fresno State in Laramie, Wyoming in Oct. of 2023.

Like the Bulldogs, this year’s Cowboys team presents a strong rushing attack, averaging 149.7 yards a game on the ground with three running backs with at least 321 rushing yards this season. Samuel Harris leads that group with 450 yards on 85 carries in 2025.

Their offense is led by sophomore quarterback Kaden Anderson, who’s completed 58.7% of passes for 1,727 yards this season with 11:9 TD/INT.

Like Fresno State starting quarterback Carson Conklin, Anderson struggled last time out, completing just 12-of-24 passes for just 93 yards, while throwing three interceptions.

His favorite target is sophomore speedster Chris Durr Jr. who has 37 catches for 398 yards through the air and four touchdown receptions.

Defensively, Wyoming is allowing 20.2 points per game and 348 yards per game. Nose tackle Ben Florentine (25 tackles, 4 sacks) and linebacker Brayden Johnson (54 tackles, two interceptions) lead an experienced and talented defense.

Forcing the issue on defense

Following the 30-7 win over Boise State, Nick Benedetto (MWC Coordinator of the Week) and nickel Simeon Harris (MWC Defensive Player of the Week) were both honored for their efforts.

Harris had six tackles in the win, including three tackles for loss and a strip sack. He also had an interception, 3 of 12 picks (t-1st in MW, Top 10 in FBS) by the Bulldog defense this season.

The Utah State transfer has had a “No Panic” mantra throughout the year, one that he shares with his teammates.

“I think it’s his way of just kind of circling the wagons and saying, hey, the most important people are the ones that are in this {locker room}…we’re going to continue to keep growing, keep building, because there’s still better football out there for the Bulldogs,” Entz said.

The Bulldogs as a team have made things tough on opposing offenses, especially in regards to taking care of the football. Fresno State is second (SDSU) in the conference at forcing turnovers.

“I think if you’re plus three, you win 80% of the games. If you’re plus one, you win 60% so I think statistically, it tells you that you have to protect the football, the ball is the program, and on defense and special teams, you have to find ways to get your opponent to put it on the ground,” Entz said.

Fresno State is 4-0 this season when winning the turnover battle, including 3-0 when forcing at least three turnovers.

Entz added that Coach Benedetto starts each practice with some sort of ball security and or tackling circuit, ‘just to re-emphasize the little things’ on a daily basis.

Junior defensive lineman Jahzon Jacks currently leads the FBS in fumble recoveries with four, a stat that his coach says is not luck.

“Our team has heard me say that your value is determined by the distance from you and the ball. (The fumble recoveries) tell me that he’s around the football a lot. It’s hard to take those guys off the field,” Entz said.

What to know for Saturday

Saturday’s matchup with the Cowboys is big for Fresno State. They likely need to win out for an opportunity to play in the title game at the end of the year.

Beyond that, the Bulldogs will be celebrating the rich Native American culture in the Central Valley. The first 7,500 fans in attendance will also receive a Timeout bobblehead, courtesy of Table Mountain Casino.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. with a good chance of rain, so fans should come prepared with the proper attire to stay warm and dry as much as possible.

Final Prediction: Fresno State wins 20-17

Story written by Al Scott, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 12

0

UCSD stifles Bulldogs late comeback attempt

By FSM Staff | Basketball, Feature | No Comments

The Fresno State men’s basketball team (2-2) falls to the University of California, San Diego (3-0) in a 78-73 loss on Wednesday evening.

After making the game competitive halfway through the second half, and even taking a brief lead, the Bulldogs were unable to complete the 13 point comeback.

After a slow start, guard Zaon Collins helped the Bulldogs erase the 13 point deficit with his two-way performance, recording seven of his nine points and three of his four steals in the second half—something that head coach Vance Walberg wants to see more of.

“Zaon should be giving us 14, 15 points a game—six, seven, eight, assists a game—that’s what I expect from him, I think he’s that good.” Walberg said. “I just gotta find a way to open up a few more things for him.”

The Bulldogs also had strong play off the bench, with 33 of the 73 points coming from the second unit—with Mani contributing 21 points.

Guard Bastien Rieber, despite it not showing up in the box score, made a big impact off the bench with his grit on both ends on the floor.

“[Rieber] is going to give you everything he’s got everytime—he’s just a tough little son of a gun,” Walberg said.

Key stats

Zaon Collins (FS): 9 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals.
Jac Mani (FS): 21 points (8-9 fg, 2-3 3fg), 7 rebounds.
Leo Beath (UCSD): 22 points, 5-10 from three, 7 rebounds, 2 assists.
Tom Beattie (UCSD): 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists.

What happened

The Bulldogs open the game with a slow start on offense with four early turnovers, and the Tritons capitalize with an 11-5 lead six minutes into the game.

The Bulldogs respond with grit on both ends, chasing loose balls, and following a putback by Mani and a three-pointer from guard Bastien Rieber, the ‘Dogs now trail 11-10.

The grit continued to be on display, but after chasing a loose ball, guard Zaon Collins exited the game grabbing his left shoulder—but would come back a few possessions later donning tape.

While Collins was out, the guard Tom Beattie and the Tritons kept the Bulldogs’ defense honest, draining shots from beyond-the-arch and doing damage in the paint to add to their 19-16 lead 11 minutes into the first half.

However, the Bulldogs’ second unit would provide a spark, led by Mani’s offense and Reiber’s spirit, who combined for 15 points. But, it wasn’t enough, as the Tritons continued to work the paint to go up 42-30 heading into halftime.

The second half was headlined by the performance from Collins on both ends of the floor. Collins scored nine points midway through the half, came away with three steals, and four assists to help tie the game 57-57.

Mani also pitched in, scoring 10 points on 4-4 shooting from the field and 2-2 from three-point range midway through the half.

But, the play from Beattie and forward Leo Beath—who combined for 13 points—was enough to keep the Tritons afloat and battle through the Bulldogs’ barrage on offense to tie the game 62-62.

To close out the game, Beath continued his strong performance to help the Tritons pull away with the

What’s next

The Bulldogs’ showcase of resilience in this game was something that Walberg values, and called it something to build on.

“The beauty of what we have this year is we got guys that care and they want to get better,” Walberg said. “I think you’re going to see that progression.”

The Bulldogs continue their home stand as they look to bounce back against Utah Valley University on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Save Mart Center.

Story written by Vincent Ordonio, cover photo by Ryan Sepulveda (Fresno Sports Magazine)

Nov 11

0

‘Dogs continue to grow with win over Seattle

By Al Scott | Basketball, Feature | No Comments

The ‘Mayhem’ era is off to a great start with the Fresno State (3-0) women’s basketball team defeating Seattle University on Tuesday night 78 to 53.

Alaska Anchorage transfers Emilia Long and Ashlyn Rean combined for 40 points on 70% shooting from the field. The coach they followed from Alaska to Fresno isn’t surprised.

“They’re proving there’s not a big difference from an elite Division II player to a mid-major player,” Head Coach Ryan McCarthy said after the game.

Fresno State shot 51.6% from the field as a team and outrebounded the Redhawks 31-23 in the victory.

Key Players

Emilia Long (FS): 21 points (10-14 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.
Ashlyn Rean (FS): 19 points (9-13), 7 rebounds, 1 steal.
Tamia Stricklin (SEA): 9 points (3-6), 5 rebounds, 1 steal.

What happened

Emilia Long does a lot of the things for the Bulldog basketball team, which was very apparent early in the first quarter on Tuesday night.

“Millie’s an elite athlete, and she’s grown into a really good basketball player,” McCarthy said.

The 5’9 point guard from Port Angeles, Washington opened the game with a jumper, then proceeded to block a shot at the other end. A few minutes later, Long maneuvered through the key for a layup over two Redhawk defenders. She then nailed a three-pointer at the top of the key on the next possession, giving the ‘Dogs an 11-2 lead and forcing a Seattle timeout.

“It wasn’t my best game defensively,” Long said. “it was nice to hit some shots early on, like if you hit that first shot, then you can get things going pretty easily.”

Fresno State extended its lead to 24-10 thanks to forcing a pair of turnovers and a pair of layups from forward Avery Watkins. Forward Ashlyn Rean capped off the 26-12 quarter with a layup.

Long was quite active again in the second, sparking a 16-5 run, offensively and defensively. She finished the half with 13 points, on 6-of-7 shooting from the field.

Rean added 10 points and four rebounds as well to give the ‘Dogs a 44-25 lead. The Redhawks were led by Jana Vesic, who scored seven points off the bench.

The Bulldogs started out cold in the second half, allowing Seattle to open with a 7-2 run. The ‘Dogs responded with a 16-3 run to close the third quarter, leading 62-35.

Seattle started out hot again in the fourth quarter with an 8-1 run, including four points from Ella Brubaker (finished with 8 points).

Despite holding a 20+ lead for most of the second half, McCarthy didn’t let off the gas pedal.

“Whether you’re up by 30 or down by 30, you know, I just think of staying in that process mindset. You know that it is a process, and it is about growth,” McCarthy said.

His players have responded well to having a passionate coach.

“It gets us going, it lights a fire under us to never get comfortable. It doesn’t matter what the score is. We have a standard that we have to reach every day, and if we don’t hit that standard, then it’s just not good enough,” Long said. “It’s a growth mindset.”

The Bulldogs went on to win 78-53.

What’s Next

The Bulldogs will be on the road for nearly a month before hosting Pepperdine on Dec. 6 at the Save Mart Center.

In the meantime, McCarthy’s squad will face at least five teams including Brigham Young University, Washington and Santa Clara.

“We’re going to play some really, really good basketball teams, and it’s going to be a good challenge,” McCarthy said. “The road sometimes can be an advantage. You get to control sleep patterns, you get to control what they eat. You get to control their social life. We want to come into this road trip, going in as one team, and regardless of whatever the outcome is in those three contests, to come out on the other end is a better basketball team.”

Step one is facing BYU this Saturday, with tipoff at 1 p.m.

Nov 08

0

Fresno State rides second half wave in win over Beach

By Al Scott | Basketball, Feature | No Comments

Winning college basketball games isn’t easy, and the wins have come few and far between for Fresno State over the last few years.

After today’s game, Head Coach Vance Walberg was still lamenting the loss Wednesday to USC Upstate.

“I freaking hate losing. I want to win every gosh darn game. Wednesday hurt me. Wednesday really, really hurt,” Walberg said.

Fortunately for Walberg, his team turned the page and easily handled Long Beach State in a Saturday afternoon of hoops at the Save Mart Center, with a 82-62 win over the Beach.

“I thought the effort, especially on the defensive side, was phenomenal. The first half offensively, we were really struggling. Couldn’t really do too much, but I thought our defense kept us in the game,” Walberg said.

The Bulldogs held the Beach to 7-of-27 shooting from the field in the first half, while forcing 10 turnovers. Offensively, the ‘Dogs made 15-of-24 shots, including 8-of-14 from beyond the arc.

Grad transfer Jake Heidbreder led the way for the Bulldogs again offensively, making 8-of-13 shots for 24 points to go with three assists and a pair of steals.

“Jake is Jake, he just finds a way to move, keep cutting,” Walberg said. “When we go down, I’m asking {Wilson Jacques} ‘just go find Jake’s man. Let’s find a pin down that’s getting in flow,’ because just that alone is going to open up so many different things.”

They were especially effective in the second half in that plan, with Heidbreder scoring 16 points, making shots while opening up opportunities for other guys to make an impact.

Key Players

Jake Heidbreder (FS): 24 points (8-13), 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals.
Wilson Jacques (FS): 12 points (4-7), 13 rebounds, 1 block, 2 steals.
Petar Majstorovic (LBSU): 9 points (4-10), 6 rebounds, 2 assists.

What happened

Walberg opted to switch the lineup up a bit, replacing big man Makhan Diouf with Cameron Faas, a transfer senior.

The Bulldogs missed 6-of-7 shots to begin the game before a nice jumpshot by Zaon Collins to tie the game 4-4 (15:00 remaining). A couple plays later, Gavin Sykes took advantage of a Bulldog turnover, draining a shot from distance.

A minute later, DJ Stickman forced a steal before getting the ball to Collins who laid in the ‘Dogs third basket of the game. A forced turnover on the following possession forced the Beach to foul and call timeout.

Stickman, a true freshman and former Clovis West standout, has been under Walberg’s tutelage for most of his basketball journey. The ‘athletic freak’ as his coach called him after the game, continues to get minutes (17 on Saturday) thanks to his defense and playmaking, beyond the stat sheet.

“He’s an athletic freak,” Walberg said. “I’ve had him for eight years, so he knows exactly my expectations, and I feel a bit more comfortable with him out there. I know he’s going to play his butt on defense. I know he’s going to be solid. I know he’s going to rebound, and if he puts a ball in one or two times, that’s a big bonus.”

Walberg added that before the game, he told Stickman DJ ‘I don’t care how many fouls you have, just get your butt out there. Give me the defense I know you can do.’

The Bulldogs would keep Long Beach State scoreless for six-and-a-half minutes, led by Stickman and Wilson Jaques, each forcing a steal during that period.

Jacques in particular was critical to the ‘Dogs win on Saturday, posting the first double-double of the season for Fresno State. He took accountability after the game for some of his own struggles.

“I was so mad at myself, because I know I can do a lot better,” Jaques said.

The French freshman has started to adapt but acknowledges that transitioning to Walberg’s offense has not always been easy. He also said that he sees the potential though in this team.

“It was kind of complicated, because you got a particular way to play. But I am still learning, I’m still making some mistakes. I gotta do a better job to find Jake and other guys,” Jacques said. “One of the things wonderful with this team is that we still improve, we still have so many things that we can do better.”

Heidbreder nailed a three-pointer from the left wing to give the Bulldogs a 25-15 lead with 4:03 remaining in the first half.

Fresno State went into halftime up 28-20, despite making just 1-of-9 threes in the first half.

That poor shooting A trio of threes from Cameron Faas (two) and DeShawn Gory out of the break gave the Bulldogs 37-24 lead less than two minutes into a timeout, forcing a Beach timeout. Faas hit another three a few minutes later.

Havoc defense, sound shooting and resilience led to a 34-16 run for the Bulldogs across 10 minutes of play, capped off by a pair of free throws from Jac Mani to give Fresno State a commanding 59-36 lead with 11:09 remaining in the second half.

On Wednesday, the Bulldogs started out strong but fell flat. They made sure to correct that.

“You just can’t give games away at this level. I felt like we gave that game away. I thought we played hard, but there’s just a lot of little freaky things that happened. I just felt today that we played so much harder, and we can play with today’s intensity. You know, I think good things will happen, and it’s my job to make sure they do,” Walberg said.

The big lead at the end of the game allowed Walberg to get minutes for some guys at the end of the bench including Troy Jenkins and newcomers Matteo Porter and Aram Soqui Urbano.

The Bulldogs went on to win 82-62, shooting 50% from the field and outrebounding the Beach 38-26.

“This is a completely different team, I’ll tell you. We had a lot of good kids last year. We have a lot of really good kids this year, but this group plays as a team. They share the bond,” Walberg said.

What’s Next

The ‘Dogs will host the Tritons of UC San Diego this coming Wednesday.

UCSD (1-0) got off to a hot start to the season with a 105-73 victory over La Verne on Monday, after making the NCAA tournament last season, following their victory in the Big West conference tournament. Forward Leo Beath scored 24 points in just 25 minutes to lead them in scoring.

“Look at the next couple games that we have. You got UCSD. You got Utah Valley, who’s always there, they are picked to win their league. Then you got Stephen F Austin, so, I mean, we got a few good ones coming up. I think it’s gonna be a nice challenge for us,” Walberg said.

UCSD will host Houston Christian tonight before coming to Fresno. Wednesday’ game will mark the fourth of eight home games in November for the Bulldogs. Tipoff at the Save Mart Center is set for 6 p.m.