Just 11 months ago, UC Davis’ Barrett Abel wrestled his way past Cal Poly to be crowned champion of the Pac-10 conference at 149 pounds.
He received his trophy to the cheers of a home crowd, while wearing Davis’ signature blue and gold singlet, and remained blissfully unaware of what was to come.
Then, on April 16, Abel’s world turned on its head.
“Last year at this point, I had the next five, 10, 20 years of my life planned out,” Abel said. “I knew what I wanted, what was next, then my world got rocked.”
UC Davis, pressured by budget issues, cut its wrestling program.
UC Davis Athletic Director Greg Warzecka notified head coach Lennie Zalesky about the decision 10 minutes before the information was publicly released, setting off a chain reaction that still echoes through the UC Davis community, according to reports.
While supporters rallied around the program and complaints were heard (and mostly dismissed), Abel scrambled to find a team to accept him for his senior season. He doubted that anything could be done to rectify the situation at Davis and consequently set off on a voyage that would eventually land him in San Luis Obispo.
The journey hardened Abel, who bears his load stoically, but an undercurrent of institutional distrust resonates through his voice when he speaks about the betrayal of the UC Davis athletic department.
“We had a promise from the athletic director that wrestling wasn’t going to be cut,” Abel said, his voice wavering. “We knew there were sports cuts coming, but we had been told not to worry about them, that we were fine.”
While the decision tested Abel’s low-key style, he took the consequences in stride with the appropriate, but tough, steps to find a new home.
The day following the announcement, about 25 coaches contacted Abel, one of which was Cal Poly.
Co-head coach Mark Perry recognized that Abel could be an asset even if it was only for a year.
“When it happened, I said, ‘We want him here, let’s bring him down on a visit,’” Perry said. “Anytime there’s a big transfer out there, we’re looking for him. Barrett is a good student, his head’s on straight. We’re trying to become a championship program, and those guys help.”
But it was hardly a done deal. In the final month of spring quarter, Abel was whisked away on a whirlwind tour of the country, visiting colleges from Oregon to New York, while he was still taking 19 units of coursework.
Weighing the benefits and seeing light at the end of the tunnel, a plausible situation eventually emerged. Abel could compete in a familiar conference with a familiar setting, while being able to complete his degree at UC Davis after returning home after wrestling season.
In mid-June, Abel settled on Cal Poly only to find more problems. Due to a credit-transfer issue, Abel sifted through more paperwork for an NCAA waiver allowing him to compete.
“I was sure something was going to work out, but it was a lot of stress,” Abel said. “There were times when I thought, ‘You know what, what’s gonna happen is gonna happen.’”
Finally, in August, the day of relief arrived. Abel was admitted to Cal Poly; the Aggie became a Mustang.
The journey aged Abel, to say the least.
“Barrett is the youngest grandpa I’ve ever met,” heavyweight Atticus Disney said.
The wear and tear throughout the last year has been rough, Abel said.
“With everything I’ve been through with the transfer, I really want to do well; so I’m not as lighthearted as I could be or should be,” Abel said.
Emerging from five months of uncertainty, Abel found himself entering an unfamiliar wrestling room. With leaders already established and tested, Abel took a back seat in practice.
“I would rather let my work ethic and results speak for themselves,” Abel said. “It would be great if I won all the time, but my hope is that when it all starts paying off for me in the end, people can look back and say, ‘That’s how it’s done.’”
Abel has focused on leading by example. He became, in some ways, a philosopher wrestler. On trips, Abel buries himself in books and is leafing his way through Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” to better himself on a mental level, he said.
“It’s not directly applicable to wrestling or sports, but there is a lot of good stuff in there,” Abel said. “It’s a lot more like strategizing and focusing on the task at hand. I think wrestling is a sport that’s more introspective than people realize.”
Focusing on the ultimate objective, an NCAA title, combined with a dogged attitude has brought Abel past the 20-win mark this season less than a month away from a return to the Pac-10 championships. Only this time he will don a different uniform and face stiffer competition, including No. 2 Adam Hall of Boise State and No. 4 Bubba Jenkins of Arizona State.
Whatever happens, Abel knows spring break will bring much needed rest from a year of hectic scrambling on and off the mat. At that time, his family will make a trip south to the small fishing village of La Paz, Mexico, and he’s the first to admit it won’t be your typical Mexican spring break.
“I want to be close to family for a little bit and reassessing what I want and where I want to be,” Abel said.
From there, Abel will take his truck, which now sports dueling Cal Poly and UC Davis stickers, north and complete his degree in economics as was the plan from the start.
“I don’t exactly know what is next,” Abel said. “I’m trying to leave my options open and be as prepared as I can.”