Save CSUB Sports will be hosting a buffet and Silent/Live Auction on Saturday, May 15, 2010 in an effort to raise funds to save the varsity wrestling, tennis and golf programs at Cal-State Bakersfield.

The event will be held at the Jam Events Center at 1400 Norris Road in Bakersfield, starting at 5:30 p.m. 

The headliner at the event will be Stephen Neal, a three-time Super Bowl champion football player for the New England Patriots, who was also a two-time NCAA wrestling champion at Cal-State Bakersfield. Neal was a 1999 World freestyle wrestling champion.

Auction items include two tickets to a New England Patriots game (with airfare and hotel included); a Kevin Harvick NASCAR race suit; a Stephen Neal mystery item, UFC champion Brock Lesnar items, Alaska Charter fishing trip; Philip Rivers signed Chargers NFL helmet; Missouri River fishing trip; a box for an LA Dodgers baseball game; a week’s vacation at a beachfront condo in Pismo Beach, Calif; a Pizzazz Spa treatment; and much, much more.

“This morning, we found out that Garth Brooks will donate a guitar and personalize it for the winner,” said CSUB wrestling coach Mike Mendoza. “We have some great auction items. Stephen Neal and other supporters have done a great job getting some amazing things for the auction.”

Tickets are limited. Call Tonya Eagle at 661-302-4455 today for more information. 

For daily updates on auction items, visit 
http://www.savebakersfieldwrestling.com/

To download a flyer about the buffet and auction, visit:
http://www.themat.com/events/CSUBAuction.pdf

This function is part of an extensive effort by the wrestling community, as well as supporters of the tennis and golf programs, to reinstate sport programs at Cal-State Bakersfield. On February 21, the university announced plans to drop wrestling, men and women’s golf and tennis from the athletic department.

Mendoza feels that the community has rallied behind the program, and that there is momentum and enthusiasm for getting the sports reinstated.

“The feeling is that we can do it, and that this town can do it. There is money in this town for this and the people here feel we can do it,” said Mendoza. “We have a good group of supporters. It takes a lot of people out there who have to do a lot of asking. This is a wrestling town. There are a lot of connections with wrestling in this community. It is exploding right now.”

Initially, in order to reinstate the four programs, the university told the teams and support groups that they must raise enough money to fund all four sports for two years by May 21. The amount to fund all four sports for two years was set for $1,400,000.

“Now it looks like if we have one year’s funding, they will let us move forward,” said Mendoza. “If the university is willing to negotiate on this, it is going to say a lot.”

Numerous things have already been done by the wrestling community to support Save CSUB Sports.

• A fundraising dinner with Dan Gable was held, which featured numerous community leaders and kicked off the fundraising campaign.

• In cooperation with California USA Wrestling, a TEXT to win campaign was created, where people could donate $10 via cellphone to support the effort.

• There was a roast for retiring wrestling coach T.J. Kerr, which brought together many wrestling supporters and served as a fundraiser.

• A number of rallies have been held in the community.

“A decision like this (to drop sports) does not support what this community wants,” said Mendoza. “The university may realize that bringing wrestling back can bring back fans to the university. It is a small campus and city. The university needs the community’s support here. We are looking very good with our efforts.”

Save Bakersfield Wrestling website

Save CSUB Wrestling Facebook page

Save Cal-State tennis website