By Tyler Handlan 

Another Farina brother from Corona del Sol continued a tradition of taking his wrestling talent to college.

On Wednesday morning, Marc Farina signed his commitment letter to Colorado Mesa University to continue his wrestling career.

“I’m excited to be going to the collegiate level,” Farina said. “I want to compete. I want to wrestle, and I want to win.”

Farina is a state-championship level wrestler and finished second this year in the state tournament.

“They (Farina brothers) achieved one of the highest accomplishments possible,” Corona del Sol coach Jim Martinez said. “Marc’s brother, Ryan, finished first, and Marc took second in state. They are very similar.”

Marc is one of three brothers in the Farina family who wrestle.

Ryan, the middle brother, is a former Arizona state high school champion and is attending California Polytechnic State University.

Marc and Ryan’s older brother, Glenn, also is currently at Cal Poly on a wrestling scholarship.

“I’m proud of him (Marc). He is a good kid,” Marc’s father, Lou, said. “I never made any of the boys wrestle. Marc and his brothers picked it up, and they loved it.”

Marc began wrestling in fifth grade with Arizona State University’s wrestling club program, Sunkist.

Farina said his passion for wrestling came from his father. Lou wrestled for one year at University Rhode Island.

“I really credit my dad who wrestled and my older brother who goes to Cal Poly,” Marc said. “So one day I was like, ‘Why don’t I try?’”

Farina said he might redshirt his freshman year depending on what the coaches feel is best.

He plans to wrestle at the 140-pound weight class at Colorado Mesa.

Coach Martinez was filled with pride as he talked about Marc and his brothers. He understands losing them will be a huge void to fill.

“They’re hard workers. They’re great students. They’re great kids. They’re leaders on the team,” Martinez said. “Marc this year was one of those guys that showed the team what it meant to be a leader. Not by telling them what to do, but by leading by example.”

Despite saying goodbye to the Farina brothers, Martinez emphasized that Marc and his brothers will continue to impact Corona del Sol’s wrestling program.

“Those are the kinds of guys that will impact the program long after they are gone,” Martinez said. “They see the kind of person Marc has become, and they want to emulate him.”

Marc fits the mold of the ideal role model for coach Martinez’s wrestling program.

Martinez doesn’t need too much help running a successful program. His resume as an Olympic-level wrestler for the United States should suffice.

Farina is very ecstatic to begin his new life in Colorado. He says this is a new chapter in his life and looks forward to it.

Corona del Sol’s administration held a small ceremony outside the main office for student-athletes who were signing at the collegiate level during the spring signing period.

Along with Marc, Corona del Sol’s Madi Stratton also signed her commitment letter to play lacrosse at George Fox University. 

Tyler Handlan is a sports journalism student at Arizona State.