52 allocations speaks for itself, but it is far from the only testimony that proves that the Cascade Collegiate Conference is the toughest conference in the NAIA. It has happened in the past, & it could very happen again this year, where wrestlers place lower here, than what they will at the NAIA national tournament. Some weight classes have as many as 7 allocations & none have less than 4. #5 Embry Riddle & #6 Providence look to duke it out for a team title, with #9 Southern Oregon, #13 Corban & #21 Eastern Oregon all looking for favorable finishes as well.
Keep in mind, as insane as the Cascade Collegiate Conference is, it could be even crazier. Menlo is in transition to NCAA Division II status. Imagine how much tougher the CCC would be if the Oaks were involved. I predict, with good measure, that we'd be up to 59 allocations. To give you an idea of what Menlo would add to the mix....
133 lbs Jovan Garcia, both a CCC & NAIA champion last year.
141 Logan Barajas a tough wrestler, pretty sure he'd be in the mix
157 Kana'i Tapia a CCC runner-up last year & 3rd in the NAIA nation
165 Seth Borba 4th here a year ago
174 Ledger Patracek, 6th here a year ago
174 Isaiah Morales, CCC champ last year & R12 in the NAIA nation
197 Diego Morales, only a freshman, but has an 11-3 record, and took #2 Brad Antesberger to a 2-1 match
Let's tap into the madness, shall we?
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| 125 |
A mess of talent here at 125 lbs, Landon Smith of Embry Riddle looks to try and win a CCC title after placing 5th the past two seasons as a freshman & sophomore. He's looked as good as he has ever looked, taking a runner-up finish at the Falcon Invitational & winning the Mile High Open. The Alaskan looks to soar high this tournament. Here to challenge him, will be a tough Kobi Johnson of Providence, a former NJCAA standout for North Idaho & Kolton Powers, a sophomore who showed tremendous potential for what he has in store with an outstanding Missouri Valley Invitational performance where he placed 3rd. Vonn Fenn, a NAIA qualifier was 4th here a year ago & while replacing a wrestler like NAIA champ Hunter Sparks is a mission that might as well be labeled impossible, freshman Kai Carson has held his own this year.
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133 |
It's not often we see freshmen rule the roost at this level of wrestling, but it certainly seems to be the rule of the land here at 133 lbs in the CCC. Rookie Sean Archuleta is having himself one heck of a good season, including winning the prestigious Missouri Valley Invitational earlier this year. Looking to challenge him is fellow freshman Dylan Clark of Southern Oregon, who has managed to place himself ahead of teammate Simon Graeber in the rankings. Graeber was a runner-up here last season.
Also in the mix, Allan Hendricks who has shown at various times this season, he knows how to wrestle tough in the wrestle-backs. He was 3rd here a year ago & 3rd at the Falcon Invite earlier this year. Jason Ramirez, who pushes Archuleta in the room, was 7th at the Missouri Valley Invitational in his own right.
Could we possibly see any thieves within this bracket? Top 5 are allocated qualification spots, and I wouldn't put it past Blake Runion to steal one of them. Winning the Mountaineer Open earlier this year, he was 6th here a year ago. Blake Woolsey also strikes me as one who might possibly make a steal.
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| 141 |
Returning CCC champ & NAIA runner-up Evan Potter is the odds on favorite to win this weekend's title. The battle for runner-up honors is more so the issue. Christian Lopez was 4th here a year ago, and 3rd earlier this season at the Mile High Open. Challenging him will be Tristan Bremer of Providence & teammate Adam Stanley, who has made tremendous strides in '24-'25, after barely batting .500 last season. Don't fool yourselves, Luke Jensen, who was a CCC runner-up last year will also be in the fight to once again take silver.
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| 149 |
Bronze the past two CCC championships, Jonah Chew who was also NAIA R12 last year, is looking to win his first gold medal within the conference. It'll be a tough road, as Jalen Vladic, 4th here a year ago has shown his potential to earn gold as well. He was 3rd in a tough Missouri Valley Invitational earlier this year. Also looking to qualify will be J.R. Downing, a tough NCAA Division II transfer, formally of Lander & Dougie Swanson who was a match shy of earning a medal at the Missouri Valley Invitational.
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| 157 |
Seven allocations & four of those seven ranked within the top 10, we are looking are not only the toughest weight class in the CCC, but arguably the toughest weight class in all of the NAIA qualifiers. An NAIA runner-up, and perhaps the best wrestler in the NAIA yet to win a national title, David Rubio will be going for his third CCC title. Here to challenge him will be Aaron Gandara, 4th here a year ago, and a CCC champion himself in 2023. Aden Graves, a 2023 CCC runner-up, who will be looking to redeem himself after not placing last year.
Pig Hobbs will also be in this bracket, looking for a top finish. He was 6th here a year ago & one match shy of placing. Logan Hancey was 3rd at the Falcon Invite earlier this year & Dylan Straley is a tough wrestler out of Southern Oregon. Justin Windauer took 5th at the Missouri Valley Invitational.
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| 165 |
Move up 8 lbs, and the CCC has yet another NAIA national champion contender in Keller Rock, who was runner-up in both the CCC & the NAIA last season. The battle to make the finals will be a three man race between Travis Waldner, Bridger Hall & William Schwertscharf who finished 5th, 6th & 7th at the Missouri Valley Invitational respectfully. Hall is a two-time CCC place-winner, with finishes of 5th & 3rd.
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| 174 |
Russian sensation Daniil Gorshkov is one of the best wrestlers in the NAIA yet to make All American, and 3rd in the CCC he'll try and win a title this weekend. It won't be easy. Abel Nava Jr, who had an outstanding showing at last year's NAIA championships placing 3rd, will be every bit as hungry for gold as will the Eagle. Tyson Stover has made some vast improvements and is bound to place much higher than the 8th place he took last season. 8th-6th-5th, look for Devin Crawford to have the highest placing he's ever had in the CCC too.
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| 184 |
I'm sticking next to my position that 157 lbs is the toughest bracket in the CCC, but I tell you, 184 lbs is a close second. We have a very competitive field to see who is crowned the Cascade Collegiate Conference champ. Kyle Knudtson, also a pitcher on the Mountaineer baseball team, is going to have to throw a mess of fastballs, sliders and curves if he wants to get out of this one in a perfect game. 8th in the NAIA nation a year ago, he's thus far collected silver and bronze CCC medals as he goes for gold.
Not more than a bald man's hair behind him will be both Sawyer Hobbs & Rylin Burns. Hobbs is already a two-time CCC champion, and it'll be a cold day in Phoenix, Arizona, before he gives that status up. Rylan Burns 4th here a year ago, has shown that the higher pressure the situation, the more he is going to show up. He had a miracle 5th place run at the NAIA championships last year & he more recently made the Missouri Valley Invitational finals. Adrian Chavez Morales was 6th here a year ago, as Isaiah Twait was 5th.
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| 197 |
Another loaded weight class, that will feature six allocations. Our *1 seed here looks to be Caleb Werner, who placed 7th here a year ago. Challenging him will be Oregon State transfer Asher Ruchti who is doing very well thus far in his first season within the NAIA. Austin Vanek, a 2023 NAIA All American, had to rely on wildcard status last year to make the national tournament. He'll be in the hunt for a title. Also in this bracket is Trenton Bloomquist, a very tough freshman competing for Embry Riddle. Add in Eric Karas & Hunter James as transfer from Menlo, a two-time NAIA qualifier.
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| HWT |
When you stop and think about it, 1/4 of the qualifiers for the NAIA national tournament in the HWT class will be from the CCC. 7 qualifiers in total. All American Ken Kopley leads the way, 3rd here a year ago, he won the Mile High Open earlier this year. Utah Valley transfer Nico Rodriguez will be in the mix, as will be Antonio Garcia a former Southern Oregon rep, now at Corban. Shane Mattson placed 6th earlier this year at the Missouri Valley Invitational. As we round out the competitors, Ethan DeRoche was 5th here a year ago.
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