ASHLAND – The back-to-back Cascade Conference champion Southern Oregon men's wrestling team is the unanimous choice to win it again in 2026-27.

The Raiders, hoping to build on their best season in nine years, received all 11 first-place votes in Friday's CCC preseason coaches' poll. They were followed by usual contenders Providence (Mont.) and Embry-Riddle (Ariz.).

Seventh-year SOU head coach Joel Gibson has four All-Americans and 10 previous national qualifiers back on his roster. His total of 31 returners includes defending CCC individual champions Isaac Hampton (125 pounds), Tyler Rhue (141) and Asher Ruchti (197).

Led by that crew, the Raiders placed seventh as a team at the 2026 NAIA Championships as Hampton and Ruchti both advanced to the finals of their respective brackets. That was a couple weeks after they pummeled through the CCC Championships with 174 ½ points, the highest total ever in the conference and 43 more than second-place Providence.

There are also 22 newcomers to the team, which has gone 35-4 in dual matches over the last two seasons.

SOU starts the season on Oct. 31 with four duals in Redding, Calif.

The NAIA preseason rankings will be released next week.

2026-27 CCC Men's Wrestling Preseason Poll

Team (1st-place votes)	Points
1. Southern Oregon (11)	121
2. Providence	101
3. Embry-Riddle	99
4. Arizona Christian	91
5. Corban	73
6. Eastern Oregon	71
7. Montana State-Northern	58
8. Westcliff	39
9. Simpson	32
10. Hope International	23
11. Evergreen State	19