CASCADE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS | Salem, Ore. (Corban U.)
12 p.m. Friday | 10 a.m. Saturday (5 p.m. finals)
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ASHLAND – Following another dominant regular season, the No. 6-ranked Southern Oregon men's wrestling team is in Salem this weekend as the clear favorite to defend its title at the Cascade Conference Championships presented by U.S. Bank.

The Raiders – who went 16-1 in dual action with a 9-0 record against CCC opponents – will have the top seeds in four of 10 weight classes with Kolton Malone (149 pounds), Avant Stepherson (157), Adrian Chavez-Morales (184) and defending individual champion Asher Ruchti (197).

They captured the title in upset fashion last year for the first time since the inaugural CCC tournament in 2018, accumulating 150 ½ points to second-place Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)'s 137. In this year's final CCC poll, they were projected to put up 185 ½ points compared to 162 for No. 12-ranked Providence (Mont.) and 161 for No. 9 Embry-Riddle.

A total of 47 automatic NAIA Championship bids will be on the line at the tournament, which begins at noon Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday inside Corban's C.E. Jeffers Center. The Raiders pushed 10 individuals through to nationals last year on their way to a ninth-place finish, the team's best in eight years.

A full rundown of the SOU lineup is below:

125 – Isaac Hampton
Overall/Dual Record: 19-5/11-3
Rankings: No. 2 CCC, No. 7 NAIA
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 6
Postseason History/Notable: Making his first postseason appearance for the Raiders after transferring from Navy … Seeking a rematch with the bracket's top seed, No. 6-ranked Landon Smith of Embry-Riddle, who took a 6-5 decision from Hampton on Jan. 24 … Has 11 bonus-point victories.

125 – Kyle Sieminski
Overall/Dual Record: 14-6/2-4
Rankings: No. 4 CCC, No. 17
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 6
Postseason History/Notable: Entering his first postseason at SOU with six wins by fall, one tournament title and three top-three finishes on the year … Has been ranked as high as No. 5 in the NAIA and took most of his losses while wrestling up to 133.

141 – Dylan Clark
Overall/Dual Record: 12-7/8-1
Rankings: No. 9 CCC
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 6
Postseason History/Notable: An All-CCC performer at 133 pounds last year, when he placed third to clinch a spot in the NAIA Championships … Has won four consecutive matches entering the tournament, a streak that has included a pin, two technical falls and an upset of MSU-Northern's then-No. 12 Cade White.

141 – Tyler Rhue
Overall/Dual Record: 19-6/11-1
Rankings: No. 2 CCC, No. 22 NAIA
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 6
Postseason History/Notable: Making his CCC Championships debut as a sophomore … Has won seven consecutive matches with three pins and two major decisions, and has accrued bonus points in 13 of 19 wins on the season.

149 – Kolton Malone
Overall/Dual Record: 17-6/10-3
Rankings: No. 1 CCC, No. 12 NAIA
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 4
Postseason History/Notable: The CCC favorite at 149 in his first season at SOU … Won by injury default in his only matchup with the bracket's No. 2 seed, Providence's No. 14-ranked Cade White … Has scored bonus points in 13 of his 17 victories.

157 – Avant Stepherson
Overall/Dual Record: 17-5/9-2
Rankings: No. 1 CCC, No. 6 NAIA
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 6
Postseason History/Notable: Another first-year Raider favored to win a CCC title following a dominant regular season … Did not appear in the postseason in his two years at Life (Ga.) … Will have to contend with No. 7-ranked Providence All-American Hunter Hobbs, the No. 2 seed, whom Stepherson knocked off when Hobbs was ranked No. 1 at the NWCA National Duals.

157 – Cole Zoller
Overall/Dual Record: 10-11/5-8
Rankings: NR
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 6
Postseason History/Notable: A graduate student in his first season with the Raiders … Earned all-conference status last year at Cal Poly Humboldt.

165 – Jackson Potts
Overall/Dual Record: 15-7/6-3
Rankings: No. 5 CCC, No. 22 NAIA
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 4
Postseason History/Notable: Ended his first regular season at SOU with 15 wins, including six by fall … Each of his dual losses came against top-15 opponents.

174 – Braylin Ruchti
Overall/Dual Record: 13-7/6-2
Rankings: No. 3 CCC, No. 11 NAIA
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 6
Postseason History/Notable: A returning All-CCC performer who placed third last year at 174 by upsetting back-to-back top-12 opponents to earn an NAIA Championships bid … Has won six consecutive matches, including an upset of Providence's then-No. 10 Brady Ellison.

184 – Adrian Chavez-Morales
Overall/Dual Record: 19-3/12-2
Rankings: No. 1 CCC, No. 4 NAIA
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 3
Postseason History/Notable: Clinched a spot in the NAIA Championships last year by placing fourth in the CCC at 184 … Enters as the favorite this time around after dominating during a regular season in which he recorded nine pins.

197 – Elias Corona
Overall/Dual Record: 10-3/2-0
Rankings: No. 3 CCC, No. 13 NAIA
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 4
Postseason History/Notable: Missed significant time this season but was the surprise of last year's CCC Championships, logging an All-CCC third-place finish as a freshman with a pair of top-10 upsets after being off for a couple months prior to the tournament … Has recorded five wins by fall.

197 – Asher Ruchti
Overall/Dual Record: 18-2/11-1
Rankings: No. 1 CCC, No. 4 NAIA
Available NAIA bids in bracket: 4
Postseason History/Notable: The lone defending CCC champion in SOU's lineup after going 4-0 with two pins at last year's tournament … Went on to claim All-America plaudits by placing fifth in the NAIA … Has tallied bonus points in 11 of his 18 wins and beat his bracket's No. 2 seed, Trenton Blomquist of Embry-Riddle, by 8-1 decision last month.