ASHLAND – The latest list of National Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductees reads a lot like a Southern Oregon University greatest hits collection.

Of the five individuals who comprise the NWCA's NAIA Hall of Fame Class of 2026, three are Raider alums: legendary coach and wrestler Mike Ritchey, four-time national champion Brock Gutches and three-time national champion Mitchell Lofstedt.

They'll be formally inducted, along with coaches Steve Costanzo of Dana (Neb.) and Jimmy May of Baker (Kan.), on Aug. 1 at the annual NWCA Convention in Baltimore, Md.

"Mike, Brock and Mitch are legends here at SOU," SOU Director of Athletics Matt Sayre said. "Their induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is well-deserved, a great honor for them, and an immense source of pride for SOU and our great wrestling tradition. To have them inducted together is a unique tribute to their combined impact on NAIA wrestling."

Ritchey instructed both Gutches and Lofstedt during a career at SOU that spanned four decades. Prior to his coaching days, he became the school's first four-time All-American while competing from 1984-88. He joined the staff as an assistant for five seasons under Bob Riehm and Bob Bergen before taking over as head coach from 1995-2020, a tenure that resulted in two NAIA Coach of the Year and nine Region Coach of the Year awards.

Under Ritchey, the Raiders won an NAIA team championship, an NWCA dual championship, 22 individual national titles, 14 conference or regional championships and 235 duals. He compiled 23 consecutive winning seasons and oversaw 136 All-America performances.

Gutches, in 2015, became the first NAIA wrestler in 14 years and just the eighth in history to win four consecutive national titles. At 174 pounds, he won 103 of his 112 matches as a Raider – including all 17 at the NAIA Championships, where he also registered 10 of his 52 career pins. Gutches was the national tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler as a junior and senior and was named the NAIA Wrestler of the Year following his final season.

His time at SOU overlapped with that of Lofstedt, a 125-pounder who followed up a second-place finish in 2009 with NAIA titles in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Lofstedt was the NAIA Championships Outstanding Wrestler the two seasons before Gutches earned the distinction, and he was also twice named the Oregon Sports Awards' Small College Male Athlete of the Year. He left as SOU's all-time leader in wins (156-19) and wins by fall (86), and he needed just over nine minutes combined to pin all five of his opponents in his final national tourney appearance.

During the Gutches and Lofstedt eras, Ritchey guided the Raiders to five second-place finishes at the NAIA Championships.

"This year's class represents everything the NAIA Hall of Fame stands for: sustained excellence, leadership, and a deep commitment to the next generation of wrestlers," NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer said. "Each of these inductees has left an indelible mark on the sport, and we're honored to welcome them in Baltimore this August."