California Baptist University
Big 12 Session I
WREST Preview: CBU Prepares for Third Trip to BIG 12 Championships
3/6/2025 10:55:00 AM | Wrestling
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University wrestling team is preparing for its third year of BIG 12 postseason competition as they head to Tulsa for the Conference Wrestling Championships this weekend.
The Lancers finished the season 6-9 and 2-6 in conference action, with their wins coming against Air Force and #13 West Virginia on the road. The Lancers faced another season of top-notch competition as they faced seven ranked opponents this season and would come away with three ranked wins. CBU defeated #13 West Virginia on the road in New Cumberland in early December for the program's highest-ever ranked dual win and followed that up by beating #20 Cal Poly on the road the following week. The Lancers wrapped the season with a dual win over Cal State Bakersfield 30-11.
For the second consecutive season, CBU will have a pair of seeded wrestlers in the tournament as true freshman Paul Kelly was seeded sixth in the 149lb bracket, and Drayden Morton was seeded eighth in the 157lb bracket. Kelly put together an outstanding freshman season for the Lancers, finishing with a dual record of 10-4 and an overall record of 14-6. Kelly was instrumental in CBU's upset road wins over Cal Poly and West Virginia and led the team in dual points scored with 41. Morton was equally impressive as the redshirt freshman split time at 157 and 165 lbs this season. Morton had a dual record of 7-4 this season, with his highlight win coming over #21 Luka Wick of Cal Poly at the Cliff Keen Invitational. Morton finished the season strong, winning his final three duals, including a fall over Jose Farias of Cal State Bakersfield.
Last year in Tulsa, the Lancers made history when they sent their first two wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament, Hunter Leake and Elijah Griffin. Leake and Griffin placed 6th and 8th in their brackets and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Leake and Griffin will look to repeat their success from a season ago this year as they are both set to compete for CBU at 133 and 141 lbs, respectively. Griffin returned to the Lancer lineup against CSUB in the season's final dual after missing the previous two months with an injury. Griffin's return will boost CBU's momentum heading into the tournament after the junior was on a tear leading up to his injury. Griffin had ranked wins over #33 Henry Porter of Indiana and #10 Jordan Titus of West Virginia during the regular season and was ranked as high as #27 in the national polls.
TOURNAMENT INFO:
LOCATION: Tulsa, OK- BOK CENTER
DATE: March 8-9
WATCH: ESPN+ (First 3 Sessions) ESPNU (Championship Round)
TICKETS: HERE
Players Mentioned
