California Baptist University
Big 12 Conference Tournament
WREST Preview: CBU Embarks on 4th Consecutive Trip to BIG 12 Championships
3/4/2026 11:46:00 AM | Wrestling
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University wrestling team will embark on its fourth consecutive trip to the BIG 12 Wrestling Championships this weekend in Tulsa, OK, as it looks to earn national qualifiers for the third consecutive year.
The Lancers finished the season 3-11 in duals but are coming off some momentum when they defeated in-state rival Cal State Bakersfield 29-12 in a Senior Day showdown in Van Dyne Gym to finish the regular season. CBU has had three NCAA qualifiers in program history, with former Lancer Hunter Leake accounting for two of them during his decorated career in Riverside.
The projected tournament lineup for the Lancers will feature three seeded wrestlers, including Gabe Schumm (6th seed), Paul Kelly (7th seed), and an 8th seed from Jesse Vasquez. Remy Murillo and Vasquez both entered the tournament ranked in the national polls, with Murillo at #31 and Vasquez as high as #31 as well in various outlets. Kelly and Murillo boast the best dual records on the team, with Kelly sitting at 9-3 and Murillo at 9-4, and will both be seeking their first NCAA qualifying bids.
The rest of the projected lineup will feature Cooper Shore (125lbs), Drayden Morton (157lbs), Mason Espinoza (174lbs), David Alonso (184lbs), Eli Sheeren (197lbs), and Tristan Kemp (Heavyweight). Alonso, Espinoza, and Shore will all be competing in their first BIG 12 tournaments, while Kemp, Sheeren, and Morton are all experienced and have combined for three tournament match wins as Lancers.
CBU will face some top-notch competition in the tournament, as the BIG 12 conference features several of the nation's top teams, including eight top-25 teams, two of which are in the top five. Iowa State and Oklahoma State have been the heavyweights in the past in terms of team title contention, with Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Missouri, and West Virginia also being formidable opposition.
TOURNAMENT INFO:
WHEN: March 7-8
WHERE: BOK Center- Tulsa, OK
WATCH: ESPN+
Players Mentioned
