Mike Ritchey was a four-time NAIA All-American at Southern Oregon State College (now known as Southern Oregon University) from 1985-88 and served as team captain as a junior and senior.

He was also a two-time NAIA Cultural Exchange team member, competing in Greece and Yugoslavia in 1985 and in South Africa in 1986.

After serving as an assistant coach from 1988-94, Ritchey became the head coach at SOU in 1995 and continued in the role until 2020.

He led the Raiders to an NAIA national title in 2001, five NAIA runner-up finishes, and a National Wrestling Coaches Association Dual Meet championship in 2009. Ritchey had a career record of 235-107 and had 23 consecutive seasons with a winning dual record.

Ritchey coached 22 NAIA individual national champions and 136 NAIA All-Americans.

He was named NAIA Wrestling Coach of the Year three times and NAIA Regional Coach of the Year nine times.