Southern Oregon University takes second at 2010 nationals with two National Champions and Wrestler of the Year.

Southern Oregon sophomore Mitchell Lofstedt is NWCA/NAIA National Wrestler of the Year. The award was presented at completion of the 2010 NAIA National Championships in Oklahoma City, OK. Lofstedt is the first Raider to win the award. On the season, Lofstedt set a school record with a 43 to 6 season record and school record of 24 pins. To go along with the 125 pound NAIA National Championship, Lofstedt won the NAIA Regional Championship and was ranked No. 1 throughout the season. He placed second last year as a freshman.

The Raiders finished second as a team with two national champions, Lofstedt and Barry Johnson (141). Top-ranked Notre Dame (Ohio) won the team title and Great Falls finished third. 'I'm proud of the way we wrestled,' SOU head coach Mike Ritchey said. 'It would have taken a great effort to beat Notre Dame this weekend. But to get three in the Finals is an impressive accomplishment.'

At 141, Johnson and Kyle Wirkuty were just the ninth set of teammates to wrestle for the National Championship. Johnson, a senior, earned his third All American honor and his first National Championship with an overtime victory over of Wirkuty, a sophomore. Johnson had a pair of third place finishes in his last two trips to the Nationals.

'Barry has been knocking on the door his whole career and finally was able to get to the top tonight,' Ritchey said. 'It says a lot about our program to get two wrestlers in the finals against each other.'

Lofstedt and Johnson became the 24th and 25th National Champions in the history of SOU wrestling. Johnson is the Raiders' ninth three time All American. Brian Jacob finished fourth at 133. Senior John Bates took seventh in the heavyweight and Tommie Hooper (157) and Ron Lee (197) both finished eighth.

The seven All Americans this year equal last year's seven.