The California Baptist University men’s wrestling team made sure West Virginia knows what it means to ‘Lance Up’. Two months after CBU’s men’s soccer team narrowly lost 3-2 to then No. 1-ranked West Virginia in Riverside, the Lancers wrestlers handed the currently nationally-ranked Mountaineers their first loss of the season in New Cumberland, W.V. “This Lancer team came to fight,” CBU head coach Derek Moore said. “They did not give up anything easy and wore out their opponents.” True freshman Richard Murillo earned a surprising pin, and Elijah Griffin defeated two-time NCAA qualifier Jordan Titus as CBU came from behind to beat No. 18 West Virginia 18-15 on Sunday for the Lancers’ second win over a ranked opponent since joining the Big-12 Conference in 2022. “Murillo was the key with his overtime pin over a national qualifier,” Moore said. “That and Griffin’s win over the No. 10-ranked wrestler shifted the momentum in our favor.” CBU (4-2 overall, 2-0 Big 12) is unbeaten after two dual meets for the first time in the Big-12. The Lancers beat Air Force in late November. “This was a massive team win, validating the hard work of these young men,” Moore said. “They believed in themselves and each other, and they are an incredibly close group of guys that could not be prouder of.” After heavyweight Tristan Kemp grappled with two-time national qualifier Michael Wolfgram but surrendered a late takedown in the third period, CBU trailed 12-3. Murrillo, a Canyon Springs High graduate, started the comeback at 133 pounds with two takedowns on two-time national qualifier Jett Strickenberger, and a late escape point forced overtime when Murrillo put Strickenberger on his back for a full six points. The most anticipated matchup – No. 33 Griffin vs. No. 10 Titus at 141 pounds – was scoreless until late in the third period when Titus leaped over Griffin in an effort to secure a highlight-reel takedown but was was flipped for a takedown with less than 10 seconds remaining. Griffin’s 5-0 victory secured three points for CBU and was his second career victory over a top-10 opponent. Freshmen Paul Kelly (149 pounds) and Jeremy Ginter, Jr. (157) secured decisions to push CBU to an 18-12 lead before Drayden Morton (165) refused to be pinned by No.3 Peyton Hall – a two-time all-American – to keep West Virginia to only three points in the final match. The Lancers head to San Luis Obispo for a dual meet at Cal Poly on Thursday before competing at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Sunday. LA SIERRA TO RETIRE JERSEY La Sierra University will retire the No. 12 jersey of alum Brian Wright during a ceremony between the Golden Eagles men’s and women’s basketball games on Saturday, Jan. 11. Wright, the current general manager of the San Antonio Spurs, was a 5-foot-9 guard and an all-conference player for LSU in 2003 and ’04. Previously the player development and college scouting manager for the Orlando Magic and the assistant general manager for the Detroit Pistons, Wright has been the Spurs GM since 2019. SKELIN SIZZLES FOR RCC Sophomore Andre Skelin led all players with 25 points and a career-high 22 rebounds as the Riverside City College men’s basketball team opened up conference play with a win. A 6-foot-9 forward from Zagreb, Croatia, Skelin grabbed 14 defensive rebounds and added four assists as RCC (9-5 overall, 1-0 Orange Empire) beat Orange Coast 79-57 on Dec. 16 to snap a three-game losing streak. Related Articles College Sports | Student housing waiting lists College Sports | See where student housing construction is booming at Southern California universities College Sports | Inland college notes: Cal Poly Pomona soccer teams could determine rivals’ postseason fate College Sports | How hard is it to find student housing in Southern California? College Sports | UCLA Law receives $2.2 million gift to sustain clinical work in Native communities Previously at UT-Tyler, Skelin had 23 points and 18 rebounds in an 81-73 loss at Chaffey on Dec. 13, and has recorded 10-or-more rebounds eight times in 15 games so far this season. Pope writes about sports for The Southern California News Group. Follow him @DennisPope on Bluesky.