THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: Griffin finds love for wrestling at NIC

There’s a fire that burns deep inside North Idaho College sophomore 285-pound wrestler Ray Griffin.

It burns bright each and every time he steps under the spotlight.

And he’s just getting started.

AT FIRST, it wasn’t wrestling that caught his attention growing up in Pleasant Grove, Utah.

“I started playing rugby when I was 10 years old,” Griffin said. “I played on a club team in American Fork and switched over to a more serious club team called United. A lot of those guys went to Lone Peak High, and they had a fairly good wrestling team.”

Still, Griffin wasn’t totally sold on wrestling.

“A lot of those guys were really good at wrestling, but the guy that really got me into it was Buck Mendenhall, Bronco Mendenhall’s younger brother,” Griffin said. “Bronco was the head football coach at BYU and I was asking Buck how do I get better at rugby and he told me his son was wrestling and he thought it would make me better with my grappling. I also trained a little bit with Jiu-Jitsu as a kid.”

The next step was telling his parents of his plans to start wrestling.

“They just told me that they hoped I had fun,” Griffin said. “I hated it at first, but I really learned to love it.”

Griffin entertained playing football as well.

“I looked into playing rugby at Utah for a little bit, but when I was younger, I didn’t think much of it,” Griffin said. “Rugby was more of a hobby. Football, I was getting a walk-on offer at Utah Tech, but it wasn’t the thing for me. My emotional and spiritual connection to wrestling was so strong that it led me to giving me a new life. It’s really given me a reason to keep going through my gap year and coming year. It’s really given me a purpose, and I don’t see myself leaving this sport.”

AFTER HIGH school, Griffin committed to Utah Tech in St. George, Utah, where he was planning to wrestle for the school’s club program.

“I was committed to Utah Tech’s club team,” Griffin said. “Their program and what they have there is awful. It’s a disgrace to wrestling and I really don’t know what they’re doing. Cooper (Thomas, NIC assistant wrestling coach) reached out and asked me to come here.”

After some time, Griffin was on his way to NIC.

“I wanted to stay loyal to the team I was committed to, but once I saw their culture and their program, I knew it wasn’t for me and I wasn’t meant to be here,” Griffin said. “It’s probably God’s plan. I packed up that same day and left St. George, went to my other house and was here two days later.”

“When Ray joined us two years ago, we really didn’t know what we were getting and I don’t think he really knew what he was capable of,” NIC wrestling coach Derrick Booth said. “But he’s put in as much time as anyone in the program. He’s really made a name for himself with his work ethic and drive to continue to get better.”

Booth wrestled on the Cardinals' last NJCAA championship team in 2013. Booth, who wrestled at Post Falls High, is in his third full season as Cardinal coach.

“You never have to worry about him when it’s time to rock and roll,” Booth said of Griffin. “I’ve never been around an upper weight guy that has studied and worked as hard as he does. He was really behind when he got here. But he’s really put in the time and work to continue to get better. He’s a really gifted athlete and has a good foundation to work from. He’s getting his feel against high-level guys, and once he catches up to them, he’ll be tough to beat.”

GRIFFIN IS the third-ranked wrestler in the NJCAA at 285, according to the latest poll released on Dec. 18.

“I don’t really care where I’m ranked,” Griffin said. “Especially at a JUCO, the highest returning All-American gets the highest seed. And that’s me. Wherever they want to put me, they can. At the end of the day, everyone’s going to have to wrestle me at some point and they’re going to have to deal with that.”

Griffin, who was fourth at nationals last year, said when he arrived on campus in Coeur d’Alene, he was at 330 pounds. He’s since lost 40 pounds.

“During my gap year, I was out of shape and eating a pizza every day, and definitely don’t recommend doing that,” Griffin said. “My diet is pretty hefty with a lot of protein and calories each day depending on what I need for my recovery. My lifting is better and I do massages and see a chiropractor and sauna for about an hour or two each day. I’m watching film, studying and practicing and always getting better.”

Griffin, who is 16-6 this season, intends to continue wrestling at the Division I level next year. He's not sure where yet, but he plans to N.C. State soon.

Wherever he ends up going, he’ll be more than ready for what’s next.

“Last year, at the Grand View Open (in Iowa), I just thought it was going to be a regular tournament,” Griffin said. “When I got there, there’s Angelo Ferrari from Iowa, and he was ranked second in the nation, and you see him wrestling. And you think, you’re in the same tournament as him. And I’m at the U.S. Open, and there’s guys that are ranked in the nation, and I’m right there with these guys. The only difference is that they’ve been wrestling since they were born and I’ve been wrestling the last six years. 

"I’m catching up to them, and when I do, they’re going to have to watch out. You’ll see me at the Olympic level and winning a gold medal,” Griffin said. “I don’t care how long it takes, you’ll see me do it. I want those Olympic medals, and I’m going to get them.”

Just watch him.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 1206 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on ‘X’, formerly Twitter @JECdAPress.

    NIC ATHLETICS North Idaho College sophomore wrestler Ray Griffin has his hand raised following a win in a dual against NAIA University of Providence in Great Falls on Jan. 25, 2025 at Christianson Gymnasium. Griffin is ranked third in the NJCAA at 285 pounds this season.
  

    Griffin