BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University men's lacrosse team and fifth-year Head Coach Jason Tarnow look to win the schools first Ohio Athletic Conference championship in 2017.

Tarnow returns 40 lettermen from last year's team who won a school-record 14 games with a 14-3 overall record and were the Co-OAC regular season champions with a 6-1 conference record.

The Yellow Jackets return all of its key components from the top scoring defense in the NCAA Division III for the past two seasons that only allowed 5.73 goals per game in 2015 and 5.3 goals in 2016. Anchoring the defense is senior Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA) Division III All-West Region and OAC Defender of the Year Josiah Greve (Milford).  Greve led the team with a school-record 47 caused turnovers and picked up 46 ground balls. Along with Greve, BW returns sophomore All-OAC long stick midfielder Cole McClary (Perrysburg), sophomore All-OAC sophomore defender Brian Jandzinski (Lancaster, N.Y.), four-year starting senior defender Michael Dickey (Rocky River) and senior long stick midfielder Brian Musial (Broadview Heights/Brecksville-Broadview Heights).  

In net, junior goalkeeper Mike Dizonno (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Adai E. Stevenson) is coming off his best season in 2016 as he was the NCAA Division III statistical champion with goals-against average of 4.72. The Yellow Jackets also return backup goalies senior Austen Peppo (Brunswick/Padua Fransiscan) and sophomore Nate Karatas (Penfield, N.Y.).

The Yellow Jackets midfielders are led by All-OAC senior face-off specialist Alex Fioritto (Akron/Walsh Jesuit). Last season, Fioritto set the school-record for face-off wins (200) and ground balls (120). Also rotating in at midfield is senior Jarrod Gilliam (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange), juniors Jack Gerlack (Rocky River) and Alex Juhasz (Lancaster, N.Y./Central) and sophomores Judson Huston (Dealawre/Rutherford B. Hayes), Jon Mays (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville East) and Derek Andrews (Alden, N.Y./Iroquois).

At attack, the Yellow Jackets return All-OAC selections in junior Brock Riemenschneider (Rocky River) and sophomore Chad Steinwachs (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville North) as they each led the team with 38 points last season. Riemenschneider scored a team-high 26 goals with 12 assists and Steinwachs scored 21 goals with 17 assists. Also, sophomore Alex Binner (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville North) comes off his freshman year where he scored 21 goals and added 12 assists for 33 points.

This season Tarnow and his staff brought in nine freshmen and two transfers. Look for transfers in junior midfielder Matt McDowell (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville North) and sophomore attack Mike Nanosky (Medina) along with freshmen midfielders Ben Kubiak (Wooster) and Riley Mahon (Palatine, Ill./William Fremd) to make a big impact this season.

BW opens the season on Saturday and Sunday February 18 and 19 when it travels to Cleveland for the Sixth City Showdown hosted by Cleveland State University. The Yellow Jackets square off against NCAA Division I Cleveland State on Saturday at 5 p.m. and face Oberlin College on Sunday at 3 p.m.