GREENVILLE, Pa. – The 15th-ranked (January 8, 2015 National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national poll) Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team had a perfect, 3-0 record today (Friday, January 23, 2015) at the annual Thiel (Pa.) College Mel Berry Duals. The three victories gave the Yellow Jackets a single-season school-record 14 victories and a 14-4 record.

The 14 wins breaks the previous mark of 12 set in 2006-2007.  The Yellow Jackets defeated Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology, 29-12, Mercyhurst (Pa.) North East, 51-6, and host 27th-ranked Thiel, 34-5.

Leading the way were freshman 133-pounder Markus Cruz (Lorain/ Clearview) and sophomore 141-pounder Josh Decatur (Akron/ Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) with perfect 3-0 marks. Cruz won his first match by pin, won by forfeit and won by decision. Decatur had a pin, a techical fall and a win by decision.


In addition to Cruz and Decatur, junior NCAA Division III All-American 125-pounder Jesse Gunter (Akron/ Coventry), who is ranked third in Division III, junior 165-pounder David Shapiro (Beachwood, who was ranked as high as sixth nationally earlier this season, freshman 184-pounder Gabe Mahaney (North Canton/ Green) and sophomore 197-pounder Andrew Shackelford (Worthington/ Thomas Worthington) all were 2-0. Junior 174-pounder Garrett Chase (Erie, Pa./ Cathedral Prep), who is is ranked 10th in Division III, had a 1-1 slate.

In the 29-12 win against RIT, Gunter won at 125 by forfeit, Cruz pinned his opponent at 133 and Decatur won a 3-1 decision at 141 for a 15-0 lead. RIT closed to 15-6 with a pin at 149, but sophomore 157-pounder Kenny Faulker (Beliot/ West Branch) won by technical fall at 157 and Shapiro won a decision at 165 to push BW's lead to 23-6. Mahaney won a 6-3 decision at 184 and Shackelford claimed a 5-3 decision at 197 to close out the Yellow Jacket scoring.

In the 51-6 victory versus Mercyhurst NE, 125-pounder Chris Doyle, Cruz at 133, junior Joey Schmidt (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) at 149 and Shackelford all won by forfeit to give BW 24 uncontested points. After forfeits to freshman 125-pounder Chris Doyle (Uniontown/ Green) and Cruz at 133, Decatur pinned his opponent at 141 pounds, Schmidt received his forfeit at 149, sophomore Graham Montague (Independence) pinned his opponent at 157 and sophomore Seamus Bermingham (Orchard Park, N.Y./ Orchard Park) won a 9-2 decision at 165 for a 33-0 lead. Following a loss at 174 pounds, Mahaney pinned his opponent at 184, Shackelford won by forfeit at 197 and Belford closed out the scoring with a pin at 285.

In the 34-5 victory against host and 27th-ranked Thiel, Gunter won a 3-1 decision at 125 pounds, Cruz won 10-3 at 133, Decatur won by a techical fall at 141 and Schmidt won a 15-2 major decision at 149 to build a 15-0 lead. Following a Thiel win at 157, Shapiro won a 10-4 decision at 165 and Thiel also was deducted a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct. Then Chase won a 15-6 major decision at 174 for a 22-2 advantage. Thiel won at 184 to make it 22-5, but freshman Tyler Maclellan (Medina/ Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) pinned his opponent at 197 and Belford pinned his opponent at 285 to end the match and night.

The Yellow Jackets are back in action next Tuesday, January 27 when BW travels to New Concord, Ohio to face Ohio Athletic Conference rival Muskingum University on Performance Court in the Muskingum Recreation Center at 7:30 p.m.  The next home meet is on February 3 when the Yellow Jackets host No.7-ranked the University of Mount Union in an OAC dual in the Ursprung Gym at 7:30 p.m.

A reminder to BW fans that the 29th Annual John Summa memorial Tournament will be held on Saturday, February 7 in the Lou Higgins Center Fieldhouse.  Action starts at 10 a.m. If you wish to volunteer and help, please contact Head Coach Jamie Gibbs by telephone at 440-826-3258 and by e-mail at jgibbs@bw.edu.