BEREA, OHIO– The sixth-nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team won its third straight and ninth overall Ohio Athletic Conference Championship as it defeated the University of Mount Union by a final score of 22-9 in the Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.
BW (19-2, 6-0 OAC) has now won 19 straight OAC matches and has knocked off 21 of its last 22 conference opponents. Mount Union (12-2, 5-1 OAC) has now lost three straight in the series but is the last team to beat the Yellow Jackets as it posted a 27-6 victory during the 2014-15 season in the Ursprung Gym.
BW, who lost two of the first three matches, closed out the match by winning six of the final seven.
The Yellow Jackets were led by junior All-American and All-OAC 165-pounder Anthony Arroyo (Maumee), who is ranked third nationally, as he won the only match not decided by a decision with a 16-0 technical fall in five minutes.
Earning victories by decision were sophomore 133-pounder Dante Ginnetti (Poland/Seminary), freshman 149-pounder Stanley Bleich (North Ridgeville/Elyria Catholic), Junior All-OAC 157-pounder Benjamin Hoof (Worthington/Thomas Worthington), junior 184-pounder Zeckary Lehman (Akron/Revere), senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 197-pounder Tyler Maclellan (Medina/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) and senior 285-pounder Gabe Mahaney (Green).
Ginnetti, who is ninth nationally ranked, won an 8-6 decision. Bleich earned a 2-1 overtime decision. Hoof picked up the 6-1 decision. Lehman got a 7-2 decision. Maclellan won a 3-2 decision. Mahaney, who is 10th nationally ranked, closed out with a 4-2
BW is back in action on Friday and Saturday, February 23-24 when it travels to Crawfordsville, Indiana to compete in the NCAA Division III Central Regional hosted by Wabash College in the Knowling Fieldhouse. Action begins on Friday at 11 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The Yellow Jackets and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission are hosting the 2018 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships at Cleveland's historic Public Auditorium on March 9-10. Tickets are on sale now. Please visit www.NCAA.com/tickets to order your tickets today!
