Complete NWCA Scholar Top-25 (.pdf)
Complete NWCA Scholar Individuals (.pdf)
MANHEIM, Pa. – A school-high tying eight Baldwin Wallace University wrestling student-athletes have earned 2019-20 National Wrestling Coaches Association(NWCA) Division lll Scholar All-American honors.
BW carries a team GPA of 3.550, to place them tenth on the NWCA's Top-25. The ranking marks the sixth consecutive season the Yellow Jackets have been in the top-25.
The eight Yellow Jackets recognized were junior three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference and two-time All-OAC 149-pounder Stanley Bleich (North Ridgeville/Elyria Catholic), freshman 184-pounder Doug Byrne (Wickliffe), junior 157-pounder Dalton Leightner (Ravenna/Rootstown), junior two-time Academic All-OAC and All-OAC 141-pounder Tanner McHugh (New Ringgold, Pa./Tamaqua), senior All-American and two-time Academic All-OAC 133-pounder Charlie Nash (Norwalk), freshman 184-pounder Griffin Rathburn (New Albany/Bishop Hartley), freshman 174-pounder Luke Salmon (Sandusky/Perkins) and senior three-time Academic All-OAC Nick Sbrocco (Perry).
To be eligible for this recognition, athletes must maintain a 3.2 or higher GPA, have a minimum win percentage of at least .500, and wrestle 50% or more of the team's matches throughout the season.
Bleich, who will earn his third consecutive scholar all-american award, is an English/Relgion major with a 3.654 GPA. The junior won the central region title at 149 pounds and carries a 99-20 career record, good for 10th all-time in school history.
Byrne is a national security/cyber security major. This year he was a national qualifier after a 25-9 freshman campaign. He also led the team with 12 pins.
Leightner garners the award for the second time and is an athletics training major who carries a 3.47 GPA. Leightner was a national qualifier and earned all-central region honors. He currently sits tied for 29th all-time on BW's career wins leaderboard with a career mark of 75-32.
McHugh, a now two-time recipient of the award, is a business administration and marketing double major with a 3.81 GPA. McHugh is also a Dean's List Student, Jacket Scholar, and a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. The junior concluded his year with an 18-10 record with one pin and major decision.
Nash, who has earned the award all four years, is an economics major who holds a 3.601 GPA. Nash is also a Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar, and a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. A National Qualifier, he compiled a 30-7 record this year and eclipsed 100 career victories. He currently sits at No. 5 on BW's all-time career wins leaderboard with a career record of 112-44.
Rathburn is an integrated science major who earned a 23-11 record with five pins, three major decisions, and two technical falls.
Salmon is undecided but wrapped up his first year with a 24-10 record with five pins, five major decision, and three technical falls, to earn him a first-team All-OAC selection.
Sbrocco, who will earn his second consecutive honor, is an accounting major who carries a 3.881 GPA. Nick is also a Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar, member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society, and a member of the Accounting Association. Sbrocco carries a 69-37 career record, which ranks him 36th on BW's all-time career wins list.
