BEREA, Ohio – Nine Baldwin Wallace University winter student-athletes have earned the right to continue their seasons at NCAA Division III Championships this weekend.
The indoor track and field team will be represented by senior All-American runner Alyssa Laughner (Howard, Pa./Central Mountain) and sophomore All-OAC distance runner Hope Murphy (Mogadore). The No. 4 nationally-ranked and OAC Champion wrestling team will represented by junior No. 1 nationally-ranked and All-OAC 125-pounder Jacob Decatur (Akron/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy), sophomore 133-pounder Jaden Hinton (Glassboro, N.J.), sophomore No. 4 nationally-ranked and All-OAC 149-pounder Michael Petrella (Reynoldsburg/Bishop Hartley), senior All-American and No. 15 nationally-ranked 157-pounder Stanley Bleich (North Ridgeville/Elyria Catholic), senior All-American 165-pounder Dalton Leightner (Ravenna/Rootstown), freshman 174-pounder Donovan Palmer (North Ridgeville/Lutheran West) and junior All-OAC 184-pounder Luke Salmon (Sandusky/Perkins)
Laughner makes her first appearance in the indoor championships after helping her squad finish in seventh at the Tufts Last Chance National Qualifier in the distance medley relay as well as winning the 1000m, one-mile run and distance melay relay at the OAC indoor track and field championships. This season, she has tagged eight first place finishes in several different events throughout all indoor meets this year. She had also won the one-mile at the DIII All-Ohio indoor track and field championships and earning an All-Ohio honor.
Murphy qualifies for her first apperance in the indoor championships after placing 10th in the 800m and helped her distance medley relay squad finish in seventh at the Tufts Last Chance National Qualifier as well as winning the 500m, 800m and distance melay relay at the OAC indoor track and field championships. This season, she has tagged nine first place finishes in several different events throughout all indoor meets this year while also breaking a 24 year old OAC record in the 800m with a time of 2:14.92 as well as a school record in the one mile with a time of 4:57.05. She had also won the 800m at the DIII All-Ohio indoor track and field championships and earning an All-Ohio honor.
Decatur qualifies for his first national championship after winning the Central Regional 125-pound championship. This season, he has posted 31 victories with just one loss. Decatur has racked up nine technical falls, five major decisions and one pinfall. He is a six-time 125-pound invitational champion, a two-time OAC Wrestler of the Week selection. Decatur was named to the All-OAC first-team.
Hinton makes his first appearance after finishing third at the central regional. He has had a breakout season as he has compiled a record of 25-9 with 10 major decisions and six technical falls. In his career, Hinton has a record of 30-9 with 11 major decisions, eight technical fall and one pinfall
Petrella qualifies for his first national championship after winning the Central Regional 149-pound championship. He leads the team with 34 wins with just two losses. Petrella is tied for fourth on the team with 11 pinfalls. He has added four major decisions and three technical falls. Petrella was named to the All-OAC first-team. For his career, Petrella has a record of 36-3 with 12 pinfalls, five major decisions and three technical falls.
Bleich is making his third trip to the championships after placing third at the central regional. He has a record of 30 victories with seven losses. Bleich has tallied six major decisions, two technical falls and one pinfall. He was the OAC Wrestler of the Week on February 7, the 157-pound champion at the 35th John Summa Invitational and was named to the All-OAC first-team. In his career, Bleich is the school's all-time wins leader with 135 victories. He has recorded 37 major decisions, 10 pinfalls and four technical falls. Bleich is a four-time OAC Wrestler of the Week selection. Off the mat, he is a four-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American, three-time Academic All-OAC selection, College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-American, Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar, member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society and the 2021 BW Kenneth Steingass Most Outstanding Male Athlete Award recipient.
Leightner qualifies for his second national championships after placing second at the central regional. He has compiled a record of 27-8. He leads the team with 14 pinfalls. Leightner has recorded two technical falls and one major decision. Leightner was a three-time individual champion and was the OAC Wrestler of the Week on December 13. For his career, Leightner ranks 10th in school history with 105 victories. He has amassed 25 pinfalls, 18 technical falls and 12 major decisions.
Palmer is making his first time to the national championships after finishing third at the central regional. He has a record of 23-11 with five pinfalls and five major decisions.
Salmon qualifies for his first trip to the national championships after finishing second at the central regional. He has compiled a record of 24-3 with eight pinfalls five technical falls and one major decision. He was named to the All-OAC first-team. In his career, Salmon has 16 pinfalls, nine technical falls and six major decisions. Off the mat, he is a National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American.
The NCAA Division III Indoor and Track and Field and Wrestling Championships will both be contested on Friday and Saturday, March 11-12. The indoor track and field championships will be held at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina while the wrestling championships will be held at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
