HERSHEY, Pennsylvania –  Three Baldwin Wallace University wrestlers, junior 125-pound All-American Jesse Gunter (Akron/ Coventry), sophomore 141-pounder Josh Decatur (Akron/ Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) and junior 174-pounder Garrett Chase (Erie, Pa./ Cathedral Prep), competed today in the first of the two-day 2015 NCAA Division III National Wrestling Championship Tournament at the Hershey Center. Gunter and Chase have guaranteed themselves of being a Division III All-American (top eight in each weight class).

Gunter, ranked third in the national at 125 pounds, won both of his matches to gaurantee himself of no worse than a sixth place finish and his second Division III All-American award. He beat Carlos Fuentez of Wheaton (Ill.) College in his first match by a 6-2 score and defeated No.6-seed Paul Bewak of Johns Hopkins (Md.) University, 5-4, in the second period of sudden death overtime. He advances to face No.2-seed Lucas Malmberg of Messiah (Pa.) College in the semifinals tomorrow morning.

Decatur had to win a preliminary/ "rat-tail" match against Nascid Barrow of Buena Vista (Iowa) College by a 10-3 score before losing in the first round to No.1-seed Alvontae Drummond of McDaniel (Pa.) College, 9-3. He fought back in the consolation bracket to defeat Wisconsin LaCrosse's Cody See by an 11-10 count when he earned a takedown with two seconds remaining and the score tied, 9-9. Decatur was eliminated by No.7-seed Mark Adcock of Wisconsin Whitewater, 7-5 in the second full overtime period when Adcock got a takedown at the final buzzer.

Chase, seeded eighth, beat Nicholas Allen of Olivet (Mich.) College, 9-7 in sudden victory 2 in his first match and then lost to No.1-seed Connor Lafever of Wabash (Ind.) College, 7-4. He defeated Tyrell Martin of Augsburg (Minn.) College, 8-3, in the consolation quarterfinals to Div. III All-American honors. He will wrestle Tory Cain of Rochester Institure of Technology in the consolation semifinals tomorrow morning. He still has a chance to place as high as third.

The Baldwin Wallace wrestling team set a school single-season record for victories this season with 17, had a 17-6 overall record and a 4-1 mark in the rugged Ohio Athletic Conference dual match schedule.