NWCA Individual Ranking (.pdf)
MANHEIM, Pa. – The four-time defending Ohio Athletic Conference champion Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team has been selected eighth in National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division lll Preseason poll, with three wrestlers earning individual rankings.
BW is tied for eighth with Coe (Iowa) College and Stevens Institute of Technology (N.J) with 20 points each. The University of Mount Union, who is the only other OAC school ranked, placed fifth with 27 points.
Ninth-year Head coach Jamie Gibbs and reigning OAC Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season, returns 16 lettermen, two All-Americans, three All-OAC performers, and eight national qualifiers from last year's squad that finished with a 13-2 overall record and a 5-1 OAC mark, including a 5-2 record against ranked opponents. BW went on to finish second at the NCAA Division lll Central Regional Championship and placed 14th at the NCAA Championships.
In the individual rankings, senior All-American and two-time Academic All-OAC Charlie Nash (Norwalk), junior All-OAC and two-time Academic All-OAC Stanley Bleich (North Ridgeville/Elyria Catholic), and senior two-time All-OAC Zeckary Lehman (Akron/Revere) are the three Yellow Jackets to land in their respective weight class.
Nash leads the individual rankings as he is the top wrestler at 133 pounds. He placed fourth at the 2019 National Championships to earn his first All-American honor. Nash has a career record of 82-37 and his 82 wins ranks 22nd all-time in school history.
Lehman ranks fourth at 197 pounds. Lehman placed seventh at the 2019 National Championships and earned his first All-American honor. He owns a 86-22 career record and ranks 18th all-time in wins in school history.
Bleich ranks eighth at 149 pounds. Bleich carries a career record of 61-18 and currently stands at 37th on the all-time career wins at BW.
The Yellow Jackets open the 2019-20 schedule by competing in the Ithaca (N.Y.) College Invitational on November 1 & 2.
