Complete NWCA Top-30 Scholar All-America Teams (.pdf) | Complete NWCA Scholar All-Americans (.pdf)

MANHEIM, Pa.  – The Baldwin Wallace University men's wrestling team was honored by the National Wrestling Coaches Association as a Top-30 Scholar All-America Team while seven wrestlers were earned Scholar All-American honors.

BW, who finished third at the NCAA Division III Championships and won its third straight Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, was 13th with a team grade point average of 3.598.

The seven wrestlers that garnered Scholar All-American accolade were senior 141-pounder Zak Anderson (Elyria/Midview), senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 174-pounder Luke Hopkins (Cuyahoga Heights), senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 285-pounder Matthew Werts (Buffalo, N.Y/St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute), junior Academic All-OAC 165-pounder Hunter Kupniewski (North Royalton), junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 141-pounder Robby Palmieri (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland), junior All-American and 149-pound National Champion Michael Petrella (Reynoldsburg/Bishop Hartley) and sophomore 133-pounder Brett Blaess (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial).

Anderson, who garners his first accolade, is an exercise science major. This season, he was a NCAA Division III national qualifier and an All-Central Region 141-pound selection.   Anderson won a career-high 22 matches and was tied for fifth on team with five major decisions.  He also added a career-best four technical falls with two pins.

Hopkins, who earns his second straight honor, is a mild and moderate educational needs major. This season, he was a NCAA Division III national qualifier, the 174-pound Central Region Champion and an All-OAC second-team selection.  Hopkins won 23 matches and was fourth on team with a career-high six technical falls.  He also had two major decisions and one pin.  Off the mat, Hopkins is a three-time Academic All-OAC selection, Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar and a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma and Dayton C. Miller honoraries.

Werts, who garners his second accolade, is physics major.  This season, he was a NCAA Division III national qualifier, All-Central Region 285-pound selection and All-OAC first-team selection.  Werts won a career-high 23 matches with a career-best sevn pinfalls and one major decision.  Off the mat, Werts is a three-time Academic All-OAC selection, Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar and a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma and Dayton C. Miller honoraries.

Kupniewski, who earns his second honor, is a pre-allied health & pre-physical therapy major.  This season, he was second on the team with a career-high 10 technical falls, second on squad with a career-best eight major decisions and fifth on the team with a career-high 31 victories.  Kupniewski also had one pin.  Off the mat, he is a two-time Academic All-OAC selection, Dean's List student, and Jacket Scholar.

Palmieri, who garners his first accolade, is a national security major.  This season, he was an All-OAC second-team selection.  Palmieri won a career-high 28 matches with career-highs in major decisions (4), pins (3) and technical falls (2).  Off the mat, he is a two-time Academic All-OAC selection, Dean's List student, and Jacket Scholar.

Petrella, who earns his earns his second accolade, is a digital marketing major.   This season, he was the NCAA Division III 149-pound National Champion, an All-American, the Central Region 149-pound champion and an All-OAC first-team selection.  Petrella was second on the team with a career-high 15 pins and was tied for second on the squad with 33 victories.  He also had career-bests in technical falls and major decisions with five.  Petrella ranks tied for 37th on the school's all-time wins list with a career-record of 72-4.  

Blaess, who garners his first accolade, is a computer science major.  This season, he was tied firs fifth on the team with a career-high five major decisions. Blaess won 15 matches and added three technical falls and one pin.  He was the 133-pound champion at the Manchester (Ind.) University Spartan Mat Classic.  Off the mat, Blaess is an Academic All-0AC selection and a Dean's List student.

The Yellow Jackets finished the season with a record of 18-2 and a perfect 7-0 mark in the OAC.