BEREA, Ohio – The No. 12 nationally-ranked and defending Ohio Athletic Conference champion Baldwin Wallace University men's wrestling team was picked first in the OAC Coaches Preseason Poll.

BW, who will seek its eighth championship in the last nine years and after placing eighth at the 2022 NCAA Division III Championships, was selected first with 46 points and five first place votes.  John Carroll University was picked second with 44 points and two first place votes while Ohio Northern was selected third with 39 points and one first place votes.

The Yellow Jackets under the direction of veteran head coach Jamie Gibbs return the leadership and experience to achieve their goals.   BW brings back 22 letterwinners, three NCAA championship qualifiers, two All-Ohio Athletic Conference performers and seven Academic All-OAC selections.

Highlighting the returners are junior 149-pound 2022 NCAA National Runner-up, All-American and All-OAC performer Michael Petrella (Reynoldsburg/Bishop Hartley), junior 133-pound All-Central Region performer and national qualifier Jaden Hinton (Glassboro, N.J.), sophomore 174-pounder national qualifier and Scholar All-American Donovan Palmer (North Ridgeville/Lutheran West) and senior 197-pound All-American and All-OAC performer Doug Byrne (Wickliffe).

Petrella, who enters this season ranked No. 1, finished his sophomore campaign with a record of 37-3 with 11 pins, one technical fall and one major decision.  In his two seasons, he has compiled a record of 39-4 with 12 falls, one technical fall and two major decisions.

Hinton comes into his third season after posting a breakout record of 25-11 with 10 major decisions and six technical falls.  He has a career record of 30-11 with 11 major decisions, eight technical falls and one pin.

Palmer made his presence felt in his rookie season as he tallied a record of 23-13 with five pins and five major decisions. 

Byrne, who had his season cut short to an injury, had a record of 22-3 with 14 pins along with three major decisions.  For his career, Byrne is a National Wrestling Coaches Association All-American with a record of 53-12.  He has tallied 30 pinfalls, six major decisions and one technical fall.  Off the mat, Byrne is a National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American.  

Gibbs welcomes back eight senior, six junior and three sophomore other letterwinners who all have seen time on the mat and will push to fill the open spots this season.

The seniors are Zak Anderson (Elyria/Midview), Conner DeBoe (Mentor), Ryan Haas (Toledo/Maumee), Academic All-OAC performer Luke Hopkins (Cuyahoga Heights), Joey Koplow (Newbury/Kenston), All-OAC and Academic All-OAC performer Drew Levis (Elyria), Academic All-OAC performer Griffin Rathburn (New Albany/Bishop Hartley) and Academic All-OAC performer Matthew Werts (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute).

The juniors are Jackson Allen (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas), Academic All-OAC performer Hunter Kupniewski (North Royalton), Johnny Novak (Cleveland/St. Ignatius), Robby Palmieri (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) David Panda (Columbia, Md./Atholton), Academic All-OAC performer Justin Ritchie (Carlisle) and Mitch Sanders (Newbury).

The sophomores are Ben DeGuzman (North Canton/Hoover), Carter Lloyd (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) and Tommy West (Avon Lake/St. Edward)

Also bringing depth and experience are junior Max Carrier (Oberlin/The Gow School {N.Y.}) and sophomore Brett Blaess (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial).  Sophomore Evan Daniels (McDonald, Pa./Madonna {W.Va.}) is back after missing last season with an injury.

The Yellow Jackets open the 2022-23 on Friday and Saturday, November 4 and 5 when they travel to Ithaca, New York to compete in the Ithaca College Invitational.  BW hosts its first dual meet on Tuesday, November 16 when it opens OAC action against Heidelberg University at 7 p.m.

The Yellow Jackets will host the annual BW Invitational on November 19 and the 36th John Summa Invitational on February 4.