Complete NWCA Top-25 Poll (.pdf) | Complete NWCA Individual National rankings (.pdf)

MANHEIM, Pa. -- The defending Ohio Athletic Conference Champion Baldwin Wallace University men's wrestling team has been picked third in the National Wrestling Coaches Association season opening poll while six wrestlers have been ranked in the Top-15.

BW, who finished the 2022-23 third at the NCAA Division III National Championships, enters the first rankings of the 2023-24 season at third with 43.5 points. The Yellow Jackets, the top team in the OAC Coaches Preseason Poll, is one of two league members ranked in the poll as they are joined by Ohio Northern University at No. 13.

BW also has six wrestlers ranked in the top-15 in the nation in senior All-American 133-pounder Jaden Hinton (Glassboro, N.J.), senior defending 149-pound NCAA Division III national champion and All-American Michael Petrella (Reynoldsburg/Bishop Hartley), junior All-OAC 157-pounder Tommy West (Avon Lake /St. Edward), junior 174-pounder Donovan Palmer (North Ridgeville /Lutheran West), senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Academic All-OAC 184-pounder Luke Hopkins (Cuyahoga Heights) and senior All-American 197-pounder Doug Byrne (Wickliffe).

Petrella, who enters the season with 72 career wins, comes into the campaign as the highest ranked Yellow Jacket at number one. Hinton starts the season with 66 career wins and is ranked second. Byrne is ranked fourth, West is ranked seventh, Hopkins is ranked ninth, and Palmer is ranked 15th.

BW opens the 2023-24 season on Nov. 3 and 4 when it travels to Ithaca, New York to compete in the Ithaca College Invitational. Action is set to begin on Friday at 3 p.m. and at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Fans can follow the action live at https://bwyellowjackets.cc/45TQXFK

The Yellow Jackets open home action on Saturday, Nov. 18 as they host the BW Invitational inside the Lou Higgins Center Fieldhouse.