WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Baldwin Wallace University Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference 165-pound men's wrestler Hunter Kupniewski (North Royalton) has been named the OAC Men's Wrestler of the Week for the first time in his career.

Kupniewski earns his first accolade after winning the 165-pound championship at the season opening Ithaca (N.Y.) College Invitational last weekend.  He was one of four BW individual champions that helped lead the No. 3 nationally ranked Yellow Jackets to a second place finish.

Kupniewski, who won his first collegiate individual championship and was the fifth ranked wrestler in the field, opened the invitational with a 16-0 technical fall win over Kayo Torres of Springfield (Mass.) College.  He then posted two more technical fall victories over Ethan Kring of Greensboro (N.C.) College and Pedro Cruz of Ithaca by scores of 16-1 and 17-2, respectively. Kupniewski advanced to the championship match with a 6-3 decision victory over BW junior All-OAC wrestler Tommy West (Avon Lake/St. Edward), who is No. 7 nationally ranked at 157 pounds.  He claimed the title with a 6-1 sudden victory decision over Nicholas Roeger of Castleton (V.T.) University.

For his career, Kupniewski has a record of 61-31 and is just four wins from becoming the 44th men's wrestler to record 65 wins.  He has 20 technical falls, nine pins and eight major decisions.

Off the mat,  Kupniewski is a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American, two-time Academic All-OAC performer, Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar, and a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society.

The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Saturday, November 11 when they travel to Angola, Indiana to compete in the Trine University Invitational inside the Keith E. Busse/Steel Dynamics Inc. Athletic and Recreation Center at 9:00 a.m.