Wrestling:  OAC Championships

Heidelberg Defend its Title

at the 2008 OAC Wrestling Championship

February 23 at John Carroll University

     University Heights, OH —Heidelberg College, on the strength of five conference champions, successfully defended its title at the 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday, February 23, at the DeCarlo Varsity Center.

     The Student Princes scored 99.5 points to capture the OAC tournament crown, followed by host John Carroll University with 88.5. Ohio Northern (48.5), Baldwin-Wallace (41.5), Muskingum (37.5), Mount Union (270 and Wilmington (17) rounded out the field.

     For the Student Princes, only senior Nick Sanchez (Lima/Bath) was a repeat winner as he won his third consecutive championship at 141 pounds. The other four Heidelberg champions were first time winners, freshman Jerrod Hoxie (Forest Hill, Mich.) at 125, Zach Mizer (Canton/Perry) at 141, Ryan Fogliano (Maple Hts.) at 197 and Ryan Bowers (Lima) at 285.

     Runner-up John Carroll matched Heidelberg with seven All-OAC wrestlers, but just two were able to win titles. Senior Adam Pizzurro (Westerville/St. Francis DeSales) became a two-time league champion at 133 pounds, while junior Ben Adams (Livonia Mich./Winston Churchill) won his first crown at 184 pounds.

     Baldwin-Wallace, Muskingum and Ohio Northern each had one wrestler win a weight class. Baldwin-Wallace senior Gino Russo (Northfield Center/Nordonia) defended his title at 165, as the Yellow Jacket All-American overcame a broken hand mid-season to win his second career OAC crown.

Muskingum senior Patrick Minner (Marion/Marion Pleasant), who was an OAC runner-up in 2006, grabbed an elusive first OAC title at 157 pounds.

     Ohio Northern senior Ben Plowman (Maumee) joined Sanchez as the only three-time champs in this year’s field as he won the title at 174 pounds.

     Jason Miller of Heidelberg was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, while Adam Pizzurro of John Carroll was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler.

   In addition to the ten conference champions, who earned automatic bids into the NCAA Division III Championships, Ohio Northern junior 125-pounder David Penny (Union/Milton-Union) was extended an at-large bid to compete in the national tournament which will be held March 7-8 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Host Site: www.gojohnnies.com)

     The winners and runner-up at each respective weight class at the OAC Championship has earned All-OAC honors.