Third-year head coach Paul Reid looks for the Ohio Wesleyan wrestling team to continue the improvement it made from its first season of 2018-19 to last year.
The challenge will be to do so during a condensed regular season that includes only 3 events.
"It's business as usual," Reid said. "Our point of emphasis this year is that we dictate our effort and how we approach things on a daily basis. The time constraints give us a month to train and compete before our national qualifier."
Reid welcomes back 9 lettermen who will lead the way.
"We have a pretty strong junior class," Reid said. "They're battle-tested and have improved from year to year. Their attitude and effort has been pretty consistent, and that leads to success."
Junior Bryce Wittman (Nashville, Tenn./Montgomery Bell Academy) placed at the NCAA Division III Central Regional for the second straight season, finishing sixth in 2020 after a fifth-place showing in 2019. Wittman looks to compete at 149 pounds this year after wrestling at 157 pounds the last 2 seasons. Junior Max Beard (Palo Alto, Calif./Gunn), a returning letterman, and junior William Kennedy (Baton Rouge, La./Episcopal) also will compete at 149 pounds.
Junior Jaret Lowry (Litchfield/Buckeye Senior) returns at 174 pounds after ranking second on the team with 19 wins last year. He will be joined by freshman Christian Tesnow (Great Falls, Va./Bishop O'Connell), a national qualifier in high school.
Junior Ryan McElwee (Pickerington/Central), who was third on the team with 18 wins a year ago, is back at 141 pounds. Junior Jimmy Brenneman (Sagamore Hills/Nordonia) posted 12 wins at 133 pounds last year and moves up this season, and sophomore Zach Smith (Olive Branch, Miss./Christian Brothers (Tenn.)) also returns.
Junior Caleb Blake (Tipp City/Tippecanoe) chalked up 12 wins at 165 pounds last season and moves down to 157 this year.
Sophomores Donovan Ortiz (Port St. Lucie, Fla./American Heritage) and Abe Spurlock (Brookline, Mass.) made the Bishop lineup and posted 17 wins apiece last season, Ortiz at 133 pounds and Spurlock at 184 pounds. Sophomore Jacob Dehart (Mount Vernon) moves up from 125 to 133 this season, while junior Ross Eggleston (Lancaster/Bloom-Carroll) will open at 184 pounds this year after wrestling at both 174 and 184 last season.
Junior Nathan Scott (Westerville/North) returns at 285 pounds and will be joined by freshman Haji Sidibe (Columbus/Beechcroft), a 2-time all-state honoree in high school.
At 197 pounds, freshman Alessandro Bruni (Brookline, Mass.), freshman Marquel Henry (Dayton/Chaminade Julienne), freshman Chase Kelly (Mount Sterling/Madison Plains), and freshman Lloyd Pinheiro (Chattanooga, Tenn./East Ridge), a state qualifier in high school, look to make an impact.
Freshman Tommy Brunty (Barberton) and freshman Ethan Laws (San Antonio, Texas/New Braunfels Canyon) will compete at 165 pounds, and freshman Jack Zimmerman (Columbus/Whetstone) will represent the Bishops at 125 pounds.
Ohio Wesleyan opens its season on February 5 at Adrian. The Bishops will compete against Defiance and Manchester on Feb. 13 at Defiance, and the regular season concludes against Mount St. Joseph and Trine on Feb. 21 at Mount St. Joseph. The NCAA Division III Central Regional tournament follows on Feb. 26-27.
