Season Preview: Wrestling looking for continued growth in 2019-20

By Bud Denega 

ADA — Ohio Northern wrestling head coach Ron Beaschler enjoyed what he saw out of his young squad last season. They improved as the year wore on, and many of the grapplers performed best toward the end of the season.

Beaschler and the Polar Bears would like more of the same in 2019-20. 

"Expectations are to pick up where we left off last year and improve," Beaschler said. "We were young last year. We had a lot of holes, and we filled several of those holes through recruiting. … Guys that got starting opportunities last year need to keep progressing to being better wrestlers this season." 

Northern laid claim to a 6-9 overall record last season, which included a 1-5 mark in Ohio Athletic Conference play. The Polar Bears were picked to finish fifth in the coaches preseason conference poll. 

Senior Jeff Andrews (New Baltimore, Mich./Anchor Bay) headlines the list of returnees for ONU. The 149-pounder compiled a 26-13 overall record — second most wins on the team — and that included a 3-3 record in conference duals. Andrews registered five pins, eight tech falls and six major decisions en route to finishing eighth at the NCAA Regionals. 

Andrews will drop down a weight class and wrestler at 141 this season. 

Senior Seth Transue (Plain City/Jerome) comes back after having the second-best winning percentage last season. The 125-pounder boasted a 21-8 overall record and a 1-1 record in conference. Transue logged three pins, four tech falls and five major decisions and took sixth at the NCAA Regionals. 

Transue will bump up a weight class and compete at 133 in 2019-20. 

Junior Cash Thompson (Lake Odessa, Mich./Lakewood) is another member of the 20-win club last season. The 184-pounder went 23-10, 3-3 in conference, with eight pins and four major decisions, while placing seventh at the NCAA Regionals. 

Thompson will move up a weight class, grappling at 197 this season. 

Sophomore Shaun Wagner (Southington, Conn.) also racked up north of 20 wins, ending 2018-19 with a 23-12 overall record. The 157-pounder recorded eight pins and three major decisions and finished eighth at the NCAA Regionals. 

Sophomore Jordan Hardrick (Huber Heights/Wayne) at 165, senior Brandon Bartlome (Sheffield Village/Lorain) at 141 and sophomore Cameron Poulton (New Albany) at 133 also return after leading their respective weight classes in wins a season ago. 

Bartlome and Poulton will swap weight classes ahead of the 2019-20 season. 

"We had some guys that did well last year that I'm really looking to take that next step this year where we can count on them to go out and win 70-75 percent of their matches," Beaschler said.

The Polar Bears begin the 2019-20 campaign at the Mount Union Invitational Saturday. ONU will host Baldwin Wallace in its home opener Nov. 19.