Mount Union's wrestling team finished in fifth place (39.5 points) overall out of seven competitors at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships hosted by Wilmington on Saturday, February 26.
At 133 pounds, Raider senior Rocky Laughlin (Malvern/Canton South), #4 ranked in the nation in Division III, earned a 6-1 finals victory over Tim Lennox of John Carroll, who is ranked #5 in the country, to advance to the Division III National Championships for the second time in his career. Laughlin finished the day at 2-0 to run his season record to 22-1.
Senior Doug Jones (Uniontown/Springfield) at 165 and junior Chad Hilliard (Minerva) at 149 each finished in second place to earn All-Conference honors. Jones fell in the finals to Joe Heiland of Baldwin-Wallace, 4-3. Mark Zimmerman of Heidelberg defeated Hilliard 6-5 in the championship match. Jones and Hilliard each finish the season with 22 victories.
Mount Union also received fourth place finishes from junior Tony Stellato (Boardman) at 141 and senior Josh Gregorek (Lorain/Southview) at 184.
John Carroll took home top team honors with 83 points while Ohio Northern (55), Heidelberg (53), Baldwin-Wallace (43.5), Mount Union (39.5), Wilmington (36.5), and Muskingum (25) rounded out the field.
Laughlin will next travel to St. Olaf (Minn.) on March 4-5 to participate in the Division III National Championships.