Wrestling

BEREA, OHIO -- Baldwin-Wallace College senior 165-pound wrestler Gino Russo (Northfield/ Nordonia) has been selected as the 2007-2008 Kenneth F. Steingass Outstanding Senior Male Athlete and senior volleyball standout and outside hitter Kelsey Hills (Sylvania/ Toledo St. Ursula Academy) was chosen as the Outstanding Senior Woman Athlete. Each is among the best to ever participate their respective sport in school history.

 

Russo was a two-time NCAA Division III All-American and Ohio Athletic Conference champion who graduated with a degree in business administration and accounting.

 

As a senior, he started the season with 22 consecutive individual victories and racked up three OAC Wrestler of the Week awards for his efforts before suffering an injury that sidelined him for nearly six weeks. He returned just in time to win his second straight OAC individual title at 165 pounds and a berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

 

This season, Russo compiled a 27-4 overall record with a career-best 116 takedowns, 20 escapes and six falls.  He ended his career with a 92-29 overall record (.760) and 323 takedowns, 109 escapes, 24 reversals and 11 falls.

 

Hills also earned Division III All-America accolades this fall as she was selected as an honorable mention All-American by the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association). She also graduated in May with a degree in business administration and accounting.

 

Hills ended her four-year career as one of the most celebrated volleyball players in B-W’s history with four All-OAC (from 2004 through 2007) and three Academic All-OAC (2005 through 2007) selections. She also was an ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-District IV pick (2007).

 

Hills was a team captain as a senior en route to earning all-tournament team honors at the College of Mount Saint Joseph Tournament and at the annual B-W Marcia French Memorial Tournament.  She led the team with 545 kills to rank third all-time in a single-season in school history. Hills’ 1,702 career kills ranks second all-time.  In addition this season, she was second on the team with 40 service aces, 436 digs, and 83 blocks.  She is ranked seventh all-time in digs (1,321) and solo blocks (108).  For her career, Hills garnered five selections to various all-tournament teams and two OAC Player of the Week awards.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple at (440) 826-2327, via FAX at (440) 826-2329, or by e-mail at kruple@bw.edu.  To contact Head Wrestling Coach Rich Fleming you can call him at (440) 826-3258 or e-mail him at rfleming@bw.edu.  To contact Head Volleyball Coach Vickie Brault you can call her at (440) 826-3254 or e-mail her at vbrault@bw.edu.  You can get all the latest B-W athletics information by visiting our website at www.bw.edu/athletics.