Three Yellow Jackets honors among WHAC Wrestling Awards

DEFIANCE, Ohio - Defiance College men's wrestling completed its season at Saturday's WHAC Championships with three Yellow Jackets receiving distinction among the league's All-Conference Awards. Sophomore Drew Matthews and senior Brian Swinehart each garnered Academic All-Conference while Peyton Brown earned a spot on the WHAC's Champions of Character Team.

The WHAC's All-Academic Team is composed of student-athletes with sophomore academic standing or above, attending their current school for one full year, and carrying a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better. Matthews and Swinehart were the only two returning Yellow Jacket wrestlers eligible for consideration this year and well exceeded the GPA threshold. For Swinehart, the award adds to his journey of competing as a college wrestler in his mid-40s over the last two seasons. Matthews' honor complements his on-mat achievements this year winning a team-high 16 matches and finishing 6th in the 149-pound class at the WHAC Championships.

Brown revived his wrestling career this season, returning to compete collegiately for the first time after graduating high school in 2020. An immediate presence as a team leader and a mentor to a young group of new recruits, Brown was among nominated as an exemplary model of the NAIA's five core character values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership.

All three award winners are DC's first men's wrestling awards since joining the WHAC and are the first postseason honors since the program was reborn in 2018.

-JACKETS-