WHEELING — The 38th Annual OVAC Bill Welker Wrestlers — Ohio and West Virginia — of the Year are Steubenville’s Brody Saccoccia and University’s Brock Kehler.

The OVAC named the award after Welker, past Mat Talk Columnist from 1978 until 2010.

Dr. Dan Doyle, OVAC Wrestling Commissioner, chairs the selection committee of five Ohio Valley wrestling dignitaries who select the ‘Best’ Ohio and West Virginia wrestler in the entire OVAC conference. The WV representatives are WLU coaching legend Dr. Vince Monseau, who replaces the late, iconic Ron Mauck, the OVAC Wrestling Tournament’s namesake, and Wrestling USA Magazine’s 2024 National Coach of the Year, Rick Welker. The Ohio representatives are veteran OVAeC Wrestling Webmaster Sean Smith and Jeff Crosier, past OVAC President.

The recipients must be seniors and are chosen on the basis of personal wrestling accomplishments over their scholastic careers as OVAC wrestlers.

SACCOCCIA was a four-time Ohio Division II state placewinner, winning the 150-pound title as a junior. He was voted the 2024 Ohio Division II Wrestler of the Year and posted a career record of 169-14. He was a state runner up this past season in which he went 41-2, with both losdses to Thornville Sheridan’s Coltyn Reedy.

The Purdue University recruit was a two-time Eastern District Champion, as well as a two-time OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament champion.

His head coach was Lucas Huffman.

KEHLER was a four-time West Virginia Class AAA state champion while compiling an outstanding career mark of 184-1, his lone loss coming in the OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament as a freshman.

He was the 2025 West Virginia Class AAA Outstanding Wrestler; a four-time West Virginia Class AAA Region I champion; a three-time OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament champion and was voted the 2025 OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament’s David Bierkortte Award as the event’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.

After going 41-0 this season, he will attend West Virginia University on a wrestling scholarship.

His head coach was Ken Maisel.