The 39th Annual Bill Welker OVAC Wrestlers of the Year are University’s Jason Walker and Steubenville’s Cooper Smith.

The OVAC named the award after Bill Welker, past Mat Talk Columnist for the Wheeling News-Register from 1978 until 2010, He was selected as the Synder-Miller West Virginia Wrestling Sportswriter of the year an unprecedented seven times and the National Wrestling Sportswriter of the Year two times by Wrestling USA Magazine. The award is sponsored by the OVAC Wrestling Coaches Association.

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.

Jason Walker is a four-time West Virginia Division I state place-winner, a W.Va. Division I state champion in 2023 and 2026, and a three-time W.Va. Division I Region I Champion.

He placed third in the 2026 OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament.

Walker finished his senior season with a 41-5 record and has a career record of 164-22. Walker plans to wrestle in college.

Cooper Smith is a three-time Ohio Division II state and district place-winner. He placed sixth in states in Ohio Division II in 2024, and was state runner-up and district champion in 2025. In 2026, he placed third in the 2026 Ohio Division Ii state tournament.

Smith is a two-time OVAC champion (2024 and 2025) and was unable to compete until after the OVAC Tournament in his senior year due to an injury.

He finished his senior season with a 14-3 record and compiled a 134-28 career record. Smith will attend West Liberty University and continue to wrestle there.