Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Wrestling Adds Defending National Champion Iowa to Schedule
8/25/2008 8:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Aug. 25, 2008
2008-09 Bucknell Wrestling Schedule
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell wrestling schedule recently got a significant upgrade when defending national champion Iowa was added to the slate for 2008-09. The Bison and Hawkeyes will square off Jan. 30 in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa, which has claimed 21 national titles and is the most storied wrestling program in NCAA history, is scheduled to make a return trip to Lewisburg in 2009-10.
"This is very exciting news for Bucknell Wrestling considering Iowa is the defending national champion," commented Bison head coach Dan Wirnsberger. "The chance to face them here at Bucknell next year is great for our program and the University as well as Central Pennsylvania and the local community."
In addition to Iowa, the Bison will also face Missouri at home this year. That match will be Bucknell's season opener and will take place Sunday, Nov. 16, inside Davis Gym. The Tigers placed 11th at the 2008 NCAA Championships and defeated the Bison 30-9 in Columbia, Mo., last January.
While Missouri highlights Bucknell's competitive home schedule, Army, Drexel, Cleveland State, Wagner, Liberty, Columbia and Old Dominion will also pay a visit to Davis Gym.
After early season tournaments such as the Navy Classic, the Northeast Duals, the Cliff Keen Invitational and the Virginia Duals, the Bison will face a familiar lineup of EIWA foes. Included in that mix are road trips to Brown, Lehigh, American and East Stroudsburg.
The addition of Iowa to the schedule necessitated a pair of changes from an earlier version of the Bison slate. Bucknell will no longer face George Mason. Additionally, the home match against Columbia has been moved from Saturday, Jan. 31, to Sunday, Feb. 1.
This year's EIWA Tournament will be hosted by Penn March 7-8. The NCAA Championships will once again take place in St. Louis, Mo., March 19-21.
Bucknell, which is less than three months from opening the season against Missouri, finished the 2007-08 season 9-11-1 and 4-4 in the EIWA. Three Bison wrestlers - David Marble, Andy Rendos and Shane Riccio - advanced to the NCAA Championships.
