Bucknell University Athletics
Kevin LeValley Named Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week
12/1/2009 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 1, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell junior wrestler Kevin LeValley (Hugo, Colo./Limon) earned his second career Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week honor following his 2-1 individual performance last week, which featured a victory over a top-10 opponent and a near-upset of No. 1 Brent Metcalf of No. 1 Iowa.
LeValley, who moved from No. 13 to No. 8 at 149 pounds in the latest InterMat national rankings, opened the week with an 8-6 overtime victory over then-No. 6 Matt Kyler of Army. LeValley trailed 5-1 early in the match, but battle back to force overtime and ended up posting his 12th win of the year. The win helped the Bison to a 25-6 victory over the Black Knights, a fellow EIWA rival.
Three days later Bucknell (3-3, 2-0 EIWA) hosted No. 1 Iowa and Rutgers in Sojka Pavilion and LeValley went 1-1 on the day. He opened the day pushing Metcalf, who entered the bout with a 78-2 career record, to the brink, before falling 3-2. LeValley, who had been pinned twice by Metcalf in two previous career meetings, got on the board first with an escape seconds into the second period. However, Metcalf answered with a takedown. A late escape knotted the score at 2-2 entering the third frame. Metcalf scored the winning point on an escape in the opening moments of the period. LeValley nearly posted a late takedown that would have virtually clinched victory, but the two wrestlers were inches outside the circle.
LeValley bounced back from the near-upset of Metcalf with a dominating 15-0 technical fall win over Rutgers' Kellen Bradley a few hours later.
A 2009 NCAA qualifier, LeValley is 13-1 this season, including 3-1 against ranked opposition. He won the 149-pound bracket at both the Clarion Open and Navy Classic and is 5-1 in duals.
LeValley will be in action this weekend at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Competition will take place Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4-5. LeValley posted a 2-2 record at the event last year.
