Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Wrestling Returns to Action Friday, Hosts Drexel and Princeton at 11 a.m.
12/16/2009 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 16, 2009
Live Results:
About Friday's Matches
For the second time in less than a month, Bucknell will host a pair of other teams in a tri-meet. The final Friday in November featured the Bison hosting No. 1 Iowa and EIWA foe Rutgers. This Friday, Bucknell will host Drexel and EIWA opponent Princeton inside Davis Gym. Admission is free. The first match (Bucknell vs. Princeton) will begin at 11 a.m.
Friday's Schedule
Bucknell vs. Princeton, 11 a.m.
Princeton vs. Drexel, 5 minutes after previous match
Bucknell vs. Drexel, 5 minutes after previous match
About Bucknell
Bucknell is off to its best start since the 2000-01 campaign when it also began the season 3-3. That is also the last time the Bison won their first two EIWA matches. Bucknell, which placed 12th of 42 teams and had three placewinners at the Cliff Keen Invitational two weeks ago, has been idle recently because of final exams. The Bison last competed in a dual when they hosted Iowa and Rutgers in Sojka Pavilion the day after Thanksgiving.
About Drexel
Drexel has alternated wins and losses this year and carries a 3-3 record into Friday's action. The Dragons are 1-1 on the road, having lost to Maryland and defeating EIWA member East Stroudsburg. Drexel has only one ranked wrestler in its probable lineup, Steve Mytych, who is listed No. 13 nationally at 133 pounds, according to Intermat.
About Princeton
Princeton, which went 2-18 and finished last at the EIWA Championships last year, has already surpassed its win total with a 3-3 record this season. The Tigers have defeated EIWA foe Franklin & Marshall, VMI and Merchant Marine Academy.
Bucknell vs. Drexel/Princeton
• Bucknell is 7-18 all-time against Drexel. The two teams have split a pair of meetings over the last three years with each squad winning at home.
• Bucknell is 1-4 all-time against EIWA opponent Princeton. The two teams last met in 2006-07 with the Bison posting a 46-0 victory.
Last Bucknell-Drexel Meeting:
Bucknell 25, Drexel 16 (Dec. 19, 2008)
Last Bucknell-Princeton Meeting:
Bucknell 46, Princeton 0 (Dec. 2, 2006)
Last Time Out
Bucknell competed at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational two weeks ago and took 12th out of 42 teams. Andy Rendos (4th at 165), Kevin LeValley (5th at 149) and David Marble (6th at 133) were the Bison's three placewinners at the competitive event. It was the second straight year Bucknell had three placewinners as Rendos, Marble and Shane Riccio placed in the top eight in 2008. The Bison's 12th-place showing was considerably better than last year when they were 21st of 44 teams.
Strong Starts
Bucknell's 3-3 record is its best start to a season since 2000-01 when it opened 7-3. The Bison's 2-0 EIWA mark is also the best since 2000-01. Bucknell will be looking to go to 3-0 in conference action for the first time since 1999-2000 when it faces Princeton Friday.
Home Success
Bucknell is just 1-1 at home this year, but it is a solid 17-7 since the beginning of the 2006-07 campaign. The Bison have won six of their last eight home duals entering Friday's competition. Bucknell is 7-2 against EIWA opponents at home over that same span, including 1-0 this year.
Multiple Duals on Same Day
Friday will mark the 16th time in the last four years the Bison will wrestle at least two dual matches on the same day. Bucknell is 19-17-2 in those matches, including 2-3 this season.
Century Mark
Andy Rendos quietly moved past 100 career victories with a 5-2 record at the Cliff Keen Invitational two weeks ago. With a 103-27 career mark, he ranks third on the Bison all-time list, just three victories behind second-place Tom Marchetti, a recent inductee into the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame. Rendos, who is 15-2 this year, needs just 15 more wins to tie two-time All-American Bobby Ferraro for first on the program's career victories list at 118.
Century Mark, Part Two
While Andy Rendos recently became the third member of the 100-win club, two other Bison are on the verge of ballooning the membership to five. David Marble enters Friday's action with 92 career victories, while Shane Riccio has 91.
Pins for Rendos
Andy Rendos paces the Bison with five pins this year, boosting his career total to 24. That figure ties him for seventh in Bucknell history with Mark Faglioni and Hall of Famer Tom Scotton.
LeValley Impressive in 2009-10
Junior Kevin LeValley, who opened the season with a 12-0 mark, tops the Bison with an 18-3 record this year. The 149-pounder has already faced seven ranked opponents and owns a 4-3 mark against them. All three of his losses have come to top-10 foes with the largest margin of defeat being just two points. LeValley nearly defeated No. 1 and 2009 NCAA runner-up Brent Metcalf of Iowa on Nov. 27 in Sojka Pavilion, but lost by a tight 3-2 decision. Last year LeValley was just 1-11 opposite ranked opponents.
Streaking
Andy Rendos defeated Gregory Zannetti in Bucknell's last dual match. It marked Rendos' 11th straight EIWA dual victory. The last EIWA opponent to defeat him in a dual was American's Mike Cannon in February 2008. Cannon was ranked sixth nationally at the time, the same ranking Rendos held earlier this year.
Strong Opponents
The overall record of Bucknell's first six opponents is a stellar 29-12-2. Four 2009-10 Bison foes are currently ranked in the top 25, according to Intermat.
First Time Pinned
It took 130 matches, but Andy Rendos was finally pinned for the first time in his career in his last bout. The senior, who has 24 career wins by fall, was pinned by Wyoming's Shane Onufer in the third-place bout at the Cliff Keen Invitational.
Wirnsberger Second on Wins List
Despite guiding the Bison for just four seasons, Bucknell head coach Dan Wirnsberger ranks second on the program's career wins list with 35. Only longtime frontman Bob Ferraro (1974-97) has more wins with his 169. With a 35-32-2 record at the helm of the Bison, Wirnsberger is one of just four Bucknell coaches to have a record of better than .500.
.500 Record
Bucknell, in 2009-10, will be aiming for its second consecutive above-.500 finish. The Bison have not finished above .500 in back-to-back years since 1993-94 and 1994-95. Bucknell's current 3-3 (.500) record marks its best start in the four years since the program was reinstated.
Individuals At .500
Thirteen of Bucknell's 21 wrestlers who have competed this year have a record of at least .500. Twelve of the 14 possible starters for Friday's matches are at least .500.
Starting Lineups
Bucknell has used five starting lineups in its six duals this year. The Bison lineup has been in flux at the heavier weights as the seven lightest weight classes (125 to 174) have had the same starters each dual. Bucknell has had two different starters at 184, three at 197 and two at heavyweight.
Individual Ranked Opponents
Bucknell wrestlers have faced a ranked individual opponent 43 times this year. Overall, the Bison are 10-33 in those bouts with Kevin LeValley earning a team-high four of those victories.
Bison Vision
Bucknell's Jan. 21 home match vs. Brown will be broadcast live on Bison Vision, the video portion of BucknellBison.com. Fans can sign up to watch for a small registration fee.
Up Next
Bucknell will travel to the Midlands Championships Dec. 29-30 in Evanston, Ill. The Bison will return home for the Jan. 21 dual with Brown. Start time for that event will be 7 p.m. in Davis Gym.
