Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Wrestling's Kevin LeValley Selected to Participate in NWCA All-Star Classic
10/21/2010 8:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Oct. 21, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Two-time NCAA qualifier and 2010 All-American Kevin LeValley (Hugo, Colo./Limon) has been selected to participate in next month's National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Star Classic. The Bucknell wrestling senior 149-pounder will face Edinboro's Torsten Gillespie at the event, which will be held at Selland Arena in Fresno, Calif, on Nov. 21.
The NWCA All-Star Classic is a prestigious event that showcases the top collegiate wrestlers from across the country. This year, the event is acting as a fundraiser for wrestling in the state of California. For more information about the tournament, purchasing tickets and the fundraising events, visit http://www.nwcaonline.com/NWCAWebSite/Events/nwcaallstarclassic.aspx.
LeValley is the second Bison in as many years to wrestle at the NWCA All-Star Classic, following two-time All-American and former teammate Andy Rendos. Rendos faced Iowa State's Jonathan Reader at last year's event and lost by major decision.
A seventh-place finisher at last year's NCAA Championships, LeValley posted a Bucknell-record 42 victories, eclipsing the old mark by nine. During the entire 2009-10 season, LeValley did not lose back-to-back matches and his eight losses were all by decision by a miniscule total of 17 points.
LeValley became just the fifth different Bucknell wrestler to be named an All-American, joining Tom Marchetti (1989), Bryan Burns (1991), Bobby Ferraro (1994, 1995) and Rendos (2009, 2010).
LeValley will skip Bucknell's trip to the Navy Classic on Nov. 20 in favor of competing at the NWCA All-Star Classic. He has never faced Gillespie in collegiate competition.
Gillespie, a junior from Webster, N.Y., had a stellar run at the 2010 NCAA Championships, reaching the quarterfinals before finishing in sixth place after entering the tournament unseeded. He finished the 2009-10 campaign with a 32-16 record.
LeValley will also be representing Bucknell on the mats next week in Torino, Italy, at the University World Championships in freestyle wrestling. LeValley departs for Italy on Friday and will begin competition next Tuesday, Oct. 26. He earned a spot in that competition based on his performance at this past summer's University World Team Trials in Colorado.
