Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Wrestlers Set for NCAA Championships in Omaha
3/16/2010 8:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 16, 2010
About the NCAA Championships
This year's NCAA Championships will take place March 18-20 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. Bucknell will bring four qualifiers to the event, giving it 16 over the last four years. The top eight finishers in each weight class earn All-America honors. Last year, current senior Andy Rendos became the first Bison to be named All-America since 1995. Rendos (165 pounds) and Kevin LeValley (149 pounds) are both seeded ninth in their weight classes.
NCAA Experience
All four of Bucknell's wrestlers at the NCAA Championships have been there before. Andy Rendos and David Marble will each be making their fourth consecutive appearances. Shane Riccio will be competing at the event for the third time, while Kevin LeValley qualified for the second straight year. The quartet has combined for a 14-18 career record at NCAAs.
Current Bucknell Individuals at NCAA Championships
• David Marble (Career at NCAAs: 5-6)
- 2007: 1-2 (133 pounds)
Tyler Dillashaw (Cal State Fullerton), W, 14-7
#1 Nick Simmons (Michigan State), L, 7-0
Eric Albright (Virginia), L, MD 16-6
- 2008: 1-2 (133 pounds)
#2 James Kennedy (Illinois), L, MD 12-2
Tyler Dillashaw (Cal State Fullerton), W, 11-7
Cory Fish (Boise State), L, 8-4
- 2009: 3-2 (133 pounds)
#3 James Kennedy (Illinois), W, 7-5 (ot)
Cory VomBaur (Wyoming), W, MD 11-0
Dan Mitcheff (Kent State), L, 10-5
Thomas Kimbrell (Cal Bakersfield), W, 14-9
#11 Mike Grey (Cornell), L, MD 13-5
• Kevin LeValley (Career at NCAAs: 1-2)
- 2009: 1-2 (149 pounds)
#1 Brent Metcalf (Iowa), L, Fall (6:01)
Robert Saunders (Nebraska), L, MD 10-1
#11 Steve Brown (Central Michigan), L, 4-1
• Andy Rendos (Career at NCAAs: 7-6)
- 2007: 1-2 (165 pounds)
Brian Perry (Stanford), W, MD 12-4
#3 Eric Tannenbaum (Michigan), L, MD 12-4
#8 Steve Anceravage (Cornell), L, 4-2
- 2008: 1-2 (165 pounds)
#6 Jonathan Reader (Iowa State), L, 8-2
Matt Coughlin (Indiana), W, 3-1
#12 Jarrod King (Edinboro), L, 4-2
- 2009: 5-2 (5th place at 165 pounds)
#10 Chris Brown (Old Dominion), W, 2-0
#7 Stephen Dwyer (Nebraska), W, 5-2
#2 Andrew Howe (Wisconsin), L, 7-3
Dan Vallimont (Penn State), W, 5-3
Tyler Sherfey (Boise State), W, MD 11-2
#8 Jonathan Reader (Iowa State), L, 7-4
#4 Moza Fay (Norther Iowa), W, 9-6
• Shane Riccio (Career at NCAAs: 1-4)
- 2008: 0-2 (174 pounds)
Chance Litton (West Virginia), L, 7-1
Alex Dolly (Northern Iowa), L, Fall (1:18)
- 2009: 1-2 (174 pounds)
#5 Raymond Jordan (Missouri), L, MD 11-3
#12 Alton Lucas (Hofstra), W, 2-0
John Dergo (Illinois), L, MD 10-2
NCAA Qualifiers
Thanks to its four NCAA qualifiers this year, Bucknell has now had 64 individuals all-time qualify for the NCAA Championships. Sixteen of those berths have come in the last four years by seven different wrestlers. Andy Rendos and David Marble will each be making his fourth straight NCAA appearance, joining two-time All-American Bobby Ferraro as the only Bison to accomplish that feat.
Winning Record
Bucknell finished above .500 for the second consecutive season. The Bison, who went 11-9 last year, had not finished above .500 in back-to-back years since 1993-94 and 1994-95.
Bucknell's EIWA Championships History
Bucknell first joined the EIWA in 1999-2000 and has wrestled at the EIWA Championships seven times. The first year the Bison competed they were not awarded team points. Since then, they have finished 10th, 12th, ninth, eighth, tied for third and fourth earlier this month.
All-Americans
Bucknell has had five All-Americans in its history, with Bobby Ferraro earning the honor twice.
Bucknell All-Americans
1989: Tom Marchetti (4th place, 167 pounds)
1991: Bryan Burns (8th place, 190 pounds)
1994: Bobby Ferraro (8th place, 177 pounds)
1995: Bobby Ferraro (7th place, 177 pounds)
2009: Andy Rendos (5th place, 165 pounds)
Ranked Bison
Entering last year's postseason, only one Bison was ranked nationally by Intermat (Andy Rendos - No. 12 at 165). This year, four Bucknell wrestlers show up in the rankings. David Marble (No. 17 at 133), Kevin LeValley (No. 7 at 149) and Shane Riccio (No. 15 at 174) join Rendos (No. 10 at 165).
Century Mark
All three Bison seniors (David Marble, Andy Rendos, Shane Riccio) crossed the 100-win plateau for their careers earlier this season, ballooning the century club from two members (Bobby Ferraro, Tom Marchetti) to five. Rendos currently ranks second on the list with 116 wins, while Marble (109) is third and Riccio (108) ranks fourth.
Bucknell Wrestling History
Bucknell's wrestling program dates back to 1944. Since then, the Bison have totaled a 352-389-16 record and have had five All-Americans. The Bucknell program was reclassified as a club-varsity sport following the 2001-02 campaign, but was brought back as a varsity program a few years later. Bucknell, which has seniors on its roster for the first time since the program was reinstated prior to 2006-07, is now in its fourth year of competition since the resumption of the program.
30-Win Seasons
Senior Shane Riccio joined an exclusive club with a win in Bucknell's final dual against American. The 174-pounder joined Bobby Ferraro and Brian Pitzer as the only Bison to capture two 30-win seasons during their careers. Riccio is currently 33-9 one year after posting a 33-16 mark.
Undefeated EIWA Record
Bucknell finished the regular season 6-0 against EIWA competition, marking its first undefeated conference record since going 5-0 in 1987-88 as part of the East Coast Conference. The Bison had never before had an unblemished conference mark of 6-0 or better.
Four-Year Wins
This year's senior class will graduate with the most team dual wins of any seniors in Bucknell history. The Bison have piled up 44 victories the last four years. The previous high in any four-year stretch was 38 from 1987-88 to 1990-91.
Wins Record
Bucknell went 12-6 overall during dual competition this year. The 12 victories tied the school record for wins that was established by the 2006-07 squad. This is just the ninth time in program history a Bison squad has reached double figures in wins.
Ranked Opponents
Bucknell faced seven ranked opponents last year, and a total of 15 the previous three years. This season, the Bison wrestled against four ranked foes. The Bison were 0-4 in those matches and have not defeated a ranked opponent since February 2007. Bucknell did wrestle current No. 21 Rutgers in November and won, but the Scarlet Knights were unranked at the time.
Strong Schedule
The six teams Bucknell lost to this year were very strong, combining for an 86-34-2 overall record. The 12 squads the Bison defeated were a combined 89-113-4.
March Success for Rendos
Last year 165-pounder Andy Rendos finished second at the EIWA Championships. He followed up that success with a fifth-place showing at the NCAA Championships, becoming the first Bison All-American since 1995. He joined former Bucknell greats Tom Marchetti, Bryan Burns and Bobby Ferraro as the only wrestlers in school history to reach All-America status.
Close Losses for LeValley
Junior 149-pounder Kevin LeValley has lost just six times in 43 bouts this season. Those six losses have all been by decision by a combined 12 points.
Impressive Numbers
Bucknell's three seniors have combined for the following in their careers:
• 333 individual wins
• 11 NCAA appearances
• One All-America certificate
• 44 team wins (44-35-2 overall record)
• 11 EIWA placewinners
• 13 NCAA victories
• 69-14 individual record in EIWA duals
Quick Facts
• Bucknell faced four ranked teams this year. The Bison were 0-4 in those matches and have not defeated a ranked opponent since upending then-No. 25 Columbia in February 2007. Bucknell has lost 16 in a row to ranked foes.
• Bucknell tied the program record for wins in a season with 12 this year.
• Bucknell head coach Dan Wirnsberger ranks second in program history with 44 wins. He owns a 44-35-2 record in his four seasons at the helm of the Bison.
• Bucknell has seen its conference record improve from 3-3-1 in 2006-07 to 4-4 in 2007-08 to 5-3 in 2008-09 to 6-0 this year.
• Bucknell's wrestling program was brought back to varsity status prior to the 2006-07 season, four years after it was discontinued.
