Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
NCAA Championships
Bucknell's Rendos and LeValley Guarantee All-America Status at NCAA Wrestling Championships
3/19/2010 8:00:00 AM | Wrestling
March 19, 2010
OMAHA, Neb. - Bucknell wrestlers Andy Rendos and Kevin LeValley made history on Friday at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. Both veterans clinched top-eight showings as they made the way through the consolation brackets, meaning two Bison will be All-Americans in the same year for the first time in program history.
Rendos, who finished fifth in the 165-pound bracket at last year's NCAA Championships, will finish no lower than sixth this year, while LeValley will wrestle for seventh place in the 149-pound weight class Saturday morning against American's Kyle Borshoff. Rendos, who can still earn third place, is the second two-time All-American in school annals, joining Bobby Ferraro, who was recognized in 1994 and 1995. Five different Bison have now been All-Americans a total of seven times.
Now with 12 career NCAA victories, Rendos started Friday off with a quarterfinal match against top-seeded Andrew Howe of Wisconsin, who is undefeated this year. Howe sent Rendos to the consolation bracket with a 7-2 decision.
Much like last year when he also lost to Howe in the quarterfinals, the ninth-seeded Rendos battled back through the consolation bracket. He defeated No. 4 Jonathan Reader from Iowa State, 7-2, avenging a loss at the NWCA All-Star Classic earlier this year. He followed that with a 9-5 decision over Old Dominion's Chris Brown.
Rendos will now face Edinboro senior Jarrod King, the No. 2 seed, in Saturday morning's consolation semifinal. King, who lost in the semifinals Saturday evening, entered the NCAAs with just one loss, while Rendos is now 33-5 this year. With two straight victories Saturday, Rendos will finish third, marking the best-ever showing for a Bison at the NCAA Championships. Currently, Tom Marchetti's fourth-place finish in the 1989 tournament is tops among all Bucknell wrestlers.
LeValley, competing at NCAAs for the second straight year, began the day in the consolation bracket and won his first three bouts, all by decision. His final win came in overtime against seventh-seeded Mitch Mueller from Iowa State. LeValley also beat Mueller to take third at the Midlands Championships in December.
Following the win against Mueller, the ninth-seeded LeValley had a chance to guarantee a top-six finish as well, but he lost 3-1 in sudden victory to No. 4 Kyle Ruschell of Wisconsin. It was just the eighth loss of the season for LeValley, who is 4-2 this week and owns a school-record 41-8 mark on the year.
LeValley will wrestle for seventh place Saturday morning against Borshoff, an opponent he defeated 2-1 in Davis Gym in a dual in late February.
Bucknell's two All-Americans in one season comes just four years after the program was reinstated. It is the first year the squad has had seniors and all three members of the senior class participated at the NCAA Championships.
In addition to the two All-Americans, senior David Marble was in action on Friday. He posted a 7-1 decision in his first match against Arizona State's Ben Ashmore. However, his career came to an end in his next bout, a 5-3 sudden victory loss to Drexel's Steve Mytych. Marble had defeated Mytych 4-3 during a regular-season dual.
Marble finished the season with a 30-10 record and his career with a 111-44 mark. His 111 victories rank third in program history, behind only Rendos (121) and Ferraro (118).
Rendos and LeValley will both be in action on Saturday. LeValley will try to claim seventh place, while Rendos will need two straight victories for a third-place showing.
Bucknell Results
133: David Marble (unseeded), Sr., Harpursville, N.Y.
Thursday
First Round: W, maj. dec. John Trumbetti (Lock Haven), 11-1
Second Round: L, dec. #4 Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State), 6-4
Friday
Consolation Third Round: W, dec. Ben Ashmore (Arizona State), 7-1
Consolation Fourth Round: L, dec. #12 Steve Mytcyh (Drexel), 5-3 (sv)
Marble Eliminated
149: Kevin LeValley (No. 9 seed), Jr., Hugo, Colo.
Thursday
First Round: W, dec. Andrew Nadhir (Northwestern), 6-3
Second Round: L, dec. #8 Jason Chamberlain (Boise State), 5-2
Friday
Consolation Third Round: W, dec. Cesar Grajales (Penn), 2-0
Consolation Fourth Round: W, dec. Nicholas Bertucci (Purdue), 5-1
Consolation Fifth Round: W, dec. #7 Mitch Mueller (Iowa State), 7-6 (tb)
Consolation Quarterfinals: L, dec. #4 Kyle Ruschell (Wisconsin), 3-1 (sv)
Next Match: Seventh Place Match vs. Kyle Borshoff (American)
165: Andy Rendos (No. 9 seed), Sr., Brockway, Pa.
Thursday
Pigtail: W, dec. Kyle Bounds (Michigan State), 8-2
First Round: W, maj. dec. Edwin Hojilla (UNC Greensboro), 14-2
Second Round: W, dec. Tyler Grayson (Central Michigan), 3-2
Friday
Quarterfinals: L, dec. #1 Andrew Howe (Wisconsin), 7-2
Consolation Fifth Round: W, dec. #4 Jonathan Reader (Iowa State), 7-2
Consolation Quarterfinals: W, dec. Chris Brown (Old Dominion), 9-5
Next Match: Consolation Semifinals vs. #2 Jarrod King (Edinboro)
174: Shane Riccio (unseeded), Sr., Warren, N.J.
Thursday
First Round: L, dec. Dorian Henderson (Missouri), 3-2
Consolation Round 2: L, dec. Brad Darrington (Utah Valley), 7-3
Riccio Eliminated
