Bucknell University Athletics
Wrestling's Kevin LeValley Named Bison Athlete of the Week After Midlands Championships Title
1/3/2011 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 3, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell wrestling senior Kevin LeValley (Hugo, Colo./Limon) last week became the first Bison to ever win an individual title at the Midlands Championships as he went 5-0 en route to the 149-pound crown. On Monday he was named the Susquehanna Valley Limousine Bison Athlete of the Week following the stellar performance.
A 2010 All-American, LeValley, who is ranked third nationally at 149 pounds, defeated Wisconsin's No. 18 Cole Schmitt, 4-0, in the finals to cap a strong two days of wrestling at the prestigious Midlands Championships, which are hosted by Northwestern. LeValley's five victories came by an aggregate score of 56-9. Included in his wins were three victories over Big Ten opponents.
LeValley breezed through to the semifinals on day one of the two-day event as he won his three matches by a combined 42-3 score. He won by tech fall and twice by major decision.
Less than 24 hours later LeValley hit the mats again and upended Minnesota's Dylan Ness, 10-6, in the semifinals. He then shut out Schmitt in the finals to claim Bucknell's first individual title at Midlands. LeValley improved upon his third-place 2009 showing by two spots and is now 11-1 all-time at the Midlands Championships.
The Midlands crown is the second tournament championship for LeValley this season, joining his first-place finish at the Michigan State Open in November.
LeValley kept his record perfect last week as he improved to 15-0 on the season. He has not lost a regular-season bout since Jan. 8, 2010. In the 2010 calendar year he posted an amazing 36-4 record, including 24-1 in the regular season.
The win over Schmitt helped LeValley improve to 3-0 against ranked opponents this season. He is now 12-7 opposite ranked foes over the last two years.
LeValley now owns a stellar 108-37 (.745) career record, tying him with former teammate Shane Riccio for fourth on the Bucknell career wins list. He is now just 13 victories shy of Andy Rendos' one-year-old program standard (121).
This is the sixth time LeValley has earned Bison Athlete of the Week honors. He was cited once as a sophomore in 2008-09, three times last winter and once this past November.
LeValley and the Bison, who finished 18th of 44 teams at Midlands, will be back in action this Friday and Saturday at the Virginia Duals. Bucknell will face nationally ranked Wyoming in its first of at least three matches Friday at 11 a.m.
