Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Wrestling Hosts Four-Team Bison Duals Saturday in Davis Gym
12/15/2011 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 15, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell's Davis Gym is the place to be Saturday for wrestling fans hoping to watch six dual matches. The Bison Duals will be taking place with Bucknell welcoming Central Michigan, Princeton and Sacred Heart to campus. Two mats will be set up in Davis Gym and all the action gets underway at 11 a.m.
The first round of matches features Bucknell vs. Princeton and Central Michigan vs. Sacred Heart. The second round (Bucknell vs. Sacred Heart and Central Michigan vs. Princeton) will begin approximately 10 minutes after the conclusion of the final first-round match, while the third round (Bucknell vs. Central Michigan and Princeton vs. Sacred Heart) will commence approximately 10 minutes after round two wraps up.
Four ranked wrestlers are in Saturday's probable lineups. Central Michigan's lineup features three ranked grapplers (No. 18 Joe Roth - 125, No. 8 Ben Bennett - 184, No. 6 Peter Sturgeon - 285), while Princeton has one (No. 20 Garrett Frey - 125), according to Intermat. The Chippewas are ranked 19th nationally, according to the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll.
Central Michigan (7-2, 2-0 MAC) carries the best record among the teams competing Saturday. Bucknell (0-5, 0-0 EIWA), Princeton (1-4, 0-1 EIWA) and Sacred Heart (0-7, 0-1 EIWA) will each look to improve its record.
Bucknell has been idle since dropping a 27-6 home dual against Michigan State on Dec. 3 and having a handful of team members compete at the next day's Nittany Lion Open. Austin Miller (125) and Alex Pellicciotti (141) posted victories for the Bison against the Spartans. All nine bouts that were contested in the dual were decided by decision.
Miller (7-4), Pellicciotti (5-4) and John Regan (6-4) bring above-.500 records into Saturday's Bison Duals for Bucknell. Junior 165-pounder Corey Lear is expected to make his return to the mat and wrestle for the first time this year for the Bison, while classmate Joe McMullan should make his 2011-12 debut after suffering a knee injury in the preseason.
Bucknell is 25-12 at home since the beginning of the 2006-07 season. The Bison are 9-5 in their last 14 home duals. They went 1-1 at last year's Bison Duals, defeating Drexel and losing to Princeton. Bucknell last hosted a four-team Bison Duals in December 2008 and swept Cleveland State, Drexel and Wagner by a combined score of 106-37.
Bucknell's team members will get a short holiday break following the Bison Duals before beginning preparations for the Midlands Championships, which will be held Dec. 29-30 in Evanston, Ill.
Bison Duals Schedule
Round 1: Bucknell vs. Princeton & Central Michigan vs. Sacred Heart, 11 a.m.
Round 2: Bucknell vs. Sacred Heart & Central Michigan vs. Princeton, 10 minutes following conclusion of Round 1
Round 3: Bucknell vs. Central Michigan & Princeton vs. Sacred Heart, 10 minutes following conclusion of Round 2
Bucknell's Projected Bison Duals Lineup (2011-12 record)
125: Austin Miller (7-4)
133: Shawn Armato (0-6)
141: Derrik Russell (4-6)
149: Alex Pellicciotti (5-4) or Jack Ingram (0-4)
157: John Regan (6-4) or Ray Schlitt (1-7)
165: Corey Lear (0-0)
174: Stephen McPeek (6-8)
184: Jamie Westwood (6-7)
197: Joe McMullan (0-0) or Tyler Lyster (3-9)
285: Open
Central Michigan's Projected Bison Duals Lineup (2011-12 record)
125: No. 18 Joe Roth (17-3)
133: Tyler Keselring (7-6) or Zach Horan (10-3)
141: Scott Mattingly (7-7)
149: Joey Kielbasa (10-9)
157: Donnie Corby (4-1) or Jared Porter (1-2)
165: Mike Ottinger (10-3) or Dakota Cooley (1-5)
174: Craig Kelliher (3-2)
184: No. 8 Ben Bennett (11-1)
197: Chad Friend (6-9)
285: No. 6 Peter Sturgeon (16-4)
Princeton's Projected Bison Duals Lineup (2011-12 record)
125: No. 20 Garrett Frey (16-3)
133: Chris Perez (9-6)
141: Adam Krop (11-4)
149: Zach Bintliff (5-7)
157: Daniel Kolodzik (11-4)
165: Rich Eva (3-8)
174: Andy Lowy (6-5) or Ryan Callahan (3-3)
184: Dan Santoro (10-8)
197: Kurt Brendel (3-9)
285: Bobby Grogan (1-8) or Stephen Turner (0-0)
Sacred Heart's Projected Bison Duals Lineup (2011-12 record)
125: Joe Harris (1-5)
133: Andrew Polidore (5-4)
141: Justin Belanger (2-4)
149: Joe Evangelista (2-3)
157: Open
165: Open
174: Jonathan Rizzitello (3-6)
184: Zachary Moran (4-6)
197: Sam Morison (1-9)
285: Open
