Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Wrestling Back in Action Sunday at Michigan State, No. 9 Central Michigan
1/4/2013 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 4, 2013
- Notes
- In the Herd: Michigan State/Central Michigan Preview
- Live\ Results\ vs\.\ Michigan\ State
- Live Results vs. Central Michigan
About Bucknell
Bucknell has been idle since facing top-five opponents Iowa (L, 34-9 on Dec. 16) and Oklahoma State (L, 37-6 on Dec. 17) on back-to-back days in mid-December. The Bison are 2-3 on the season and will wrestle no fewer than nine duals in an upcoming 22-day span. Senior 165-pounder Corey Lear, a 2012 NCAA qualifier, leads Bucknell with 16 wins this season. The Orangeville, Pa., native has won 11 consecutive bouts, is 3-0 against ranked opponents and is ranked No. 14 nationally.
About Michigan State
Michigan State is 2-2 this year and 0-1 against Big Ten competition thanks to a 19-12 loss at Wisconsin on Dec. 7. The Spartans will host Big Ten foe Purdue Friday evening and will take on Lindsey Wilson immediately following their dual against the Bison. Michigan State has been idle since placing third out of 27 teams at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 16. The Spartans had six grapplers finish in the top five of their weight classes. Michigan State enters the weekend with a pair of ranked wrestlers in their lineup as Dan Osterman is ranked No. 20 at 149 pounds and Mike McClure is No. 8 at 285.
Bucknell-Michigan State Series
Bucknell and Michigan State met for the first time last December in Davis Gym. The Spartans posted a 27-6 victory to take the early edge in the young series.
Dec. 3, 2011 (Davis Gym - Lewisburg, Pa.): Michigan State 27, Bucknell 6
125: Austin Miller (B) dec. Brenan Lyon (MSU), 3-1 (sv1).
133: Brandon Fifield (MSU) dec. Shawn Armato (B), 5-2.
141: Alex Pellicciotti (B) dec. Andrew Ermatinger (MSU), 7-1.
149: No. 18 Dan Osterman (MSU) dec. Derrik Russell (B), 4-0.
157: Anthony Jones (MSU) dec. John Regan (B), 4-3.
165: Nick Proctor (MSU) dec. Ray Schlitt (B), 4-1.
174: Curran Jacobs (MSU) dec. Stephen McPeek (B), 7-3.
184: Ian Hinton (MSU) dec. Jamie Westwood (B), 5-1.
197: Nick McDiarmid (MSU) dec. Tyler Lyster (B), 7-4.
285: No. 17 Mike McClure (MSU) wins by forfeit.
About Central Michigan
Central Michigan is ranked ninth nationally and brings a 4-2 record into the weekend. The Chippewas, a member of the Mid-American Conference, are coming off a strong fifth-place showing at the Midlands Championships last weekend. Senior 184-pounder Ben Bennett earned an individual title and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. He is currently ranked No. 5 by Amateur Wrestling News, one of four Central Michigan grapplers to show up in the rankings. Bennett is joined in the rankings by Christian Cullinan (12th at 125), Scott Sentes (3rd at 133) and Jarod Trice (2nd at 285).
Bucknell-Central Michigan Series
Central Michigan leads the all-time series 2-0. The Chippewas posted a 25-6 victory at the 2008 Northeast Duals and registered a 21-12 win at last December's Bison Duals.
Last Meeting:
Dec. 17, 2011 (Davis Gym - Lewisburg, Pa.): Central Michigan 21, Bucknell 12
125: No. 18 Joe Roth (Central Michigan) over Austin Miller (Bucknell) Dec 8-2
133: Tyler Keselring (Central Michigan) over Shawn Armato (Bucknell) Dec 9-3
141: Derrik Russell (Bucknell) over Scott Mattingly (Central Michigan) Dec 6-3
149: Joey Kielbasa (Central Michigan) over Alex Pellicciotti (Bucknell) Dec 4-0
157: Donnie Corby (Central Michigan) over Ray Schlitt (Bucknell) OT 8-6
165: Corey Lear (Bucknell) over Mike Ottinger (Central Michigan) Dec 3-2
174: Stephen McPeek (Bucknell) over Dakota Cooley (Central Michigan) Dec 8-2
184: No. 8 Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) over Jamie Westwood (Bucknell) Pin 2:42
197: Joe McMullan (Bucknell) over Chad Friend (Central Michigan) OT 3-1
285: No. 6 Peter Sturgeon (Central Michigan) over Tyler Lyster (Bucknell) Dec 5-2
On the Road
• Bucknell will be wrestling at both Michigan State and Central Michigan on Sunday. The match vs. the Spartans begins at 12 p.m., while the nightcap opposite the Chippewas is slated for 6 p.m. The two campuses are approximately 70 miles apart.
• Sunday's matches mark Bucknell's second and third road competitions of the year. The only other true road match for the Bison this year was at Indiana as part of the Hoosier Duals.
Starting Lineups
Bucknell has used the same starting lineup in each of its five duals this season. That is expected to change on Sunday when Robert Schlitt takes the mat at 174 pounds in place of an injured Stephen McPeek.
Wirnsberger Heads Back to School
Sunday's first match will take on special importance to Bucknell head coach Dan Wirnsberger, a 1995 Michigan State graduate who was a three-time All-American and an NCAA runner-up while a Spartan. He posted a 120-44 career record, was a three-year team captain, and still ranks fourth on the program's all-time wins list.
Bucknell vs. Ranked Opponents
• Central Michigan, which is ranked No. 9 nationally, will be the third ranked foe already this season for Bucknell. The Bison's last victory over a ranked opponent came Feb. 17, 2007 against Columbia (W, 17-16).
• Bucknell has already faced No. 2 Oklahoma State and No. 5 Iowa this year.
• Six teams that are ranked in the latest USA Today/AWN/NWCA poll are on Bucknell's 2012-13 schedule, including four that are listed in the top 10.
• Bucknell individuals are 3-19 against ranked opponents this season. All three wins are by Corey Lear.
2012 NCAA Qualifiers Impressing
Bucknell's 2012 NCAA qualifiers sophomore Austin Miller (125 pounds) and senior Corey Lear (165) are again leading the way for the Bison.
• Miller, who was the lone Bison to wrestle at this past week's Southern Scuffle, is a solid 5-4 this year. He went 3-0 at the Hoosier Duals, 2-2 at the Southern Scuffle and dropped a pair of decisions by a total of three points to opponents from national powers Iowa and Oklahoma State.
• Lear is winning at a rate no Bison has since two-time All-American Kevin LeValley. The senior 165-pounder is 16-3 overall and has not lost a bout since Nov. 17. Three of his last four victories have come against ranked foes, including a 4-3 decision over No. 3 Tyler Caldwell last time out vs. Oklahoma State. Seven of Lear's 16 wins have been bonus-point victories and he is a team-best 5-0 in duals. Lear needs just nine more wins to set a new single-season career-best for victories and to move into the top 10 in program history in wins.
Standout Sophomore
Sophomore 197-pounder Tyler Lyster has been nearly as impressive as senior Corey Lear of late. The Wanamassa, N.J., native is second on the team with a career-high 13 victories and he has won nine of his last 11 bouts. Lyster has six bonus-point wins this year, including four pins. His pin of Nathan Burak at the Grapple at the Garden marked Bucknell's first-ever pin against Iowa in a dual match.
Team Captains
Bucknell has five team captains this year: senior Jack Ingram, senior Corey Lear, sophomore Tyler Lyster, sophomore Austin Miller and senior Derrik Russell.
Lear Nears Record Book
Senior 165-pound captain Corey Lear is a team-best 16-3 this season and is now 78-38 in his four-year career. He is just nine wins shy of tying former teammate Brantley Hooks for 10th place on the program's wins list. Hooks was 87-67 during his time as a Bison. Lear has posted double figures in victories in four consecutive years.
Up Next
Bucknell will head back out on the road at the end of next week when it travels to Hampton, Va., for the Virginia Duals. The two-day event begins Friday, Jan. 11, and concludes Saturday, Jan. 12. This is the sixth consecutive year the Bison have competed at the bracketed team event.
