Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
EIWA Championships
Joe Stolfi Wins 285-Pound Title at EIWA Championships
3/9/2014 7:28:00 PM | Wrestling
PHILADELPHIA, PA. – On Saturday, Bucknell junior 285-pounder Joe Stolfi moved into first place on Bucknell's single-season pins list with 22. On Sunday, he etched his name in the Bison record books once again as he became the third Bucknell grappler to win an individual EIWA title.
The second-seeded Stolfi advanced to the semifinals with two wins on Saturday. He posted two more victories Sunday, including a 9-7 decision over top-seeded Billy Smith (Rutgers) in the title bout.
Stolfi joins Andy Rendos (2010 – 165 pounds) and Kevin LeValley (2011 – 149 pounds) as Bucknell wrestlers to win EIWA crowns.
“Joe wrestled a very impressive tournament,” praised Bison head coach Dan Wirnsberger. “He wrestled a consistent tournament. I am proud of him and how he represented Bucknell University and our program. The fact that he was able to bring home a third EIWA championship for our young program means a lot to us.
“His late performance in the final shows a lot about the consistency he has wrestled with all year. He wrestled with grit and determination. He executed well and scored points when everybody in the building knew he needed to score points and that is difficult.”
Stolfi trailed Smith 5-4 entering the third period. An early takedown in the third staked Smith, who entered the weekend with a 22-5 record this season, to a 7-5 advantage. Stolfi concluded the period with an escape, a takedown and the riding time point for the two-point win.
In addition to winning the EIWA title on Sunday, Stolfi secured his second consecutive automatic berth to the NCAA Championships. Last year he finished in the top 12 in the 285-pound bracket, one win shy of All-America honors.
Thanks to a 4-0 record this weekend, Stolfi is now 33-6 this season and has won 18 consecutive bouts. He is tied for eighth place on the program's single-season wins list.
Stolfi has now been an EIWA placewinner in two straight years. He finished third in the 285-pound weight class last March.
Sophomore 125-pounder Paul Petrov also advanced to the semifinals of his bracket, but he did not wrestle Sunday due to injury. With three medical forfeits, Petrov finished sixth, matching his 2013 finish in the 133-pound bracket, and guaranteeing him a spot in the NCAA Championships for the first time alongside Stolfi.
Freshman Victor Lopez was also a placewinner on Sunday. He had a chance to finish as high as third in the 149-pound bracket, but lost his first bout by decision and then had an injury default in the seventh-place bout. Lopez ranks third on the Bison to Petrov and Stolfi with 23 victories this season.
Bucknell finished in 15th place in the team standings with 42.5 points. Cornell won its eighth consecutive team title, while Lehigh was in second place.
Petrov and Stolfi will now begin preparations for the NCAA Championships, which will take place March 20-22 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Team Scores
1. Cornell - 165.5
2. Lehigh - 101
3. Rutgers – 91
4. Hofstra – 81
5. Columbia – 69
6. Navy – 64.5
7. American – 59.5
7. Binghamton – 59.5
9. Harvard – 55.5
10. Penn – 53
11. Boston U. – 52.5
12. Princeton – 50.5
13. Drexel – 47.5
14. Army – 46
15. Bucknell – 42.5
16. Brown – 23
17. Franklin & Marshall – 20
18. Sacred Heart - 0
Bucknell Results (Sunday results only)
125: Paul Petrov, So. (#4 seed)
Semifinals: L, med. forfeit #1 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell)
Consolation Semifinals: L, med. forfeit #6 David White (Binghamton)
5th Place Match: L, med. forfeit #3 Jamie Franco (Hofstra)
Petrov finishes in 6th place
149: Victor Lopez, Fr. (#6 seed)
Consolation Round 5: L, dec. #7 Alex Johnson (Navy), 4-2.
7th Place Match: L, inj. default #8 Noel Blanco (Drexel), 0:18.
Lopez finishes in 8th place
285: Joe Stolfi, Jr. (#2 seed)
Semifinals: W, dec. #6 Max Wessell (Lehigh), 7-2.
Finals: W, dec. #1 Billy Smith (Rutgers), 9-7.
Stolfi finishes in 1st place
