Wrestling to Add a Dozen Newcomers in 2016-17

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell wrestling program has had tremendous success the last few years and that is poised to continue with the talented group of newcomers Bison head coach Dan Wirnsberger announced on Friday. The incoming recruiting class features 12 student-athletes from four different states, including nine grapplers from Pennsylvania.

"This is an excellent class both on the mat and in the classroom,” commented Wirnsberger, the 2015 EIWA Coach of the Year who ranks second in Bucknell history with 98 victories. “I am fired up to get these guys to campus and continue the forward momentum we have created as one of the top programs in the EIWA. These student athletes are well-rounded and goal-oriented. They are a competitive group, which will serve them well as they make the difficult transition to college wrestling."

The Class of 2020 will be joining a Bucknell program coming off a season that included a 12-6 dual mark and a school-record-tying six NCAA qualifiers. The Bison have reached double figures in dual wins three straight years for the first time in program history and have finished in third place at the very competitive EIWA Championships each of the last two years.

Despite the return of three NCAA qualifiers, four regular starters from 2015-16 will graduate later this month, leaving new starters at 125, 165, 174 and 285 for the Bison in 2016-17.

Bucknell's wrestling program has posted plenty of success in recent years with 16 different student-athletes combining for 34 NCAA berths and four All-America certificates over the last 10 seasons.

Bucknell Wrestling Recruits
Zach Firestone, 125, Swedesboro, N.J./Clearview Regional
Jordan Gessner, 125, Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area
Joey Gould, 133/141, Easton, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic
Mitch Hartman, 157/165, Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon
Garrett Hoffman, 184/197, Cogan Station, Pa./Montoursville Area
Seth Hogue, 141/149, Masury, Ohio/Reynolds
Kyle Inlander, 184, Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood
David Kelly, 157/165, Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland
Chance Norris, 165/174, Narvon, Pa./Garden Spot
Drew Phipps, 197, Irwin, Pa./Norwin
Joe Scott, 174, Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall
Brandon Stokes, 165/174, Milton, Pa./Milton Area

Zach Firestone (Swedesboro, N.J./Clearview Regional) – 125
High School: Four-year wrestling letterwinner at Clearview Regional High School … 2016 New Jersey state champion … third state champion in school history … three-time state placewinner … three-time Region 8 champion … four-time District 29 champion … two-time Tri-County Conference Wrestler of the Year … two-time South Jersey Times Wrestler of the Year … named an All-American by USA Wrestling and NHSCA … three-time all-state selection … four-time All Tri-County Conference and All-South Jersey … three-year team captain … posted a 153-7 career record … most wins in school history at conclusion of career … helped team to an 84-7 four-year dual mark … team won 2014 Group 3 state title … team was three-time Tri-County Conference champions and three-time Group 4 section champions … squad won four consecutive Art Marinelli tournament titles … wrestled for Seagull Wrestling Club and was named an All-American by NHSCA as a junior.
Personal: Zachary Matthew Firestone … born Aug. 18, 1998 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania … son of Mitchell and Stephanie … has an older brother, Kyle, and a younger sister, Alexa.

Jordan Gessner (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) – 125
High School: Four-year wrestling letterwinner at Lewisburg Area High School … two-year team captain … third in school history in wins (137-31 career record) … finished fourth in state in 2016 … three-time state qualifier … two-time south sectional champion … won district 4 and regional championships … helped Mawa Red Team to title at Disney Duals.
Personal: Jordan William Gessner … born May 16, 1997 in Danville, Pennsylvania … son of Jason and Jenny Gessner … has three younger siblings, Justin, Jace and Joel.

Joey Gould (Easton, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) – 133/141
High School: Member of wrestling and lacrosse teams at Bethlehem Catholic … 2016 PIAA AAA wrestling state champion … 2016 all-state selection for wrestling … three-time all-area for wrestling … posted 119-26 career record … two-time district champion … two-time regional runner-up … helped team to three state titles … squad was ranked in top five in country in 2016 and top 10 nationally in 2015 … team also won four district and conference titles.
Personal: Joseph Robert Gould … born Feb. 13, 1998 in Edison, Pennsylvania … son of Richard and Robin Gould … has one younger sister, Deanna.

Mitch Hartman (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) – 157/165
High School: Four-year wrestling letterwinner at Belle Vernon High School … 132-52 career record … four-time section placewinner, including three finals appearances … finished second in WPIAL in 2016 … three-time PowerAde Invitational placewinner with a best finish of fifth in 2014 … placed second at Escape the Rock in 2016 … four-time Westmoreland County Tournament placewinner, including first-place finish in 2016 … selected to represent WPIAL in prestigious Dapper Dan Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic … helped team to Belle Vernon's first-ever WPIAL championship and first state medal thanks to a third-place finish in 2016 … selected to National Honor Society.
Personal: Mitchell C. Hartman … born April 29, 1998 in Sewickley, Pennsylvania … son of Carl and Marie Hartman … has three siblings: Ally, Zach and Liz.

Garrett Hoffman (Cogan Station, Pa./Montoursville Area) – 184/197
High School: Member of wrestling and football teams at Montoursville Area High School … three-year wrestling team captain … three-time First Team Heartland Athletic Conference … Williamsport Sun Gazette Wrestler of the Year … 167-19 career record … most wins in school history … three-time regional and district champion … four-time sectional champion … three-time state medalist, including a finalist as a senior in 2016 … placed third at the 2016 NHSCA Senior Nationals, earning All-America honors … finished fifth at PowerAde … ranked 20th in the nation at his weight class … wrestled for Bison Legend Wrestling Club … helped team to district runner-up three times and two HAC championships … team set record for dual meet wins … team was two-time Dandy Duals champion.
Personal: Garrett James Hoffman … born April 16, 1997 in Niagara Falls, New York … son of Jim and Marisa Hoffman … has a younger brother, Gavin.

Seth Hogue (Masury, Ohio/Reynolds) – 141/149
High School: Four-year wrestling letterwinner at Reynolds High School … 149-42 career record … four-time state qualifier, finishing fourth, second and fifth … four-time section champion … two-time district champion … won region championship once … team captain as a senior … four-time first-team all-region selection … team won state title in 2015 and four times placed in the state in dual competition … team was 91-13 in dual competition during his career … squad won four district, section and region titles.
Personal: Seth Robert Hogue … born Jan. 26, 1998 in Sharon, Pennsylvania … son of Don and Terry … has four siblings: Randy, Hayley, Gavin and Ashlyn.

Kyle Inlander (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) – 184
High School: Four-year wrestling letterwinner at Ridgewood High School … placed fourth in NJSIAA Wrestling Tournament in 2016 … two-time Region 2 medalist, placing third in 2015 and second in 2016 … three-time District 6 champion … helped team to four District 6 titles … two-year team captain … All-Big North-Freedom Division.
Personal: Kyle Matthew Inlander … born March 20, 1998 in New Brunswick, New Jersey … son of Brett and Patricia … has one sibling, Jamie.

David Kelly (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) – 157/165
High School: Four-year member of wrestling and track & field teams at Pine-Richland High School … wrestling team captain … two-time wrestling state qualifier … section champion … WPIAL runner-up … 95-32 career record … county tournament runner-up in 2014 and 2015 … track & field team captain and state qualifier.
Personal: David Gaylord Kelly … born May 7, 1997 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania … son of Sean and Kristin Kelly … has four siblings: Emily, Joey, Sami and Katharine … father was a member of the cross country and track & field team at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Chance Norris (Narvon, Pa./Garden Spot) – 165/174
High School: Four-year wrestling letterwinner at Garden Spot High School … finished eighth in Pennsylvania in 170-pound bracket in 2015 … team captain as a senior … helped team to two sectional titles … won titles at a number of regular-season tournaments, including Governor Mifflin Holiday Tournament three times and Carlisle Holiday Tournament twice … ranked fifth in state as a junior after moving from 126 pounds to 170 … placed third in District 3/South Central Region as a junior … wrestled with Accelerate Wrestling Club and Lancaster Alliance Wrestling Club.
Personal: Chance Luden Norris … born March 22, 1998 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania … son of Harvey and Kathy Norris … has a younger sibling, Carysse.

Drew Phipps (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) – 197
High School: Four-year wrestling letterwinner at Norwin High School … also earned a football letter … wrestling team captain … four-time state qualifier, finishing as high as second in 2016 … two-time WPIAL champion … finished in top three at WPIALs four times … four-time first-place finisher at sectionals … 145-14 career record to break school wins record … three-time Powerade placewinner … four-time NHSCA All-American … three-time state champion in both Greco and Freestyle … Fargo All-American … two-time Super 32 fourth-place finisher … selected to Dapper Dan WPIAL wrestling team … Cadet National Team member … Schoolboy National Team member … Fargo National Team member … member of Young Guns Wrestling Club, which was NHSCA national champion and Disney Duals national champion … Judge Driscol Norwin Male Scholar-Athlete recipient … KDKA Extra Effort award recipient … American Legion Award Winner.
Personal: Andrew Tyler Phipps … born Aug. 18, 1997 in Rochester, Pennsylvania … son of Andy and Gretchen Phipps … has two younger siblings, Kurtis and Kira.

Joe Scott (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) – 174
High School: Four-year wrestling letterwinner at Calvert Hall College High School … also played rugby for three years and football for two … posted 100-64 career wrestling record … four-time wrestling placewinner at Stan Elinsky Tournament … two-time champion at Stan Elinsky Tournament … two-time winner at Early Bird Invitational … named Outstanding Wrestler at Loyola Duals … two-time wrestling team captain … two-time state placewinner … member of Maryland Fargo Club Wrestling Team.
Personal: Joseph E. Scott … born Jan. 20, 1998 in Rockville, Maryland … son of Christopher and Susan … has three younger siblings, Henry, Justin and Christine.

Brandon Stokes (Milton, Pa./Milton Area) – 165/174
High School: Member of wrestling, football and baseball teams at nearby Milton Area High School … two-time wrestling team captain … two-time first-team all-conference wrestler … two-time First Team PWCA … First Team All-State Academic Team … posted 108-47 career record … three-time sectional champion … finished fifth in the state as a senior … district and regional runner-up … helped team to District Duals Qualifier twice … football team captain as a senior … two-time First Team All-Heartland Athletic Conference for football … two-time baseball team captain … two-time all-conference selection for baseball … football and baseball teams were both two-time district runner-up … wrestled with Bison Legend Wrestling Club.
Personal: Brandon Robert Stokes … born Dec. 30, 1997 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania … son of Bobby and Lisa Stokes … has three younger siblings, Dillon, Jacqueline and Tyler.