Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Midlands Championships
Wrestling Attends Midlands Championships
12/26/2019 3:35:00 PM | Wrestling
2019 Ken Kraft Midlands Championships
When: Sunday, Dec. 29 and Monday, Dec. 30
Where: Sears Centre Arena – Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Invitational Website: NUSports.com
Live Results: Arena.FloWrestling.org
Online Video: FloWrestling.org ($)
Tickets: SearsCentre.evenue.net
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WRST
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 2-2 (1-0 EIWA) in 2019-20 dual action. The Bison most recently cruised past LIU, 39-7, on Dec. 20 to pick up their first EIWA victory of the campaign.
• A year ago, Bucknell went 7-11 (4-7 EIWA) during dual competition. The Bison also placed 13th at the EIWA Championships in March and tied for 14th in a 67-team field at the prestigious Ken Kraft Midlands Championships in late December.
• Bucknell return three NCAA qualifiers: Zach Hartman, Garrett Hoffman and Drew Phipps. The Bison also bring back three EIWA placewinners in Hartman, Phipps and David Campbell.
• Hartman and Phipps are serving as captains in 2019-20. Phipps is in his second season as a captain.
• At the 2019 EIWA Championships, Hartman became the first Bucknell freshman to finish as a runner-up and Phipps earned his second-straight podium finish.
• Hartman rose as high as eighth in the national polls at 157 pounds a year ago. He notably placed third at the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships with a 6-1 record.
• The Bison graduated eight seniors in 2019, including three-time EIWA Championships starter D.J. Hollingshead.
• Bucknell's group of eight newcomers includes two state champions, six state placewinners and six team captains.
• Head coach Dan Wirnsberger is entering his 15th season at the helm of the Bison wrestling program. He has scored 122 career victories, good for second in school history; he was also tabbed as the 2015 EIWA Coach of the Year after Bucknell placed third at the EIWA Championships and qualified four wrestlers for the NCAA Championships.
• Wirnsberger and Bob Ferraro, who led the Bison to a 169-175-6 record from 1974 to 1997, are the program's only head coaches to reach the 100-win plateau.
Bison in the Midlands Field
125: Brandon Seidman (6-6)
133: Darren Miller (7-5)
141: David Campbell (5-6)
157: Jaden Fisher (11-10)
165: #15/15/18 Zach Hartman (12-3) and Vincent Andreano (5-6)
174: Mitch Hartman (8-5)
184: Kyle Inlander (4-4)
197: Drew Phipps (9-2)
Category Leaders
• Wins: Zach Hartman (12)
• Dual Wins: Zach Hartman and Drew Phipps (4)
• EIWA Dual Wins: Eight Tied (1)
• Pins: Zach Hartman (5)
• Technical Falls: Jaden Fisher and Zach Hartman (2)
• Major Decisions: Matthew Kolonia (3)
Bison Ranked
Zach Hartman (165): 15th The Open Mat and Intermat, 18th FloWrestling
Garrett Hoffman (285): 19th FloWrestling
Returning NCAA Qualifiers
Zach Hartman: 2019 at 157
Garrett Hoffman: 2017 at 184
Drew Phipps: 2019 at 197
Returning EIWA Placewinners
David Campbell: 2018 (8th at 133)
Zach Hartman: 2019 (2nd at 157)
Drew Phipps: 2019 (6th at 197), 2018 (8th at 184)
The 57th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships
• The Midlands Championships consist of four sessions, two on Sunday and two on Monday.
   - Sunday, 10:30 a.m. (9:30 a.m. CT) – First Session (10 Mats)
   - Sunday, 8 p.m. (7 p.m. CT) – Second Session (10 Mats)
   - Monday, 1 p.m. (12 p.m. CT) – Third Session (4 Mats) – Semis, consolation, 7th place match
   - Monday, 8 p.m. (7 p.m. CT) – Final Session (3 Mats) – 1st, 3rd, 5th place matches
• This is the 57th edition of the prestigious event, which is hosted by Northwestern.
• Bucknell has placed eight wrestlers on the Midlands Championship podium: Kevin LeValley (149, 1st in 2010, 3rd in 2009), Zach Hartman (157, 3rd in 2018), Tyler Smith (141, 3rd in 2017), Bryan Burns (190, 4th in 1990, 8th in 1991), Joey Gould (141, 5th in 2018), Ken Herceg (167, 5th in 1991), Brian Pitzer (158, 5th in 1997) and Shane Riccio (174, 7th in 2009).
• LeValley, currently an assistant coach on Dan Wirnsberger's staff, won the 149-pound title as a senior in 2010. He went on to win an EIWA championship and capture All-America accolades for the second-straight season.
• Last year, the Bison tied for 14th in a 67-team field, bolstered by Hartman taking third in the 157-pound weight class and Gould finishing fifth in the 141-pound weight class.
• Hartman made a statement at the prestigious tourney, knocking off five seeded wrestlers to post a 6-1 record. The unseeded freshman also upset two nationally ranked grapplers in No. 15 Christian Pagdilao of Arizona State and No. 17 John Van Brill of Rutgers, now a Bucknell volunteer assistant coach, over the course of the two-day event. For his efforts, Hartman was tabbed as the Bison Athlete of the Week.
A Look Ahead
• The Bison resume EIWA action at Navy on Friday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Note for projected lineup: 2019-20 record in parentheses; rankings are Intermat/The Open Mat/FloWrestling; lineup is subject to change
