Bucknell University
Averett
Bucknell Wrestling Opens Season at Patriot Duals
11/9/2021 12:10:00 PM | Wrestling
Bucknell (0-0, 0-0 EIWA) vs. Averett (0-0, 0-0 SEWC)
When: Saturday, Nov. 13 – 10 a.m.
Where: Recreation Athletic Complex – Fairfax, Va.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WRST
Bucknell (0-0, 0-0 EIWA) vs. George Mason (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
When: Saturday, Nov. 13 – 11:30 a.m.
Where: Recreation Athletic Complex – Fairfax, Va.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WRST
Bucknell (0-0, 0-0 EIWA) vs. Bellarmine (1-1, 0-0 SoCon)
When: Saturday, Nov. 13 – 1 p.m.
Where: Recreation Athletic Complex – Fairfax, Va.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WRST
Projected Bucknell Lineup
125: Brandon Seidman (0-0)
133: Kurt Phipps (0-0)
141: #27 Darren Miller (0-0)
149: Kolby DePron (5-1) OR Noah Levett (0-0)
157: Nick Delp (0-0)
165: #9 Zach Hartman (0-0)
174: Jaden Fisher (3-1)
184: Logan Deacetis (3-2)
197: Mason McCready (0-0)
285: Max Harar (0-0) OR Luke Niemeyer (0-0)
Rankings Intermat (Note: In 2021-22, Intermat extended its rankings to 33 from 20)
Bucknell at a Glance
• Last season, Bucknell placed a wrestler on the EIWA podium at all 10 weight classes and qualified two for the NCAA Championships.
• The Bison returned two-time All-American Zach Hartman, who is also the defending EIWA champion at 165 pounds.
• Hartman's sixth-place showing at the 2021 NCAA Championships was the third-highest finish by a Bison. He also became Bucknell's second NCAA semifinalist.
• Hartman is the Bison's fourth EIWA champion. He also twice finished as the EIWA runner-up; in 2019, he became the first Bucknell freshman to take second at the EIWA's premier event.
• In 2020-21, Hartman became the first Bison to be voted as the EIWA Wrestler of the Year by the conference's head coaches and the second to earn the EIWA Coaches' Trophy as the EIWA Championships' Outstanding Wrestler.
• Bucknell also returned Darren Miller, a 2021 NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds. Miller went 4-1 at the 2021 EIWA Championships, battling back through the consolation bracket with four-straight victories to secure the EIWA's final automatic bid.
• The Bison went 0-3 (0-1 EIWA) in duals and finished sixth at the EIWA Championships during their abbreviated 2020-21 campaign.
• Bucknell posted a 10-6 (9-3 EIWA) record in 2019-20 dual action. The Bison reached the double digits in dual victories for the first time since 2016-17; their total of EIWA victories also matched their 2016-17 figure.
• Bucknell's eight returning EIWA placewinners are Hartman (2021, 2020 & 2019), Jaden Fisher (2021 & 2020), Vincent Andreano (2021), Dorian Crosby (2021), Mason McCready (2021), Miller (2021), Kurt Phipps (2021) and Brandon Seidman (2021).
• Hartman, Miller and Seidman are serving as captains in 2021-22. Hartman is in his third season as a captain.
• The Bison's group of 11 newcomers includes four state champions, eight state placewinners and nine team captains. The freshmen hail from five different states: Pennsylvania (6), Massachusetts (2), Illinois, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
• Head coach Dan Wirnsberger is in his 17th season at the helm of the Bucknell wrestling program. He has scored 130 career victories, good for second in school history; he was also tabbed as the 2015 EIWA Coach of the Year after the Bison placed third at the EIWA Championships and qualified four wrestlers for the NCAA Championships.
• Wirnsberger and Bob Ferraro, who led Bucknell to a 169-175-6 record from 1974 to 1997, are the program's only head coaches to reach the 100-win plateau.
Bison Ranked
Zach Hartman (165): 9th Intermat and The Open Mat, 10th FloWrestling
Darren Miller (141): 27th Intermat
Averett at a Glance
• Averett's wrestling team is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The team's inaugural season was 2017-18.
• The Cougars went 10-1 during their truncated 2020-21 season. They had three wrestlers earn All-America laurels.
• This will be the first meeting between Bucknell and Averett, which competes at the NCAA Division III level.
Bellarmine at a Glance
• Bellarmine's wrestling team is celebrating its sixth anniversary. The team's inaugural season was 2016-17.
• The Knights opened their 2021-22 campaign on Nov. 7 with a thrilling 19-18 victory over SIUE and a 40-3 loss to Indiana.
• Bellarmine posted a 1-9 (1-7 SoCon) record during its abbreviated 2020-21 season. It was their first year at the NCAA Division I level, as they previously competed in the NCAA Division II ranks.
• This will be the first meeting between Bucknell and Bellarmine.
George Mason at a Glance
• George Mason is the host of the Patriot Duals.
• The Patriots went 0-4 (0-2 MAC) and placed 11th at the MAC Championships during their truncated 2020-21 season.
• Bucknell is an unbeaten 8-0 against George Mason in their all-time series.
• The teams last met during the 2015-16 campaign, with the Bison emerging as 32-12 victors.
A Look Ahead
• The Bison next travel to Annapolis, Md. for the Navy Classic on Saturday, Nov. 20.
SEASON OUTLOOK
Head coach Dan Wirnsberger believes that the Bucknell wrestling team, which features a strong cast of battle-tested veterans and talented newcomers, is poised to have a breakout year.
"We have a lot of talent," Wirnsberger said. "With seven returning EIWA placewinners, including our All-American Zach Hartman, we bring back great experience in competitive environments. We're going to be challenged by our schedule, which includes a Big Ten team early in the year, a Big 12 team later in the year and many talented EIWA programs in between. The EIWA is as competitive as it has ever been, and we're excited for that challenge. Being able to compete at the Midlands Championships again will definitely benefit our team because we always see a variety of elite competitors from across the country there. Our schedule definitely sets us up for success in March at the EIWA and NCAA Championships. Our goal is to become one of the elite teams in our conference and in the country, and I believe we have what it takes to do that."
The Bison open their 2021-22 campaign at George Mason's Patriot Duals on Saturday, Nov. 13. Highlights of their competitive schedule include their home opener against Michigan State (Dec. 3), their regular-season finale at Oklahoma State (Feb. 18) and 10 duals against EIWA opponents. In addition, they are set to attend the return of the prestigious Ken Kraft Midlands Championships (Dec. 29-30), where Hartman, the defending EIWA champion at 165 pounds, placed third at 157 pounds in 2018 and sixth at 165 pounds in 2019.
Complete weight class breakdowns can be viewed at the below links.
WEIGHT CLASS PREVIEWS
125
133
141
149
157
165
174
184
197
285
Returning NCAA All-Americans
Zach Hartman: 2021 at 165 (6th), 2020 at 165 (HM)
Returning NCAA Qualifiers
Zach Hartman: 2021 & 2020 at 165, 2019 at 157
Darren Miller: 2021 at 133
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Returning EIWA Placewinners
Vincent Andreano: 2021 (6th at 174)
Dorian Crosby: 2021 (7th at 285)
Jaden Fisher: 2021 (6th at 157), 2020 (8th at 157)
Zach Hartman: 2021 (1st at 165), 2020 (2nd at 165), 2019 (2nd at 157)
Mason McCready: 2021 (7th at 197)
Darren Miller: 2021 (3rd at 133)
Kurt Phipps: 2021 (7th at 141)
Brandon Seidman: 2021 (6th at 125)
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EIWA Placewinners Lost to Graduation
David Campbell: 2018 (8th at 133)
Joey Gould: 2017 (8th at 133)
Frankie Guida, Jr.: 2021 (8th at 184)
Matthew Kolonia: 2021 (5th at 149)
Bison in the 2021-22 EIWA Preseason Rankings
Vincent Andreano: 7th at 174
Dorian Crosby: 8th at 285
Zach Hartman: 1st at 165
Mason McCready: 7th at 197
Darren Miller: 5th at 133 & 141
Kurt Phipps: 8th at 141
Brandon Seidman: 8th at 125
Players Mentioned
