Bison Grapplers Host Buffalo, Bloomsburg in Tri-Match Sunday in Davis Gym

Bucknell (1-3) vs. Buffalo (6-7, 1-0 MAC)
When: Sunday, Dec. 17 – 11 a.m.
Where: Davis Gym – Lewisburg, Pa.
Watch: YouTube
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WRST

Buffalo (6-7, 1-0 MAC) vs. Bloomsburg (3-4)
When: Sunday, Dec. 17 – approx. 12:30 p.m.
Where: Davis Gym – Lewisburg, Pa.
Watch: YouTube

Bucknell (1-3) vs. Bloomsburg (3-4)
When: Sunday, Dec. 17 – approx. 2 p.m.
Where: Davis Gym – Lewisburg, Pa.
Watch: YouTube
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WRST

Note: The second and third duals will start five minutes after the conclusion of the previous match.

Projected Bucknell Lineup:
125: Grayson McLellan (0-3) or Owen Bell (0-7)
133: #24/20 Kurt Phipps (6-2)
141: #32/NR Dylan Chappell (7-5) or Braden Bower (2-2)
149: Aiden Davis (5-5)
157: Nick Delp (5-4) or Riley Bower (2-3)
165: #27/18 Noah Mulvaney (12-3)
174: Myles Takats (9-6)
184: Mikey Bartush (4-4) or Nolan Springer (1-4)
197: Logan Deacetis (3-4)
HWT: #33/28 Dorian Crosby (8-4) or Logan Shephard (1-2)
*Rankings are Intermat/FloWrestling

Bucknell at a Glance:
• The Bucknell wrestling team returns to Davis Gym on Sunday following the final exam break and will host both Buffalo and Bloomsburg for a pair of duals. They represent the team's final competitions before the new year. Admission is free for all three duals.
• Bucknell navigated a challenging slate of opponents to start the season, having faced No. 11 Oklahoma State, No. 14 Minnesota, and RV Wisconsin. The Bison are 1-3, earning a win over Oklahoma Wesleyan.
• The Bison also took part in the annual Navy Classic in November and placed nine on the podium at the tournament. Bucknell finished fourth out of 14 teams, and Phipps won the 133-pound bracket with a 4-0 record.
• The freshman Mulvaney was named EIWA Wrestler of the Week on Nov. 7 after winning the 165 bracket at the Clarion Open.
• The Bison returned all three 2023 NCAA qualifiers: Dylan Chappell (149), Dorian Crosby (285), and Phipps (133). Chappell and Crosby were both automatic qualifiers, and Phipps was one of 47 wrestlers to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships.
• Bucknell also returns four of its five EIWA placewinners from a season ago: Chappell, Crosby, Phipps, and Delp (157).
• Bucknell graduated six seniors in 2023, including 2021 NCAA qualifier and three-time EIWA placewinner Darren Miller as well as 2021 EIWA placewinners Mason McCready and Vincent Andreano.
• The Bison added 10 newcomers this season, and the group was dubbed the No. 19 recruiting class in the country by Intermat.
• Chappell, Crosby, Delp, and Phipps are serving as team captains this season.
• Head coach Dan Wirnsberger is in his 18th season with the Bison and his 19th year leading the program since its revival in 2005. He ranks second all-time in program history in wins and is one shy of 150 career victories. Wirnsberger was previously the head coach at Bloomsburg from 2002-05. There he qualified 10 student-athletes for the NCAA Tournament, including six in 2005, his final season at the helm, and he coached the program's first-ever Olympic Trials qualifier. He helped four Bloomsburg wrestlers capture Eastern Wrestling League titles and six win PSAC crowns. He was named the 2005 PSAC Coach of the Year after leading the Huskies to the team title for the first time since 1990.

A Look Back at the Wisconsin Dual
• Bucknell took Wisconsin down to the wire in Madison on Sunday, Dec. 3 before falling 24-22. The Bison used a 17-4 run to build a 17-9 lead over the Badgers, who entered the season ranked No. 18 in the country, but Wisconsin posted back-to-back pins and a match-sealing decision at 197 to collect the win.
• The two teams split the bouts 5-5, but Wisconsin scored bonus points in each of its wins. All four of Wisconsin's nationally ranked wrestlers were victorious.
• For Bucknell, Kurt Phipps (133) won by fall, and Noah Mulvaney (165) and Dorian Crosby (285) both added tech falls. Braden Bower (141) and Nick Delp (157) both won by decision.

Bison Ranked
• Kurt Phipps (133): 24th by Intermat, 20th by FloWrestling
• Dylan Chappell (149): 32nd by Intermat
• Noah Mulvaney (165): 27th by Intermat, 18th by FloWrestling
• Dorian Crosby (285): 33rd by Intermat, 28th by FloWrestling

Bison Category Leaders
• Wins: Noah Mulvaney (12)
• Dual Wins: Noah Mulvaney (3)
• Pins: Davis/Delp (3)
• Technical Falls: Noah Mulvaney (4)
• Major Decisions: Myles Takats (3)

Buffalo at a Glance
• Buffalo is 6-7 overall and 1-0 against the MAC. Most recently the Bulls fell 40-0 against No. 13 Rutgers. They have wins over Kent State and Gardner-Webb in the month of December and started the season 4-0.
• Buffalo went 8-12 (4-3 MAC) in 2022-23. The Bulls had one NCAA qualifier, Giuseppe Hoose at 184 pounds, last season. The redshirt-senior is now at Oklahoma.
• Redshirt-freshman Chase Kranitz (184) leads the Bulls with an 11-5 record. He's 8-3 in duals, including wins in four of the last five. Redshirt-senior Sam Mitchell, who is ranked 31st by FloWrestling, is 7-3 at 197.
• Bucknell is 4-12 in all-time meetings with Buffalo, including a 21-9 loss on the road last season. The Bison have lost three in a row in the series, last defeating the Bulls in 2013. The series began in 1976.
• In last year's meeting, Kurt Phipps (133), Dylan Chappell (141), and Logan Deacetis (184) each posted wins for the Bison. Deacetis defeated Hoose with a 15-9 decision.

Bloomsburg at a Glance
• The Huskies are 3-4 and have lost three in a row to LIU, Franklin & Marshall, and Michigan State. Bloomsburg's last win was over Presbyterian on Dec. 3.
• Bloomsburg went 4-12 (0-7 MAC) in 2022-23 and finished last at the MAC Championships. It sent one wrestler, redshirt-senior Josh Macon (141), to nationals.
• This season Bloomsburg is led in wins by sophomore William Morrow (157) at 9-6. Cade Balestrini (149) and Bronson Garber (125) are both 8-8.
• Bucknell is 6-13 in the all-time series with Bloomsburg but won the last two meetings in 2019. The Bison won 35-7 on the road before defeating the Huskies 24-13 in the home matchup that season.
• The Bison went 5-0 in bouts against Bloomsburg at the Navy Classic this year.
• Graduate student 184-pounder Bruno Stolfi is the younger brother of former Bison standout Joe Stolfi '16. Joe was a four-time NCAA qualifier who compiled a 120-41 career record. He won the EIWA heavyweight title as a sophomore and graduated with Bucknell's career pins record (65).

A Look Ahead
Bucknell is back in action the first of the year when it attends the Southern Scuffle on New Year's Day and Jan. 2. Two Bison earned spots on the podium at last year's Southern Scuffle, including a fourth-place finish by Kurt Phipps.

Bison Grapplers Host Buffalo, Bloomsburg in Tri-Match Sunday in Davis Gym

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Players Mentioned

Vincent Andreano

Mikey Bartush

Owen Bell

Braden Bower

Riley Bower

Dylan Chappell

Dorian Crosby

Aiden Davis

Logan Deacetis

Nick Delp

Mason McCready

Grayson McLellan

Darren Miller

Noah Mulvaney

Kurt Phipps

Logan Shephard

Nolan Springer

Myles Takats