Bucknell Wrestling Concludes Competition at 2023 NCAA Championships

TULSA, Okla. – Three Bucknell wrestlers competed at the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championship on Thursday, and the team's season came to an end as Kurt Phipps (133), Dylan Chappell (149) and Dorian Crosby (285) were each eliminated following losses in the first consolation round Thursday evening at the BOK Center.

The trio of Bison grapplers represented Bucknell's largest number of NCAA qualifiers since the 2017 season, and the group combined for 76 wins this season against just 39 losses. All three were making their first-ever appearances at the NCAA Championships. They each suffered losses to top-10 seeds in the first round Thursday afternoon.

Phipps, who entered the tournament tied for the most wins of any qualifier with 31, lost by an 8-0 major decision to eighth-seeded Aaron Nagao of Minnesota in the first round before being defeated 7-2 by Oklahoma's Wyatt Henson in the first round of the consolation bracket. Phipps received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships after placing seventh at the EIWA Championships for a second time in his career.

Chappell was defeated by fourth-seeded Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech in the first round before losing by fall to 13th-seeded Kellyn March of North Dakota State in the consolation bracket. Chappell held an early 4-1 lead over March before being pinned 1:14 into the second period. He was leading 5-3 at the time of the fall.

Chappell, who moved up to the 149-pound weight class in late January, received an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships by going 3-1 at the EIWA tournament and finishing as runner-up. He defeated two nationally-ranked wrestlers in the process and became Bucknell's first 149-pound wrestler to reach the EIWA finals since 2011.

Crosby lost 13-0 to Arizona State's fifth-seeded Cohlton Schultz in the first round Thursday afternoon before being defeated 11-1 by No. 21 seed Nathan Taylor of Lehigh. Crosby, who missed all of last season, put together an outstanding 9-1 record in duals in 2023 and battled to a sixth-place finish at the EIWA Championships to earn an automatic bid to his first NCAA Championships.

All three wrestlers are set to return to the Bison roster next season. Only one of Bucknell's 2023 EIWA placewinners will graduate this spring.

133: #25 Kurt Phipps (0-2)
First Round: L, maj. dec. to #8 Aaron Nagao (#12 Minnesota), 8-0
Consolation First Round: L, dec. to #24 Wyatt Henson (Oklahoma), 7-2

149: #29 Dylan Chappell (0-2)
First Round: L, dec. to #4 Caleb Henson (#10 Virginia Tech), 5-1
Consolation First Round: L, fall to #13 Kellyn March (#18 NDSU), 4:14

285: #28 Dorian Crosby (0-2)
First Round: L, maj. dec. to #5 Cohlton Schultz (#19 Arizona State), 13-0
Consolation First Round: L, maj. dec. to #21 Nathan Taylor (Lehigh), 11-1

Note: Individual ranking NCAA seed; team ranking NWCA