Bucknell University
EIWA Championships
Bucknell Wrestling Set for 2023 EIWA Championships
3/2/2023 4:33:00 PM | Wrestling
2023 EIWA Championships
When: Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5
Where: The Palestra – Philadelphia, Pa.
Participating Teams: American, Army West Point, Binghamton, Brown, Bucknell, Columbia, #8 Cornell, Drexel, Franklin & Marshall, Harvard, Hofstra, Lehigh, LIU, Navy, #24 Penn, Princeton, Sacred Heart
Event Website: EIWAWrestling.org
Live Results: FloArena
Online Video: FloWrestling ($)
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WRST
Bucknell Statistics: BucknellBison.com
Projected Bucknell Lineup
125: Grayson McLellan (0-17)
133: #27 Kurt Phipps (28-9)
141: #25 Darren Miller (18-6)
149: Dylan Chappell (22-8)
157: Nick Delp (8-8)
165: Chase Barlow (9-16)
174: Sam Barnes (10-19)
184: Mason McCready (11-11)
197: Nolan Springer (14-14)
285: #29 Dorian Crosby (17-10)
Rankings Intermat
About the EIWA Championships
• The Bucknell wrestling team visits The Palestra on Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5 to compete at the 119th EIWA Championships.
• The field is made up of all 17 EIWA squads, including two teams ranked in the regular season's final National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Coaches Poll: No. 8 Cornell and No. 24 Penn. Lehigh was also receiving votes in the poll.
• Cornell snapped Lehigh's four-year run at last year's EIWA Championships, which were held at the Friedman Wrestling Center in Ithaca, N.Y. The Big Red and the Mountain Hawks have combined for 21 straight team titles.
• Only seven current EIWA members have captured the team title: Lehigh (38), Cornell (26), Navy (13), Penn (4), Princeton (3), Army West Point (1) and Harvard (1). In 2018, the Mountain Hawks snapped Cornell's title run at 11.
Tournament Schedule
Saturday, March 4
• 10:30 a.m. – Round of 32
• 10:50 a.m. – Round of 16 & Consolation First Round
• 4:30 p.m. – Quarterfinals & Consolation Second Round
• 7:30 p.m. – Consolation Third Round
Sunday, March 5
• 10:30 a.m. – Semifinals & Quarterfinal Consolations
• 12:30 p.m. – Semifinal Consolations & 7th Place Matches
• 4:45 p.m. – Finals, 3rd & 5th Place Matches
• 7:15 p.m. Team & Special Awards
NCAA Qualifiers from the EIWA Championships
• The EIWA will have 45 automatic qualifiers for the 2023 NCAA Championships, up from 42 last year and ranking behind the Big Ten (88) and the Big 12 (65).
• Last season, Zach Hartman '22 earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships for the fourth time in his career after finishing third. Darren Miller earned an automatic bid as a sophomore wrestling at 133 pounds.
• Since the Bucknell wrestling program was reinstated ahead of the 2006-07 season, thanks in large part to a generous donation from Bill Graham '62, 20 different wrestlers have combined to earn 45 NCAA berths and five All-America certificates.
• Since the program was revived, five Bison have qualified for four NCAA Championships: David Marble (133, 2007-10), Andy Rendos (165, 2007-10), Joe Stolfi (285, 2013-16), current volunteer assistant coach Tyler Smith (141, 2015-18), and Hartman (165, 2019-22).
EIWA Allotments
125: 6 165: 5
133: 5 174: 4
141: 5 184: 4
149: 2 197: 5
157: 3 285: 6
Total: 45
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell went 6-9 (4-6 EIWA) in dual action during the 2022-23 season against a challenging schedule that featured three teams ranked in the preseason top 25. Two of Bucknell's opponents, Oklahoma State and Michigan State, remain in the top 25, and Lehigh is currently receiving votes.
• The Bison went 13-2 in duals at the 141-pound weight class and 12-3 at 133 pounds. They also added an 11-4 mark at 285 pounds.
• The Bison went 12-6 (7-3 EIWA) during the 2021-22 season. Bucknell placed four at the 2022 EIWA Championships, two of which (Darren Miller and Nick Delp) returned for the 2022-23 season. Bucknell has six returning EIWA placewinners overall, and Miller is the team's lone returning NCAA qualifier, earning an automatic bid at 133 pounds in 2021.
• Bucknell welcomed nine newcomers to the team this season after losing six to graduation in the spring. Notably, the Bison lost All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier Zach Hartman (165).
• Head coach Dan Wirnsberger is in his 18th season at the helm of the Bucknell wrestling program. He's scored 148 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 in the NCAA Coaches' Panel Rankings
• Kurt Phipps (133): 25th
• Darren Miller (141): 24th
• Dorian Crosby (285): 29th
Bison in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index
• Kurt Phipps (133): 15th
• Darren Miller (141): 21st
• Dorian Crosby (285): 30th
Category Leaders
• Wins: Kurt Phipps (28)
• Dual Wins: Kurt Phipps (12)
• EIWA Dual Wins: Kurt Phipps (9)
• Pins: Mikey Bartush (7)
• Technical Falls: Nine Tied (1)
• Major Decisions: Chappell, Crosby (5)
Bucknell's EIWA Championships History
• Bucknell joined the EIWA in 1999-2000 and has wrestled at the league's championships 19 times.
• The Bison have finished as high as third in the team standings. They tied Penn for that spot in 2009 and claimed sole possession of it in 2015 and 2016.
• In 2021, Zach Hartman (165) joined Andy Rendos (165, 2010), current assistant coach Kevin LeValley (149, 2011) and Joe Stolfi (285, 2014) as Bucknell's EIWA champions. Two Bison have earned the EIWA Coaches' Trophy as the EIWA Championships' Outstanding Wrestler: Levally and Hartman.
• Since the wrestling team was reinstated ahead of the 2006-07 campaign, 43 Bison have combined to place on the EIWA podium 79 times.
Bucknell at the 2022 EIWA Championships
• Bucknell finished 11th at last year's EIWA Championships, totaling 39.5 points. The Bison produced four placewinners: Brandon Seidman (125, 7th), Darren Miller (141, 5th), Nick Delp (157, 7th) and Zach Hartman (165, 3rd).
• Hartman's third-place finish was good enough for an NCAA automatic qualifying bid.
• Miller and Delp each narrowly missed a chance to compete for one of the EIWA's automatic bids at their respective weight classes; the EIWA had four at 141 pounds and five at 157 pounds.
• Hartman, Miller and Delp each suffered losses to eventual EIWA champions.
• No. 10 Cornell (153), No. 18 Penn (143) and No. 22 Princeton (120.5) were the top three teams.
Quick Facts about Bucknell's Projected EIWA Championships Starters
#17 Grayson McLellan (125)
• One of two freshmen projected to start at the 2022 EIWA Championships, joining Chase Barlow.
• One of two Bison to start all 15 of this season's duals, joining Kurt Phipps.
• Battled to a narrow loss against Sacred Heart's Michael Manta in a 3-1 decision.
• Posted a 97-26 career record at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio.
#3 Kurt Phipps (133)
• Dropped from 141 pounds to 133 before sophomore season.
• 2021 EIWA Placewinner (141, 7th)
• One of two Bison to start all 15 duals this season. Has started all 36 duals during his time at Bucknell.
• Leads the team in wins (28), dual wins (12), and EIWA wins (9) this season.
• Is second on the team in career wins with a 54-26 record.
• Ranked by Intermat all season and is currently No. 27.
• No. 25 in the latest NCAA Coaches' panel and No. 15 in RPI.
#2 Darren Miller (141)
• 2021 NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds. Moved to 141 pounds prior to junior season.
• EIWA placewinner in 2022 (141, 5th) and 2021 (133, 3rd).
• Two-year team captain.
• Six wins over nationally-ranked opponents.
• Posted a 4-2 decision over Oklahoma State's No. 10 Carter Young in season opener.
• Leads the team in career victories with a 61-30 record.
• 7-3 record at EIWA Championships over the past two seasons.
• Ranked by Intermat all season and is currently No. 25.
• Is No. 24 in the latest NCAA Coaches' panel and No. 21 in RPI.
• One of two Kiski Area High School wrestlers on the team, joining Nick Delp.
#5 Dylan Chappell (149)
• Moved up from the 141-pound weight class earlier this year.
• Is third on the team in career wins with a 42-14 record.
• Won nine of his last 11 bouts and is 6-2 since moving to 149.
• Was ranked as high as No. 29 by WrestleStat this season.
• Won the 149-pound weight class at the Mat-Town Open II in January and has placed at four tournaments this season.
• Went 20-6 as a freshman last season.
#11 Nick Delp (157)
• Placed seventh at the 2021 EIWA Championships with a 3-2 ledger.
• Posted two wins over nationally-ranked opponents as a sophomore.
• Started all 21 duals as a freshman and sophomore and is 4-4 in duals this season.
• Owns a 28-25 career record.
• Has two major decisions and a fall this season.
• One of two Kiski Area High School wrestlers currently on the team, joining Darren Miller.
#12 Chase Barlow (165)
• One of two freshmen projected to start at the 2022 EIWA Championships, joining Grayson McLellan.
• Started 12 of 15 duals at 165 pounds this season.
• Placed eighth at the 2022 Navy Classic tournament.
• Battled to a narrow loss against No. 33 Michigan State's No. 33 Caleb Fish, 5-3.
• Was 124-7 with 63 pins at Strath Haven High School in Wallingford, Pa.
• Two-time placewinner at the PIAA Class AAA state tournament.
#15 Sam Barnes (174)
• One of three seniors projected to start at the 2022 EIWA Championships, joining Darren Miller and Mason McCready.
• Represented the Bison at the 2022 EIWA Championships, going 0-2.
• Started 13 of Bucknell's 15 duals this season.
• Placed third at the Clarion Open and eighth at the Navy Classic this season.
• Has 10 wins this season, including one fall and one major decision.
#13 Mason McCready (184)
• One of three seniors projected to start at the 2022 EIWA Championships, joining Darren Miller and Sam Barnes.
• Placed at the 2021 EIWA Championships (197, 7th) with a 1-2 mark.
• Is fifth on the roster in career wins with a 38-46 record. 26 of his wins came over the last two seasons.
• Started all 18 duals as a junior and has started eight this season.
• Placed fourth at the Clarion Open and sixth at the Navy Classic this season.
#10 Nolan Springer (197)
• Started 14 of the team's 15 duals this season, missing only the season opener.
• Finished .500 overall and in duals this season, including a 6-4 mark in EIWA duals.
• Placed fifth at the Navy Classic this season.
• Tied for second on the team with four pins this season.
• Five of seven dual losses this season were against nationally-ranked opponents.
#6 Dorian Crosby (285)
• 2021 EIWA placewinner (285, 7th) with a mark of 1-2.
• 21-15 career record, including a 17-10 mark this year. Missed sophomore season with injury.
• Four wins over nationally-ranked opponents this season, including a 9-5 decision over Maryland's No. 18 Jaron Smith and a 5-3 decision over No. 19 Grady Griess of Navy.
• Won his first nine duals this season and finished 9-1, losing only to No. 29 Nathan Taylor of Lehigh.
• Tied for first on the team with five major decisions.
• Currently ranked No. 29 by Intermat.
• Came in at No. 29 in the latest NCAA Coaches' panel and No. 30 in RPI.
Note: Rankings Pre-Seed for 2023 EIWA Championships
• Bucknell's qualifiers will compete at the NCAA Championships, slated for March 16-18 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.
• On March 7, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will announce the at-large qualifiers. The NCAA brackets and seeding will be unveiled on NCAA.com the following day at 8 p.m.
Players Mentioned
