Bucknell University Athletics
Five Bison Wrestlers Appear in First NCAA Coaches' Rankings
1/22/2024 12:52:00 PM | Wrestling
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Five Bucknell wrestlers made the first NCAA Coaches' Rankings, which are used in the selection process to determine the qualifiers for the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Senior Kurt Phipps (13th at 133), freshman Noah Mulvaney (18th at 165), freshman Myles Takats (31st at 174), sophomore Mikey Bartush (32nd at 184) and senior Dorian Crosby (21st at 285) were each listed among the top 33 in the nation in their respective weight classes. They represent the highest number of wrestlers Bucknell has had in the rankings at one time since 2016.
Phipps, who has been a mainstay in the NCAA Coaches' Rankings throughout his career, checked in at No. 13 on Monday. He was the highest of the five Bison and was third highest in the weight class among EIWA wrestlers. The 2023 NCAA qualifier is an outstanding 16-2 this season, with his only losses coming against Oklahoma State's Dayton Fix, who was ranked No. 2 at the time, and Minnesota's Tyler Wells. Phipps has wins over Northern Colorado's Dominick Serrano and Nebraska's Jacob Van Dee, who also made the Coaches' Rankings at No. 14 and No. 16, respectively.
Mulvaney came in at No. 18 and is behind only Julian Ramirez of Cornell in the EIWA. In just his first collegiate season, Mulvaney leads the Bison in wins with a 21-3 record and is 7-1 in duals. His three losses were all against top-15 wrestlers on the NCAA Coaches' Rankings. Mulvaney and Phipps both have two tournament wins this season, including first-place finishes at the Southern Scuffle.
Another Bison freshman, Takats, ranked 31st on the list. The Perrysburg, Ohio native is 17-8 overall and 7-2 in duals. Takats has come on especially strong in recent weeks, going 6-2 in the month of January. Of his six wins in 2024, four were by major decision and one was a pin. He leads the Bison with seven major decision on the season.
Bartush, who came in at No. 32, has also posted some of his best performances since the new year. He's 12-2 in the month of January and 17-6 on the season. He took first at the Edinboro Open, and his fourth-place finish at the Southern Scuffle was highlighted by a pin against then 31st-ranked Giuseppe Hoose of Oklahoma.
Crosby, who made appearances in the rankings last season, checked in at No. 21 among the heavyweights on Monday. A 2023 NCAA qualifier, Crosby is off to his best start in his four years. He's 17-5 (7-2 duals) and leads the roster in technical falls. Four of Crosby's losses are to opponents ranked above him. Nine other heavyweights from the EIWA appeared in the rankings, including Crosby's most recent opponent Will Jarrell of American, who he defeated by a 7-2 decision on Sunday.
The coaches' rankings are determined by a vote of 14 coaches in each weight class with two head coaches from each of the seven conferences. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. Wrestlers must have eight Division I matches in the weight class to be considered with at least one within the last 30 days.
Players Mentioned
