Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Wrestling Announces 2024-25 Schedule
8/29/2024 9:43:00 AM | Wrestling
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Head coach Dan Wirnsberger and the Bucknell wrestling team announced the 2024-25 schedule Friday, and the Bison once again challenge themselves with a host of top-tier opponents and premier tournaments.
Full 2024-25 Schedule
Three of Bucknell's dual opponents ended last season ranked in the NWCA's top 25, and several others were among the top 25 earlier in the season or were receiving votes in February. Four of Bucknell's toughest opponents this season include 2024 NCAA runner-up Cornell along with Lehigh, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Bison take on three Big Ten teams in the early portion of the upcoming campaign.
Bucknell faces a challenge right off the bat when it opens the season against Maryland in College Park. The Bison will also face Kent State during the season-opening doubleheader on Saturday, Nov. 2. Bucknell takes on another Big Ten opponent two weeks later when it travels to Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers for a second year in a row. Minnesota returns both of its All-Americans from last March.
The Bison will attend the annual Navy Classic for the first of three regular season tournaments. They made an impression in Annapolis last November by placing fourth out of 14 attendees. In December, Bucknell returns to the Midlands Championships in Hoffman Estates, Ill. for the first time since 2019, and in January it heads to Hampton, Va. for the Virginia Duals tournament.
Bucknell faces its third Big Ten team of the semester when it hosts Wisconsin on Saturday, Dec. 7 for the first of seven home duals on the schedule. The Bison took the Badgers down to the wire last December before narrowly falling 24-22 in Madison. Wisconsin finished 18th at last year's NCAA Championships. All seven of Bucknell's home duals will take place in Davis Gym. Bucknell also plays hosts to its first EIWA opponent, LIU, on Friday, Dec. 20 for its final dual before the holiday break.
Another nationally-ranked opponent, Pitt, visits Lewisburg when the Bison resume their dual schedule on Friday, Jan. 17. The ACC power was ranked 23rd in the final NWCA top-25 poll last season and finished 26th at the national tournament. Bucknell then hosts Drexel the following Friday before traveling to back-to-back road duals at Army and Lock Haven. The Black Knights were receiving votes in the final poll last year and landed one on the podium at nationals. Duals between Bucknell and Army have come down to the final bout in each of the last two seasons.
The Bison host tough EIWA foes Navy and Lehigh on back-to-back Fridays, Jan. 31 and Feb.7. The Mountain Hawks ranked 17th in the final NWCA poll and return all three of their 2024 All-Americans. Bucknell's final EIWA dual will be at American on Friday, Feb. 14.
The home finale will feature Columbia on Friday, Feb. 21, and the regular season finale features arguably Bucknell's toughest opponent in Cornell. The Bison travel to Ithaca, N.Y. on Saturday, Feb. 22 to face a Big Red team that placed just one spot behind Penn State at last year's NCAA Championships.
The road to the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships runs through Bethlehem, Pa., as Lehigh is set to host the new-look EIWA Championships. With the departure of six Ivy League programs, 11 teams remain in the conference and will battle it out Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8 to earn spots at the national tournament, which begins Thursday, March 20 in Philadelphia, Pa.
Of the remaining 11 teams, only Lehigh, Army and Navy finished ahead of Bucknell at the 2024 EIWA Championships. The Bison placed six wrestlers on the podium last year and sent five to the NCAA tournament. All five Bison NCAA qualifiers earned wins on the big stage, and returning fifth-year senior Kurt Phipps finished one win shy of All-American status.
2024-25 Bucknell Wrestling Schedule
Nov. 2 at Maryland, vs. Kent State
Nov. 15 at Minnesota
Nov. 23 at Navy Classic
Dec. 7 vs. WISCONSIN
Dec. 20 vs. LIU*
Dec. 29-30 at Midlands
Jan. 10-11 at Virginia Duals
Jan. 17 vs. PITT
Jan. 24 vs. DREXEL*
Jan. 25 at Army*
Jan. 30 at Lock Haven
Jan. 31 vs. NAVY*
Feb. 7 vs. LEHIGH*
Feb. 14 at American*
Feb. 21 vs. COLUMBIA
Feb. 22 at Cornell
March 7-8 at EIWA Championships
March 20-22 at NCAA Championships
Home duals in BOLD CAPS
*EIWA duals
Players Mentioned
