Monday, December 29
Hoffman Estates, Ill.
All Day
Bucknell University
at
Midlands Championships
Photo by: Sam Janicki
Wrestling to Send Contingent to Midlands Championships
12/27/2025 12:42:00 PM | Wrestling
2025 Midlands Championships
Teams:Â Bucknell, Cal Poly, Central Michigan, Franklin & Marshall, Harvard, Illinois, Indiana, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, SIU Edwardsville, Stanford
When:Â Dec. 29-30Â (All Day)
Where: Ryan Fieldhouse – Evanston, Ill.
Tickets:Â Link
Live Results:Â Track Wrestling
Live Stream:Â BIG+
Follow on Twitter:Â @Bucknell_WRST
MONDAY, DECEMBER 29
    9:30 a.m. – First Session – Championship Rounds 1 & 2, Wrestlebacks
    7:00 p.m. – Second Session – Quarterfinals, Wrestlebacks
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30
    9:30 a.m. – Third Session – Semis & consolation
    4:00 p.m. – Fourth Session – Men's 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th place matches
    Awards ceremony to follow
Projected Bucknell Lineup
125Â - no entryÂ
133Â - no entry
141Â - #31 Dylan Chappell
149Â - no entry
157Â - #32Â Cade Wirnsberger
165Â - no entryÂ
174Â - no entry
184Â -Â Tyler Bienus
197Â - Mikey Bartush
285 - #27 Lucas Lawler and Logan Shephard
Rankings Flo
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell heads to its second tournament of the 2025-26 season when the program returns to the prestigious Midlands Championships
• Six Bison wrestlers are ranked by various sources with Dillon Bechtold registering the highest at #10 in the Intermar and TheOpenMat lists. Bechtold missed the season's first three competitions and made his 2025-26 debut versus No. 18 Oklahoma and upset Pitt's then No. 5 Mac Stout with a sudden victory takedown. Cade Wirnsberger (157) entered Flo's rankings at #32 after posting a 3-0 weekend at the Bucknell Quad and upsetting Virginia's #24 Colton Washleski.Â
• Dylan Chappell entered 2025-26 with 88 career wins and the fifth-year senior added three to his ledger at the Navy Classic, picked up a victory in the Wisconsin dual, and added three more at the Bucknell Quad. He looks to become the next Bison grappler to reach the 100-win milestone. Kurt Phipps was the last Bucknell wrestler to achieve the distinction, earning number 100 against Anthony Noto (Lock Haven) on Jan. 30, 2025.Â
• Bucknell posted its third straight top 25 recruiting class, providing an even greater pool of talent for the program. The depth has been on display with the Bison taking every ranked foe to the bitter end and routing Morgan State and Hofstra, despite missing several starters. .Â
• Head coach Dan Wirnsberger is in his 20th season with the Bison and his 21th year leading the program since its revival in 2005.Â
A Look Back at the Bucknell Quad
• Bucknell went 2-1 at the event, defeating EIWA foes Hofstra and Morgan State but falling to ACC opponent Virginia.Â
• The Bison routed Morgan State 50-0 for the largest win since a 51-0 defeat of Sacred Heart on Dec. 17, 2011.
• The Orange & Blue collected three pins and two technical falls, combined with two MSU forfeits to overwhelm the outmatched foe.Â
• Virginia edged Bucknell 19-18 in a thrilling match. The Bison led 18-13 before the Wahoo won back-to-back decisions to escape with the win.Â
• The Bison were hampered by No. 10 Dillon Bechtold (197) and No. 15 Myles Takats' absence due to injury. Virginia's unranked wrestlers scored eight points in the weight classes.Â
• Cade Wirnsberger (157) pulled off the upset of the day by defeating No. 24 Colton Washleski in a gritty 4-3 decision.Â
• Bucknell completed the day with a comfortable 31-7 dismantling of Hofstra. The victory moved Bucknell to 2-0 in conference action.Â
Scouting Midlands Championships/Series History
• This is the 61st Midlands Championships.
• Host school Northwestern enters the competition at 2-1 with wins over Lock Haven and Princeton.
• The competition returns to Northwestern's campus for the first time in six years.Â
• Bucknell and Franklin & Marshall are the only EIWA schools present at the Midlands. Former EIWA program Harvard will be in attendance.
• Bucknell has competed seven times at the Midlands Championships. The first occurrence came during the 1990-91 season and the latest visit occurred last year where the Bison finished seventh - the highest placement in program history, breaking the old mark of 13th in 1990-91 and 2009-10.Â
A Look Ahead
• The Bison return to EIWA play on Jan. 4 with a trip to LIU.Â
Â
Teams:Â Bucknell, Cal Poly, Central Michigan, Franklin & Marshall, Harvard, Illinois, Indiana, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, SIU Edwardsville, Stanford
When:Â Dec. 29-30Â (All Day)
Where: Ryan Fieldhouse – Evanston, Ill.
Tickets:Â Link
Live Results:Â Track Wrestling
Live Stream:Â BIG+
Follow on Twitter:Â @Bucknell_WRST
MONDAY, DECEMBER 29
    9:30 a.m. – First Session – Championship Rounds 1 & 2, Wrestlebacks
    7:00 p.m. – Second Session – Quarterfinals, Wrestlebacks
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30
    9:30 a.m. – Third Session – Semis & consolation
    4:00 p.m. – Fourth Session – Men's 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th place matches
    Awards ceremony to follow
Projected Bucknell Lineup
125Â - no entryÂ
133Â - no entry
141Â - #31 Dylan Chappell
149Â - no entry
157Â - #32Â Cade Wirnsberger
165Â - no entryÂ
174Â - no entry
184Â -Â Tyler Bienus
197Â - Mikey Bartush
285 - #27 Lucas Lawler and Logan Shephard
Rankings Flo
Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell heads to its second tournament of the 2025-26 season when the program returns to the prestigious Midlands Championships
• Six Bison wrestlers are ranked by various sources with Dillon Bechtold registering the highest at #10 in the Intermar and TheOpenMat lists. Bechtold missed the season's first three competitions and made his 2025-26 debut versus No. 18 Oklahoma and upset Pitt's then No. 5 Mac Stout with a sudden victory takedown. Cade Wirnsberger (157) entered Flo's rankings at #32 after posting a 3-0 weekend at the Bucknell Quad and upsetting Virginia's #24 Colton Washleski.Â
• Dylan Chappell entered 2025-26 with 88 career wins and the fifth-year senior added three to his ledger at the Navy Classic, picked up a victory in the Wisconsin dual, and added three more at the Bucknell Quad. He looks to become the next Bison grappler to reach the 100-win milestone. Kurt Phipps was the last Bucknell wrestler to achieve the distinction, earning number 100 against Anthony Noto (Lock Haven) on Jan. 30, 2025.Â
• Bucknell posted its third straight top 25 recruiting class, providing an even greater pool of talent for the program. The depth has been on display with the Bison taking every ranked foe to the bitter end and routing Morgan State and Hofstra, despite missing several starters. .Â
• Head coach Dan Wirnsberger is in his 20th season with the Bison and his 21th year leading the program since its revival in 2005.Â
A Look Back at the Bucknell Quad
• Bucknell went 2-1 at the event, defeating EIWA foes Hofstra and Morgan State but falling to ACC opponent Virginia.Â
• The Bison routed Morgan State 50-0 for the largest win since a 51-0 defeat of Sacred Heart on Dec. 17, 2011.
• The Orange & Blue collected three pins and two technical falls, combined with two MSU forfeits to overwhelm the outmatched foe.Â
• Virginia edged Bucknell 19-18 in a thrilling match. The Bison led 18-13 before the Wahoo won back-to-back decisions to escape with the win.Â
• The Bison were hampered by No. 10 Dillon Bechtold (197) and No. 15 Myles Takats' absence due to injury. Virginia's unranked wrestlers scored eight points in the weight classes.Â
• Cade Wirnsberger (157) pulled off the upset of the day by defeating No. 24 Colton Washleski in a gritty 4-3 decision.Â
• Bucknell completed the day with a comfortable 31-7 dismantling of Hofstra. The victory moved Bucknell to 2-0 in conference action.Â
Scouting Midlands Championships/Series History
• This is the 61st Midlands Championships.
• Host school Northwestern enters the competition at 2-1 with wins over Lock Haven and Princeton.
• The competition returns to Northwestern's campus for the first time in six years.Â
• Bucknell and Franklin & Marshall are the only EIWA schools present at the Midlands. Former EIWA program Harvard will be in attendance.
• Bucknell has competed seven times at the Midlands Championships. The first occurrence came during the 1990-91 season and the latest visit occurred last year where the Bison finished seventh - the highest placement in program history, breaking the old mark of 13th in 1990-91 and 2009-10.Â
A Look Ahead
• The Bison return to EIWA play on Jan. 4 with a trip to LIU.Â
Â
Players Mentioned
184
/ Wrestling
197
/ Wrestling
174/184
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
285
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
285
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
157
/ Wrestling
157
/ WrestlingMen's And Women's Basketball New Year's Resolutions
Friday, December 26
Men's And Women's Basketball Holiday Traditions
Tuesday, December 23
Bucknell Women's Basketball Post Game: December 20 vs Gwynedd Mercy
Saturday, December 20
In The Herd: Bison Quad Preview
Thursday, December 18