Friday, March 7
Bethlehem, Pa.
10 a.m.
Bucknell University
vs
EIWA Championships
Four Bison Wrestlers Advance to Finals, Three Grapplers Clinch NCAA Bids After Day One of EIWA Championships
3/7/2025 8:30:00 PM | Wrestling
BETHLEHEM, Pa.- Bucknell wrestling enjoyed a banner day one at the EIWA Championships with four finalists and three grapplers clinching NCAA bids. The Bison sit in second place with 101.5 points, only 18.5 away from first place Lehigh. Dillon Bechtold (197), Dylan Chappell (141), Noah Mulvaney (165), and Kurt Phipps (133) all made the finals while the first three wrestlers have earned NCAA bids. Phipps will wrestle tomorrow for a NCAA slot.
"Great day for our guys," said head coach Dan Wirnsberger. "We competed with determination. I am excited for the four guys in the finals and the other three guys still alive in the backside for third place. Championships are won on day two, so we expect our guys to be ready to compete for themselves and the team. The key to today was our guys are finding ways to win and are showing their competitive spirit."
Chappell (141) entered as the third seed and won his opening dual against sixth-seeded Rich Treanor (Army) with a takedown and an escape for the 4-0 victory. He dueled second-seeded Jordan Soriano (Drexel) in the semifinals and pulled out a thrilling 9-8 victory. Chappell led 4-2 after the first three minutes using a takedown and an escape to counter Soriano's reversal. He outscored Soriano 4-0 in the second round utilizing the same combo. In the final segment, Soriano gathered three points on a reversal and a technical violation called on Chappell. The Bison wrestler earned a pivotal escape point. Soriano scored a takedown as time expired but it was too late for the Drexel Dragon. Chappell advanced to tomorrow's finals and earned his third NCAA bid.
Cade Wirnsberger (157) fought a pair of teeth-clenching duals. The fourth-seeded Bison opened his day against 12th-seeded Joshua Greenwood (Morgan State) and prevailed 1-0 thanks to a second period escape. He faced Lehigh's top-seeded Logan Rozynski in the semifinals. Wirnsberger fought valiantly against the powerhouse and only fell 2-1. He will face fifth-seeded Brayden Roberts (LIU) tomorrow in the consolation semifinals.
Braden Bower (149), seeded 11th, won his opening round match in an upset over sixth-seeded Noah Tapia (Hofstra). Bower trailed 1-0 entering the final period but used an escape & takedown combo to win. The same situation faced him in his next dual versus third-seeded Ivan Garcia (Binghamton) but the Bearcats wrestler prevailed 7-2. Relegated to the consolation rounds, Bower emerged victorious beating ninth-seeded Josh Hillard (Franklin & Marshall) 2-0. Bower wrestles tomorrow against Navy's Kaemen Smith in the consolation semifinals.
Logan Shephard (285), slotted eighth, pulled out the 1-0 win over ninth-seeded Christopher Powell (LIU) in his first match. An escape in the second round was the only point. He faced nationally-ranked first-seeded Owen Trephan (Lehigh) in the quarterfinals and lost 17-4. Shephard regrouped to defeat tenth-seeded Brody Kline (Franklin & Marshall) 15-4 and upset fourth-seeded William Jarrell (American) 7-1. All the scoring occurred in the final period. Shephard gained two takedowns and riding time. Jarrell was ranked #29 in the latest Intermat poll. He will face second-seeded Brady Colbert in tomorrow's consolation semifinals. Since the EIWA heavyweight allocation is four wrestlers, one more win sends Shephards to the NCAA Championships.
Logan Deacetis (184), seeded fifth, started his day with a massive 16-1 tech fall win over 12-seeded Noah Bash (Franklin & Marshall). He dropped his next match in the quarterfinals to fifth-seeded Ross McFarland (Hofstra), 7-3. Deacetis earned a takedown in the third period but it was not enough to overcome the deficit. His Bison career ended in the consolations with a 6-2 defeat to sixth-seeded Jakob Gilfoil (Army). His two escapes were outdone by Gilfoil's two takedowns.
Chris Nucifora (125), seeded 11th, dropped his opening match to sixth-seeded Nick Treaster (Navy) 13-0. His season ended in the consolation round losing 18-1 to fifth-seeded Robert Sagaris (LIU).
Day two of the EIWA Championships starts tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Lehigh's Stabler Arena.
Team Scoring
Lehigh 120, Bucknell 101.5, Drexel 93.5, Army 93, Binghamton 90, Navy 85, Hofstra 62.5, American 58, LIU 43, Franklin & Marshall 26, Sacred Heart 22, Morgan State 20
125: #11 Chris Nucifora (0-2)
Round of 16: L, major dec. to #6 Nick Treaster (Navy), 13-0
Consolation Round of 8: L, tech fall to #5 Robert Sagaris (LIU), 18-1 (6:17)
133: Kurt Phipps (2-0)
Quarterfinals: W, major dec. over #7 Raymond Lopez (American), 11-1
Semifinals: W, dec. over #3 Matthew Lopes (Lehigh), 5-4
141: Dylan Chappell (2-0)
Quarterfinals: W, dec. over #6 Rich Treanor (Army), 4-0
Semifinals: W, dec. over #2 Jordan Soriano (Drexel), 9-8
149: Braden Bower (3-1)
Round of 16: W, dec. over #6 Noah Tapia (Hofstra), 4-1
Quarterfinals: L, dec. to #3 Ivan Garcia (Binghamton), 7-2
Consolation Round of 8: W, medical forfeit by Yannis Charles (Morgan State)
Consolation Round of 4: W, dec. over Josh Hillard (Franklin & Marshall), 2-0
157: Cade Wirnsberger (1-1)
Quarterfinals: W, dec. over #12 Joshua Greenwood (Morgan State), 1-0
Semifinals: L, dec. to #1 Logan Rozynski (Lehigh), 2-1
165: Noah Mulvaney (2-0)
Quarterfinals: W, major dec. over #8 Cody Walsh (Drexel), 12-1
Semifinals: W, dec. over #5 Carter Baer (Binghamton), 10-8
174: Myles Takats (1-1)
Quarterfinals: W, fall over #6 Christian Campos (American), 7-1 (4:53)
Semifinals: L, dec. to #2 Brevin Cassella (Binghamton), 8-6
184: Logan Deacetis (1-2)
Round of 16: W, tech fall over #12 Noah Bash (Franklin & Marshall), 16-1 (4:41)
Quarterfinals: L, dec. to #4 Ross McFarland (Hofstra), 7-3
Consolation Round of 8: L, dec. to Jakob Gilfoil (Army), 6-2
197: Dillon Bechtold (2-0)
Quarterfinals: W, dec. over #7 Nikolas Miller (Hofstra), 7-5
Semifinals: W, dec. over #3 Mickey O'Malley (Drexel), 4-1 (SV-1)
285: Logan Shephard (3-1)
Round of 16: W, dec. over #9 Christopher Powell (LIU), 1-0
Quarterfinals: L, major dec. to #1 Owen Trephan (Lehigh), 17-4
Consolation Round of 8: W, major dec. over #10 Brody Kline (Franklin & Marshall), 15-4
Consolation Round of 4: W, dec. over #4 William Jarrell (American), 7-1
"Great day for our guys," said head coach Dan Wirnsberger. "We competed with determination. I am excited for the four guys in the finals and the other three guys still alive in the backside for third place. Championships are won on day two, so we expect our guys to be ready to compete for themselves and the team. The key to today was our guys are finding ways to win and are showing their competitive spirit."
Chappell (141) entered as the third seed and won his opening dual against sixth-seeded Rich Treanor (Army) with a takedown and an escape for the 4-0 victory. He dueled second-seeded Jordan Soriano (Drexel) in the semifinals and pulled out a thrilling 9-8 victory. Chappell led 4-2 after the first three minutes using a takedown and an escape to counter Soriano's reversal. He outscored Soriano 4-0 in the second round utilizing the same combo. In the final segment, Soriano gathered three points on a reversal and a technical violation called on Chappell. The Bison wrestler earned a pivotal escape point. Soriano scored a takedown as time expired but it was too late for the Drexel Dragon. Chappell advanced to tomorrow's finals and earned his third NCAA bid.
Mulvaney (165), entered the competition as the one seed, won his opening round match 12-1 over eighth-seeded Cody Walsh (Drexel). Mulvaney controlled the entire match leading 4-0 entering the final round. He closed out the dual with two more takedown, an escape, and riding time. The Bison sophomore ran into a possible Cinderella story in fifth-seeded Cody Barr (Binghamton). Barr built up a 7-3 lead and looked poised for the upset. Mulvaney unleashed one takedown and then gained a point from a stall call. He still trailed 8-7 with four seconds remaining when he managed another takedown for the 10-8 nailbiter. The result pushed Mulvaney into the finals and stamped his ticket to the NCAA Championships.THRICE IS NICE!
— Bucknell Wrestling (@Bucknell_WRST) March 7, 2025
Chappell wins 9-8 to make the 141-pound finals and clinch his third NCAA trip! @FloWrestling #rayBucknell | #OurWay pic.twitter.com/M4C4lEnqW0
Bechtold (197), slotted as the second seed, avoided the first round upset with a 7-5 victory over Nikolas Miller (Hofstra). Bechtold used two takedowns in the first period to lead 6-1. The differential proved insurmountable despite Miller scoring four points in the second period. Bechtold added an insurance escape point in the final round. His semifinals match against third-seeded Mickey O'Malley (Drexel) was one of the day's most tension-filled bouts. Both wrestlers could only gain a single point in regulation necessitating a sudden victory set-up. Bechtold stepped up and earned a takedown for the 4-1 win, clinching a finals berth and an NCAA bid.MAIN MAN MULVANEY!
— Bucknell Wrestling (@Bucknell_WRST) March 8, 2025
He rallies from 5-1 down and pulls out the epic 10-8 win! He advances to the finals and qualifies for the NCAA Championships!@FloWrestling #rayBucknell | #OurWay pic.twitter.com/XxBdGZAeyZ
Phipps (133), ranked as the second seed and a fifth-year senior, is an old hat to the EIWA scene. He dispatched seven-seeded Raymond Lopez (American) 11-1 via three takedowns, one escape, and riding time. Phipps faced rival Lehigh's Matthew Lopes, slotted as the third-seed and ranked 24th in Intermat's latest poll, in the semifinals and gutted out a 5-4 win. The Bison elder statesman had a 1-0 lead entering the final period but Lopes seized the advantage with a takedown. Phipps combined an escape and a takedown to surge ahead. Lehigh threw the challenge brick but the refs saw nothing and Phipps earned his finals berth. The EIWA only received one allocation at the 133-weight, so Phipps must win tomorrow's championship bout to guarantee NCAA participation.BIG TIME BECHTOLD!
— Bucknell Wrestling (@Bucknell_WRST) March 8, 2025
Bechtold wins the sudden victory to clinch a finals berth and a trip to the NCAAs!@FloWrestling #rayBucknell | #OurWay pic.twitter.com/WkzJRXx9CS
Myles Takats (174), penciled as the third-seeded, won his opening dual with a pin. He led 7-1 over American's Caleb Campos when he locked down the pin at 4:53. He advanced to the semifinals against second-seeded Brevin Cassella (Binghamton) and lost a back-and-forth 8-6 affair. The first period was full of action as Cassella notched two takedowns and Takats posted a reversal and an escape. The wrestlers traded points in the second period. In the final round, Cassella was called for stalling but gained the point back with an escape. Takats clawed for a takedown but was denied and Cassella earned the win. Takats faces Jasiah Queen (Drexel) tomorrow in the semifinals and only needs one win to clinch NCAA participation.FINAL PHIPPS!
— Bucknell Wrestling (@Bucknell_WRST) March 7, 2025
Phipps (133) is through to the finals! He earns a 5-4 victory over Lehigh's Lopes!@FloWrestling #rayBucknell | #OurWay pic.twitter.com/s4vpwTBqr4
Cade Wirnsberger (157) fought a pair of teeth-clenching duals. The fourth-seeded Bison opened his day against 12th-seeded Joshua Greenwood (Morgan State) and prevailed 1-0 thanks to a second period escape. He faced Lehigh's top-seeded Logan Rozynski in the semifinals. Wirnsberger fought valiantly against the powerhouse and only fell 2-1. He will face fifth-seeded Brayden Roberts (LIU) tomorrow in the consolation semifinals.
Braden Bower (149), seeded 11th, won his opening round match in an upset over sixth-seeded Noah Tapia (Hofstra). Bower trailed 1-0 entering the final period but used an escape & takedown combo to win. The same situation faced him in his next dual versus third-seeded Ivan Garcia (Binghamton) but the Bearcats wrestler prevailed 7-2. Relegated to the consolation rounds, Bower emerged victorious beating ninth-seeded Josh Hillard (Franklin & Marshall) 2-0. Bower wrestles tomorrow against Navy's Kaemen Smith in the consolation semifinals.
Logan Shephard (285), slotted eighth, pulled out the 1-0 win over ninth-seeded Christopher Powell (LIU) in his first match. An escape in the second round was the only point. He faced nationally-ranked first-seeded Owen Trephan (Lehigh) in the quarterfinals and lost 17-4. Shephard regrouped to defeat tenth-seeded Brody Kline (Franklin & Marshall) 15-4 and upset fourth-seeded William Jarrell (American) 7-1. All the scoring occurred in the final period. Shephard gained two takedowns and riding time. Jarrell was ranked #29 in the latest Intermat poll. He will face second-seeded Brady Colbert in tomorrow's consolation semifinals. Since the EIWA heavyweight allocation is four wrestlers, one more win sends Shephards to the NCAA Championships.
Logan Deacetis (184), seeded fifth, started his day with a massive 16-1 tech fall win over 12-seeded Noah Bash (Franklin & Marshall). He dropped his next match in the quarterfinals to fifth-seeded Ross McFarland (Hofstra), 7-3. Deacetis earned a takedown in the third period but it was not enough to overcome the deficit. His Bison career ended in the consolations with a 6-2 defeat to sixth-seeded Jakob Gilfoil (Army). His two escapes were outdone by Gilfoil's two takedowns.
Chris Nucifora (125), seeded 11th, dropped his opening match to sixth-seeded Nick Treaster (Navy) 13-0. His season ended in the consolation round losing 18-1 to fifth-seeded Robert Sagaris (LIU).
Day two of the EIWA Championships starts tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Lehigh's Stabler Arena.
Team Scoring
Lehigh 120, Bucknell 101.5, Drexel 93.5, Army 93, Binghamton 90, Navy 85, Hofstra 62.5, American 58, LIU 43, Franklin & Marshall 26, Sacred Heart 22, Morgan State 20
125: #11 Chris Nucifora (0-2)
Round of 16: L, major dec. to #6 Nick Treaster (Navy), 13-0
Consolation Round of 8: L, tech fall to #5 Robert Sagaris (LIU), 18-1 (6:17)
133: Kurt Phipps (2-0)
Quarterfinals: W, major dec. over #7 Raymond Lopez (American), 11-1
Semifinals: W, dec. over #3 Matthew Lopes (Lehigh), 5-4
141: Dylan Chappell (2-0)
Quarterfinals: W, dec. over #6 Rich Treanor (Army), 4-0
Semifinals: W, dec. over #2 Jordan Soriano (Drexel), 9-8
149: Braden Bower (3-1)
Round of 16: W, dec. over #6 Noah Tapia (Hofstra), 4-1
Quarterfinals: L, dec. to #3 Ivan Garcia (Binghamton), 7-2
Consolation Round of 8: W, medical forfeit by Yannis Charles (Morgan State)
Consolation Round of 4: W, dec. over Josh Hillard (Franklin & Marshall), 2-0
157: Cade Wirnsberger (1-1)
Quarterfinals: W, dec. over #12 Joshua Greenwood (Morgan State), 1-0
Semifinals: L, dec. to #1 Logan Rozynski (Lehigh), 2-1
165: Noah Mulvaney (2-0)
Quarterfinals: W, major dec. over #8 Cody Walsh (Drexel), 12-1
Semifinals: W, dec. over #5 Carter Baer (Binghamton), 10-8
174: Myles Takats (1-1)
Quarterfinals: W, fall over #6 Christian Campos (American), 7-1 (4:53)
Semifinals: L, dec. to #2 Brevin Cassella (Binghamton), 8-6
184: Logan Deacetis (1-2)
Round of 16: W, tech fall over #12 Noah Bash (Franklin & Marshall), 16-1 (4:41)
Quarterfinals: L, dec. to #4 Ross McFarland (Hofstra), 7-3
Consolation Round of 8: L, dec. to Jakob Gilfoil (Army), 6-2
197: Dillon Bechtold (2-0)
Quarterfinals: W, dec. over #7 Nikolas Miller (Hofstra), 7-5
Semifinals: W, dec. over #3 Mickey O'Malley (Drexel), 4-1 (SV-1)
285: Logan Shephard (3-1)
Round of 16: W, dec. over #9 Christopher Powell (LIU), 1-0
Quarterfinals: L, major dec. to #1 Owen Trephan (Lehigh), 17-4
Consolation Round of 8: W, major dec. over #10 Brody Kline (Franklin & Marshall), 15-4
Consolation Round of 4: W, dec. over #4 William Jarrell (American), 7-1
Players Mentioned
197
/ Wrestling
141/149
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
125
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
285
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
157
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