Saturday, March 8
Bethlehem, Pa.
10 a.m.
Bucknell University
vs
EIWA Championships
Photo by: Brett Newcomb
Wrestling Earns Four NCAA Bids, Phipps Wins EIWA Title, Team Finishes Fifth at EIWA Championships
3/8/2025 3:05:00 PM | Wrestling
BETHLEHEM, Pa.- Bucknell wrestling enjoyed a banner campaign at the 2025 EIWA Championships with Kurt Phipps's title in the 133-pound class headlining the results. The Bison earned four NCAA bids overall and placed fifth with 114 points - only 2.5 behind third-place Army and Navy. Fifth place is Bucknell's highest finish since the 2015-16 season when Bucknell won third. Eight of Bucknell's ten wrestlers notched a placement.Â
"You feel good about having eight place-winners out of ten," said head coach Dan Wirnsberger. "We brought so much energy and put in such effort into the bouts. Our guys put themselves on the line. Three guys in the finals was great. To have an EIWA champion in Phipps and put four guys in the NCAA Championships, and hopefully Takats makes it, was awesome."
Kurt Phipps (133) entered the finals bout knowing he needed to win to guarantee a return to the NCAA Championships. The fifth-year senior faced a dangerous foe in fourth-seeded Kyle Waterman of the Drexel Dragons. Waterman had upset the one-seeded wrestler the previous day. Phipps proved a dragonslayer, winning a 7-5 match in a contest not as close the score indicated. The taciturn wrestler described his championship process:
"I entered a bout with the mindset to have fun and control what I can," said Phipps. "That is how I approach every match here."
Phipps combined a takedown and a near fall in the second period to build a 5-0 lead before Waterman gained a reversal with two seconds left. The Bison wrestler grabbed an escape point in the third period and gained a point of riding time. He allowed Waterman a meaningless takedown with six seconds left and celebrated his victory with a wry smile. Phipps will head to his third NCAA Championships.DRAGONSLAYER!
— Bucknell Wrestling (@Bucknell_WRST) March 8, 2025
Phipps wins the EIWA Championship at 133 pounds over Drexel's Kyler Waterman and books his NCAA ticket!
Our fifth EIWA winner in program history!@FloWrestling#rayBucknell | #OurWay pic.twitter.com/rR9HG6tLN4
"I saw determination," said Wirnsberger. "He is a determined wrestler. He is experienced and savvy. He shines on the biggest stage and proved it again. You could see his will to win during the match."
Phipps's victory marks Bucknell's fifth EIWA individual title and the first since Zach Hartman (165) in 2021. His win also matched his coach Bucknell legend Tyler Smith for ninth in Bison history with 107.Â
"I had no idea about that milestone," said Phipps. "It is awesome to part of that legacy. I know I was here last time it happened with Hartman. It was during my freshman year. It is cool to win one myself."
Dylan Chappell (141) faced a challenging task in his finals wrestling No. 7 nationally ranked Josh Koderhandt (Navy). The Bison senior had already locked up his NCAA bid but he wanted to stand atop the podium for the first time. Chappell started strong with a takedown but lost the plot as Koderhandt grabbed the lead with an escape and a takedown. The situation grew dire as Koderhandt ended the match with a pin at 1:56. The result marked Chappell's third straight EIWA runner up title.Â
Noah Mulvaney (165) advanced to the finals and received an NCAA bid yesterday but did not compete today due to an injury received in his semifinals match. His absence locked in Bucknell's second silver medal.Â
Dillon Bechtold (197) walked into his finals match against the nation's fifth-best wrestler, Michael Beard of Lehigh, on his opponent's home mat. The Bison freshman did not flinch and survived the early onslaught from his experienced foe to fall in a 14-8 decision. The silver medal symbolizes a bright future for the Orange & Blue rookie.Â
Cade Wirnsberger (157) dueled fifth-seeded Brayden Roberts (LIU) in the consolation semifinals and the match was a grueling test of endurance. Roberts led 1-0 due to an escape but Clutch Cade emerged with a time-beating takedown for the 3-1 victory. He entered the third place match against third-seeded Jonathan Ley (Navy). The Midshipman grabbed the lead on an escape and riding time and repeatedly used stalling tactics. The refs only called it once and Wirnsberger dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 bout.Â
Myles Takats (174) suffered the most frustrating result of the day in his match versus Jasiah Queen (Drexel). The Dragon repeatedly milked every second possible before reemerging into the fray. The two wrestlers were tied 4-4 after the first period. They traded escape points for a 5-5 tie. Queen combined an escape, a takedown, and stalling tactics to outlast Takats and grab the NCAA bid. Takats refused to sulk and rebounded with a 9-5 triumph in the fifth-place match over sixth-seeded Caleb Campos (American). The American wrestler led 3-0 early before Takats tied it up 4-4 entering the final period. The Bison grappler unleashed a takedown and riding time for the final score. Takats will await an at-large berth and, due to his resume, stands a good chance of joining his four teammates in Philadelphia.Â
Logan Shephard (285) wrestled second-seeded Brady Colbert (Army) for an NCAA bid in the consolation semifinals. He battled hard against the nationally ranked foe but fell 7-3 as he could not overcome a 6-2 first period. In the fifth-place bout and the final match of the day, he faced LIU's Christopher Powell in a rematch. Shephard won 1-0 the previous day but this bout was higher-scoring. Shephard trailed 4-2 but unleashed a takedown for the 5-4 advantage. Powell forced sudden death via a stalling call. Shephard did not flinch in the highly emotional challenge. He maneuvered for a takedown that survived the review process and ended the EIWA Championships on a positive note for Bucknell.Â174 | Takats wins fifth place! He grinds out an 8-5 win!@FloWrestling #rayBucknell | #OurWay pic.twitter.com/GOzHCFS9ya
— Bucknell Wrestling (@Bucknell_WRST) March 8, 2025
Braden Bower (149) wrestled fifth-seeded Kaemen Smith in the consolation semifinals. He led 1-0 entering the third period but the Naval opponent combined an escape, a takedown, and riding time to offset Bower's escape and a stalling call for the 5-3 win. Bower won fifth place due to Binghamton's Ivan Garcia medically forfeiting.Â285 | Logan Shephard with the sudden death takedown! He clinches fifth place! @FloWrestling #rayBucknell | #OurWay pic.twitter.com/KB4KpbFgvW
— Bucknell Wrestling (@Bucknell_WRST) March 8, 2025
Bechtold, Chappell, Mulvaney, and Phipps will compete in Philadelphia in the NCAA Championships (March 20-22) and will hopefully be joined by Takats. Chappell and Phipps are competing for their third time. Mulvaney will wrestle for his second time and Bechtold is a rookie to the NCAA scene.Â
"I'm super excited to have one more opportunity to compete on the big stage at NCAAs and leave everything I have out there," said Phipps. "We are bringing a squad of guys and I'm thankful I am able to be a part of this team that is raising the bat for Bucknell wrestling."
Team Results
Lehigh 143.5, Drexel 122.5, Army 116.5, Navy 116.5, Bucknell 113, Binghamton 105.5, Hofstra 79.5, American 61, LIU 52, Franklin & Marshall 31, Morgan State 25.5, and Sacred Heart 25
133: #2 Kurt Phipps (1-0)
Finals: W, dec. over #4 Kyle Waterman (Drexel), 7-5
141: #3 Dylan Chappell (0-1)
Finals: L, fall to #1 Josh Koderhandt (Navy), 4-3 (1:56)
149: #11 Braden Bower (1-1)
Consolation Semifinals: L, dec. to #5 Kaemen Smith (Navy), 5-3
5th Place: W, medical forfeit over #3 Ivan Garcia (Binghamton)
157: #4 Cade Wirnsberger (1-1)
Consolation Semifinals: W, dec. over #5 Brayden Roberts (LIU), 3-1
3rd Place: L, dec. to #3 Jonathan Ley (Navy), 2-1
165: #1 Noah Mulvaney (0-1)
Finals: L, medical forfeit to #3 Kyle Mosher (Hofstra)
174: #3 Myles Takats (1-1)
Consolation Semifinals: L, dec. to #4 Jasiah Queen (Drexel), 8-7
5th Place: W, dec. over #6 Caleb Campos (American), 9-5
197: Dillon Bechtold (0-1)
Finals: L, dec. to #1 Michael Beard (Navy), 14-8
285: #8 Logan Shephard (1-1)
Consolation Semifinals: L, dec. to #2 Brady Colbert (Army), 7-3
5th Place: W, dec. over #9 Christopher Powell (LIU), 8-5 SV
Â
Players Mentioned
197
/ Wrestling
141/149
/ Wrestling
141
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
133
/ Wrestling
285
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
157
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