WASHINGTON - In a nailbiting dual that came down to the final bout, a hot start and a strong finish boosted the American University wrestling team to a 23-18 victory over Bucknell at Bender Arena on Friday night. It was AU's first EIWA win of the season, sending the program's seniors off on a high note in the final home dual of the year. 

Notable

• Redshirt freshman Coen Bainey served as a spark plug for AU at 125, pinning Bucknell's Chris Nucifora in just 60 seconds for his first fall of his collegiate career. It was the second time in as many weeks that Bainey earned bonus points for his team out of the gate, as he secured a technical fall against Brown's Jared Brunner last Sunday.
• After Raymond Lopez fell 4-2 to #28 Kurt Phipps, Elijah White got AU back on the board with a dominant major decision over Vinnie D'Alessandro. The senior held a strong grip on the bout the whole way through, securing a takedown, reversal, and four near fall points to cruise to a 10-1 victory. 
• At 149, Gage Owen turned a 9-3 deficit into six points for his team against Kolby DePron. With just over a minute left in the third period, Owen secured a takedown and eventually a pin with 53 seconds remaining. The redshirt freshman joined his classmate, Bainey, with the second fall of the night for the Eagles.
• Freshman Austin Craft earned his first dual victory by way of a major decision at 174, controlling the bout from start to finish and recording two takedowns in the third period to seal the 10-1 win over Creed Thomas. 
• The Bison fought their way back in the dual with a 12-3 major decision at 184 over Lucas White, and a technical fall of Carsten Rawls from #20 Dillon Bechtold at 197. What was once a 16-3 lead for AU had narrowed down to 20-18 going into the final bout. 
• Graduate senior #32 Will Jarrell found himself behind 3-0 in the first period against Logan Shephard, but gutted out an escape and a crucial takedown to end the period with a 4-3 lead. He collected one more escape point in the third period, and held off Shephard to earn dual-sealing victory.
• The win gave Jarrel his 18th of the season, tying him with Maximillian Leete for the team lead. 
• American's nine dual wins is the most the program has had in the last 12 years, having recorded eight victories six times since going 14-7 in 2011 (2011-12, 2014-15, 2017-18, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25). Three of those seasons have come under Head Coach Jason Borrelli, as the team continues to improve under his leadership since 2021. 

Bucknell (W, 23-18 - Feb. 14, 2025)

• 125 - Coen Bainey (AU) pin Chris Nucifora (Bucknell), 0:54 (AU 6-0)
• 133 - Kurt Phipps (Bucknell) dec. Raymond Lopez (AU), 4-2 (AU 6-3)
• 141 - Elijah White (AU) major dec. Vinnie Del'Alessandro, 10-2 (AU 10-3)
• 149 - Gage Owen (AU) pin Kolby DePron (Bucknell), 6:08 (AU 16-3)
• 157 - Cade Wirnsberger (Bucknell) dec. Jack Nies (AU), 6-4 (AU 16-6)
• 165 - Noah Mulvaney (Bucknell) dec. Kaden Milheim (AU), 4-1 (AU 16-9)
• 174 - Austin Craft (AU) major dec. Creed Thomas (Bucknell), 10-1 (AU 20-9)
• 184 - Logan Deacetis (Bucknell) major dec. Lucas White (AU), 11-3 (AU 20-13)
• 197 -Dillon Bechtold (Bucknell) tech. fall Carsten Rawls (AU), 19-4 (AU 20-18)
• 284- Will Jarrell (AU) dec. Logan Shephard (Bucknell), 5-3 (AU 23-18)

Next Up

• The Eagles will be on the road for the rest of the season, beginning with a double dual meet day on Sunday, Feb. 16 at the University of Virginia at 1:00 p.m and at George Mason at 6:00 p.m. Both meets can be watched on ESPN+. 

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