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Did you know Bucknell's Coach was a Kansas High School State Champ? Only a 1 timer in Kansas and a 3 timer in South Carolina.

SC Wrestling Records - 4x State Champs from South Carolina:
J.C. Oddo, Eastside 2004-2007
Matt Leach, Eastside 2003-2006
Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin 1997-2000
Robby Bell, Hillcrest 1995-1998
Dan Wirnsberger, Greer 1987-1990 (3x in SC, State Champ in 1988 Blue Valley, Kansas) [color:#990000] [/color] Barnell Mack, Swansea 1978-1981
James McKinney, Buford 1978-1981
Carl Van Sewell, Airport 1975-1978



Dan Wirnsberger
Position:
Head Coach
Experience:
Sixth Season
Alma Mater:
Michigan State '95



Photo Gallery
Dan Wirnsberger, who officially became the 15th coach of the Bucknell wrestling program on May 10, 2005, enters his eighth year at the helm of the Orange and Blue in 2012-13.
Hired to guide Bucknell's program back into the national spotlight after a four-year hiatus where it was not a varsity sport, Wirnsberger has succeeded and currently ranks second on the Bison career wins list with 55. Ten Bison have combined for 19 NCAA Championships berths under Wirnsberger's guidance, while Andy Rendos and Kevin LeValley each became two-time All-Americans. Bucknell has finished above .500 in three of the last six seasons and has recorded at least .500 marks against EIWA competition four times. After spending a transitional year recruiting and laying the groundwork for a successful program, Wirnsberger brought Bucknell back onto the mat in 2006-07 with flying colors.
Under Wirnsberger's direction, the 2006-07 Bison returned to the mat in grand fashion, setting a school record for dual-meet victories by compiling a record of 12-9-1, 3-3-1 in the EIWA, including a 17-16 win over nationally ranked Columbia. At the EIWA tournament, he led the Orange and Blue to a ninth-place finish out of 14 schools and saw three Bucknell grapplers earn bids to the NCAA Championships. Facing a tougher schedule in its second season back as a varsity program at Bucknell, Wirnsberger helped the squad to a 9-11-1 mark in 2007-08. The Bison posted a 4-4 mark against EIWA competition. Once again, three wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championships and Bucknell moved up one spot to eighth place at the competitive EIWA Championships.
The Bison program took a major stride forward in 2008-09 as Wirnsberger guided Bucknell to a tie for third at the EIWA Championships and helped a school-record six wrestlers earn NCAA berths. Additionally, Andy Rendos became the first Bison to earn All-America honors in 14 years as he placed fifth at NCAAs in the 165-pound weight class. As a team, Bucknell registered 11 wins, giving it a three-year win total of 32, the best stretch in program history.
More milestones were accomplished in 2009-10 as Wirnsberger saw two of his wrestlers earn All-America honors, marking a first for the program. The Bison also tied a school record with 12 victories and finished with an unbeaten EIWA mark. Wirnsberger guided the team to its second consecutive top-five finish at the EIWA Championships as it claimed fourth in the team standings. Highlighting the weekend was Rendos' individual title in the 165-pound bracket, making him the first EIWA champion in program history.
Wirnsberger helped LeValley duplicate Rendos' feat by winning the 149-pound EIWA title and earn his second consecutive All-America citation in 2010-11. He won the EIWA crown at Sojka Pavilion as Wirnsberger oversaw a program that successfully hosted one of the major conference tournaments in the country. The 2011-12 Bison were ravaged by injuries as six projected starters missed significant time during the campaign. Still, there were plenty of positives for Wirnsberger and the young Bucknell squad that featured just one senior as Corey Lear and Austin Miller became first-time NCAA participants.
A three-time wrestling All-American at Michigan State University, Wirnsberger previously served as the head coach of Bloomsburg University's Division I program from 2002 to 2005. As head coach of the Huskies, Wirnsberger qualified 10 student-athletes for the NCAA Tournament, including six in 2005, his final season at the helm, and he coached the program's first-ever Olympic Trials qualifier. He helped four Bloomsburg wrestlers capture Eastern Wrestling League titles and six win PSAC crowns. Named the 2005 PSAC Coach of the Year after leading the Huskies to the team title for the first time since 1990, Wirnsberger's recruiting classes were ranked 14th and 19th, respectively, in 2003 and 2004, while his first two recruiting classes at Bucknell were ranked 14th and 25th by Wrestling International Newsmagazine (W.I.N.). In 2004-05, Bloomsburg posted a 10-6 dual-meet record (4-2 EWL) and crowned three EWL champions while finishing fifth at the league tournament. Prior to becoming head coach of the Huskies, Wirnsberger spent six years as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech, where he helped coach a team that featured three All-Americans and finished in the top-25 at the NCAA Tournament in 2000 (19th) and 2001 (23rd). The Hokies qualified a school-record five wrestlers for NCAAs in 2000, and the following year the program was invited to compete at the National Team Duals at Penn State.
At both Bloomsburg and Virginia Tech, Wirnsberger gained extensive experience in the areas of national recruiting, fundraising and summer camp administration. A 1995 graduate of Michigan State with a degree in criminal justice, Wirnsberger posted a 35-8 record and was the Big Ten Champion and NCAA runner-up at 158 pounds in 1995. That was his third of three straight All-America plaques, and he earned team Most Valuable Wrestler honors. Overall in his career, Wirnsberger compiled a record of 120-44, the third-most wins in school history. In NCAA competition, he logged 11 victories for the Spartans in three trips to nationals. During his career at Michigan State, the team went from a struggling program to a 12th-place national ranking his sophomore year, 25th his junior year and third in the nation his senior season.
A three-year captain of the Spartans, Wirnsberger continued his wrestling career at the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club while training for the 1997 World Team Trials. He qualified for the trials after placing sixth at the USA Senior Freestyle Tournament, his first senior competition. Participating at a higher weight class of 167 pounds, Wirnsberger defeated such renowned opponents as two-time NCAA champion Marcus Mollica of Arizona State and Iowa's NCAA champion Darryl Weber. Wirnsberger began his coaching career with the Mason (Mich.) Youth Wrestling Program. He later moved back to his native South Carolina, where he served as head wrestling coach at Greer High School. In addition to his head coaching duties, Wirnsberger was the junior varsity football coach and taught classes for autistic students at Greer Middle School.
Wirnsberger resides in Lewisburg, Pa., with his wife, Dana, a former athletic trainer at Bucknell, and their three sons, Cade (8), Max (5) and Chase (3).



Edited by smokeycabin (4 minutes 55 seconds ago)

Last edited by smokeycabin; 12/18/12 02:49 AM.
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Did he wrestle kids in kansas? Maybe he wrestled for east kansas?

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The posts below were from back in 2005

Kansas Universties Take Lessons from Bucknell
smokeycabin
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Registered: 07/07/01
Posts: 3125
Loc: Shawnee Kansas Dan Wirnsberger named head wrestling coach at Bucknell University
5/10/2005
Jon Terry/Bucknell

Former Michigan State All-American Has Been Bloomsburg’s Head Coach Since 2002

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Completing a major step in the reestablishment of the varsity wrestling program at Bucknell, director of athletics and recreation John Hardt today announced that after an extensive national search, Dan Wirnsberger has been named head coach.

A three-time wrestling All-American at Michigan State and the head coach at Bloomsburg University since 2002, Wirnsberger will take over the reins of a year-long transition process that will culminate with the Bucknell wrestling program’s official return to varsity status when classes begin on Aug. 24, 2005.

“Dan Wirnsberger brings a tremendous wrestling background and great enthusiasm to Bucknell, and I am particularly excited that he has taken on the challenge of reconstructing our varsity wrestling program,” said Hardt. “The candidate pool was especially competitive, featuring a national collection of applicants with very impressive credentials. In the end, Dan’s commitment to the scholar-athlete and success in the development of competitive programs stood out significantly. As a former Big Ten champion and NCAA finalist, he knows first-hand what it takes to succeed at the national level.”

Founded in 1947, the Bucknell wrestling program was designated for club-varsity status following the 2001-02 season, but largely through a generous $5.6 million donation by former Bison wrestler Bill Graham ’62 that also helped fund Bison women’s athletics programs, it was announced in May 2004 that wrestling would return as Bucknell’s 27th varsity sport in 2005-06.

Wirnsberger will be formally introduced at a gathering of Bucknell alumni and other wrestling notables at The Graham Company headquarters in Philadelphia this Thursday evening.

“I am very excited to take over the wrestling program at such a prestigious institution as Bucknell University,” said Wirnsberger. “Through the wonderful generosity of Bill Graham and the support of the University's leadership, there is tremendous potential in this program. This is a great opportunity for me and my family and I look forward to the challenge of leading Bucknell wrestling back to national prominence. I have the background and passion to make this a successful experience for the student-athletes. I am proud to be affiliated with an institution that places such a positive emphasis on the scholar-athlete model. I know what it takes to succeed at the highest level of Division I wrestling and look forward to instilling that same attitude into future Bison student-athletes.”

As head coach of Bloomsburg’s Division I wrestling program for the last three seasons, Wirnsberger qualified 10 student-athletes for the NCAA Tournament, including six in 2005, and he coached the program’s first-ever Olympic Trials qualifier. He helped four Huskies win Eastern Wrestling League titles and six win PSAC crowns. Named the 2005 PSAC Coach of the Year after leading Bloomsburg to the team title for the first time in 10 years, Wirnsberger’s recruiting classes were ranked 14th and 19th, respectively, in 2003 and 2004. In 2004-05, the Huskies posted a 10-6 dual-meet record (4-2 EWL) and crowned three EWL champions while finishing fifth at the league tournament.

Prior to becoming head coach at Bloomsburg, Wirnsberger spent six years as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech, where he helped coach a team that featured three All-Americans and finished in the top-25 at the NCAA Tournament in 2000 (19th) and 2001 (23rd). The Hokies qualified a school-record five wrestlers for NCAA’s in 2000, and the following year the program was invited to compete at the National Team Duals at Penn State.

At both Bloomsburg and Virginia Tech, Wirnsberger gained extensive experience in the areas of national recruiting, fundraising and summer camp administration.

A 1995 graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in criminal justice, Wirnsberger posted a 35-8 record and was the Big Ten Champion and NCAA runner-up at 158 pounds in 1995. That was his third of three straight All-America plaques, and he earned team Most Valuable Wrestler honors. Overall in his career, Wirnsberger compiled a record of 120-44, third most wins in school history. In NCAA competition, he logged 11 wins for the Spartans in three trips to nationals. During his career at Michigan State, the team went from a struggling program to a 12th-place national ranking his sophomore year, 25th his junior year and third in the nation his senior season.

A three-year captain of the Spartans, Wirnsberger continued his wrestling career at the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club while training for the 1997 World Team Trials. He qualified for the trials after placing sixth at the USA Senior Freestyle Tournament, his first senior competition. Participating at a higher weight class of 167 pounds, Wirnsberger defeated such renowned opponents as two-time NCAA champion Marcus Mollica of Arizona State and Iowa's NCAA champion Darryl Weber.

Wirnsberger began his coaching career with the Mason (Mich.) Youth Wrestling Program. He later moved back to his native South Carolina, where he served as head wrestling coach at Greer High School. In addition to his head coaching duties, Wirnsberger was the junior varsity football coach and taught classes for autistic students at Greer Middle School.

Still to be announced as part of the Bison wrestling program’s transitional process is a future conference affiliation and competition schedule for next season.

Bucknell is a highly-selective, privately endowed liberal arts institution with an enrollment of approximately 3,550 undergraduate students. Bucknell competes in NCAA Division I and competes in 23 sports as a member of the Patriot League with full membership along with American, Army, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy. Bucknell has won the Presidents’ Cup, signifying the Patriot League’s all-sports champion, in 11 of 14 years, including the last seven in a row.

Bucknell has finished in the top 10 nationally in the graduation rates of its student athletes in each year the NCAA has conducted such a survey. Three times in that span Bucknell ranked FIRST in the nation in graduation rates, including 2004. In addition, Bucknell ranks third in Division I in the total number of ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America selections, with 109 national honorees since 1970.

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#87472 - 05/16/05 09:53 PM Re: Kansas Universties Take Lessons from Bucknell
Eric A
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Registered: 12/17/04
Posts: 40
Loc: Kansas, USA Wirnsberger was a 4x state champ. Two of those titles he won in Kansas wrestling for Blue Valley North.

He had only two losses in his HS career, and he is also 3rd on the all-time win list at Michigan State. And now he has held two Division One head coaching jobs.

Representing the state quite well!

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#87473 - 05/17/05 05:59 AM Re: Kansas Universties Take Lessons from Bucknell
Husker Fan
Member

Registered: 03/06/02
Posts: 2378
Loc: Overland Park, KS Eric,

Dan Wirnsberger appears to be another wrestler with a Kansas background forced to wrestle and coach out of Kansas since we do not have a Division I program. I hope that someday you get that opportunity to coach at a Division I Kansas university. It really is a shame that opportunity is not there today. Yes I agree that he like you has represented Kansas very well. There is a big list of guys like you two that have represented Kansas well. It is just too bad that you great Kansas wrestlers did not have the choice to do that in Kansas and still wrestle Division I.

Smokeycabin, from your paragraph above:

"Founded in 1947, the Bucknell wrestling program was designated for club-varsity status following the 2001-02 season, but largely through a generous $5.6 million donation by former Bison wrestler Bill Graham ’62 that also helped fund Bison women’s athletics programs, it was announced in May 2004 that wrestling would return as Bucknell’s 27th varsity sport in 2005-06."

That is an amazing story! We might need to find such an affluent and generous KU, KSU or WSU graduate. It is would be hard to accept the Kansas wrestling community having to come up with that much money to get NCAA Division I wrestling started at a State university though and having to try to raise enough to support two sports due to Title IX requirements. If every sport was forced to that we would probably just have football and basketball at most universities and a few women's sports to complement them for Title IX. Bucknell must sure have a lot of generous donors to be able to fund 27 sports! What does KU have about 18?
_________________________
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Wrestling All Americans


Dan Wirnsberger (1993 - 1995)

High School: Green, South Carolina

Tournament Placements Season School Tournament Weight Place
1995 Michigan State Division I 158 2nd
1994 Michigan State Division I 158 8th
1993 Michigan State Division I 158 4th


According to what I could dig up he won state in 1988 for Blue Valley North at 132.


Will Cokeley
(708)267-6615
willcokeley@gmail.com

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