Bucknell holds off Drexel 21-17 at Drexel University
A string of middleweight bonus wins and an early ranked upset gave Bucknell the margin in a tightly contested EIWA dual in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA — Bucknell edged Drexel 21-17 on Feb. 7, 2026, at Drexel University, building a narrow lead with bonus-point victories in the middle weights and holding off a late Drexel rally.
Bucknell opened momentum when No. 29 Dylan Chappell scored a 2-0 decision at 141 over No. 23 Jordan Soriano, breaking a scoreless match with an escape in the second period and adding a riding-time point in the third.
Drexel responded immediately when Deon Pleasant recorded a 19-4 technical fall at 149, a finish that registered five team points and kept the Dragons within reach.
Bucknell seized the decisive advantage with two back-to-back bonus results in the middle of the lineup. No. 19 Myles Takats posted an 18-5 major decision at 174, and No. 32 Tyler Bienus followed with a 16-1 technical fall at 184 over No. 33 Ethan Wilson. That stretch of bonus-point wins produced the margin Bucknell needed to withstand Drexel’s late surge.
Drexel’s biggest single swing came at 285 when No. 25 Nate Schon pinned No. 33 Lucas Lawler; the fall counted for six team points. The pin cut the deficit but arrived after Bucknell had compiled its middleweight cushion.
Bucknell also earned key decisions elsewhere in the lineup. Bryce Manera beat Drexel’s No. 33 Kyle Waterman 12-7 at 133, No. 26 Noah Mulvaney defeated Cody Walsh 6-3 at 165, and No. 27 Dillon Bechtold edged Ibrahim Ameer 5-4 at 197. Drexel’s Luke Nichter picked up a 2-1 decision at 157 over No. 32 Cade Wirnsberger, and Drexel’s Oumar Tounkara opened the dual with a 14-7 decision at 125.
The combination of Chappell’s ranked upset at 141 and Bucknell’s two middleweight bonus outcomes proved the deciding factor in the 21-17 dual result in Philadelphia.