Dan Wirnsberger spent the previous three years rebuilding the Bloomsburg University program from a 1-13 disaster the year before he took over to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion and top-25 status in 2005.
He did so with a lot of work in the wrestling room.
Now being given the opportunity to re-start Bucknell’s program, Wirnsberger knew he needed more help. So, he turned to the biggest name in American wrestling history: Dan Gable.
Gable will be on the Lewisburg campus this weekend for a dinner Saturday night and a clinic Sunday morning. Forty-four Bucknell recruits and dozens of coaches will be among the 500 in attendance at Sunday’s clinic in Gerhard Fieldhouse at 10 a.m.
It would appear to be a great start on the road back for Bucknell wrestling.
“I’ve never been in this situation before, “Wirnsberger, a former All-American at Michigan State, admitted. “I don’t know everything. We needed exposure quickly in the local and wrestling communities. There’s no bigger name out there than Dan Gable. It turned out to be an ideal situation for him.”
Gable was part of the announcement in the spring that Bucknell was to bring wrestling back after being designated as a varsity club sport after the 2001-02 season.
Wirnsberger put in a call to the 1972 Olympic champion, who only needed a few days to think about it before committing to the weekend.
“After that, it was just a matter of working out a date that worked for everyone, “Wirnsberger said.
Bucknell’s announcement in late 2004 to re-start the program as a Division I varsity sport came largely because of 1962 graduate Bill Graham’s $5.6 million endowment.
The Bison are members of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association this season, but have only six or seven competitors who will try to compete in the 2006 tournament season. They will be compete in dual competition starting with the 2006-07 season.
“We’re making the best of this year, “Wirnsberger said. “We’re trying to look at the big picture. But, it’s a real challenge building a program from scratch.”
Despite those difficulties, Wirnsberger has made it clear he comes here with high expectations of himself and the program. He said his first recruiting class will go a long way in determining the pace at which things progress.
Having prospective competitors coming to campus this weekend to see the facilities and learn from a legend would seem like a great move.
“I’ve always had confidence in myself as a competitor, assistant coach and head coach, “he said. “I’ve always carried myself with that. I definitely know it’s a matter of not if, but when. I’d like to (get things turned around) in three to four years. This next recruiting class will define the program’s direction.”
For now, Wirnsberger, assistant coach Larry Sprecher and the half dozen wrestlers make the most of their mat time.
“Our goal, I know some people think it’s laughable, is to go to the EIWA Championships and win a point, “Wirnsberger said. “Win one match. It’s realistic for us.”
But pulling off this weekend is Wirnsberger’s first goal. Just being able to get potential wrestlers and coaches from all over the region to see what Bucknell has to offer is a big win for the first-year coach.
It will be a more exciting two days than Wirnsberger and Sprecher have had in a long time.
“We’ve been spending three hours a night, five nights a week, making recruiting calls, “Wirnsberger said. “But this is a great opportunity for me professionally and personally. It’s a different challenge in my life. It will make me a better coach.
“This university sells itself. The facilities, the commitment.
“This is the right place and right time for me.”
For wrestling enthusiasts, Gerhard Fieldhouse would seem to be the ideal place to be come Sunday morning.
n Sports editor Tom Housenick covers college sports for The Daily Item. E-mail comments to [email protected].
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