While engineering and wrestling are not commonly considered a combination like grilled cheese with tomato soup, red wine, and meat, they share many characteristics. They both value form and finesse over raw, unfeeling savagery. A wrestler is a technician. He is not unthinking or without intelligence. He must consider each move with the careful consideration of a chess paragon lest he find himself in an unsavory position. Bucknell senior wrestler Dylan Chappell knows both positions well. The grappler is a proficient chemical engineering major and one of the nation's best in the 141-pound class.

Chappell has quickly moved up the ranks in the Bucknell wrestling hierarchy. His 83 career wins are only second to fifth-year teammate Kurt Phipps among active Bison, and barring injury or misfortune, he should become the 12th Orange & Blue grappler to pass the century mark. (Phipps recently crossed the barrier himself).

"It is an expectation. It is as simple as it comes. It is not that I know I will do it (laughs) but I will do it. God willing with injuries and the national landscape looks like. It is not the number. It is about putting four or five years of solid wrestling together."

His collegiate success originated with the program's emphasis on combat. The Bison coaches preach going into the room and fighting hard. All that work will result in success. The team alternatives between wrestling until someone submits or reinforcing a certain skill. Whatever the method is all match laurels are planted in grueling practice and weight room activities.

He started his career in the 133-pound class and collected a 20-6 record wrestling at numerous open tournaments. His sophomore season witnessed him competing at the 141 and 149 weights posting a 25-11 mark. He finished as the EIWA runner-up at 149 and became a NCAA qualifier. Chappell's junior season provided a 21-11 record and another EIWA runner-up mark as he lost the final match to the No. 1 seed. He earned NCAA qualification and went 1-2 at the National Championships. This season, he sits at 17-7 with a ranked win and slotted #15 in the NCAA Coaches Rankings.

"My weight journey hasn't been steady throughout college. I have wrestled at multiple weights. I know I am a good wrestler and can wrestle at any weight successfully. I have never left seeding bother me. Anything can happen in postseason competition. I go out and wrestle."

His success is more remarkable since he and wrestling did not have a love-at-first-sight moment. Chappell's father was an earnest wrestler, and like Mickey Mantle's dad with baseball, he pushed his son toward the sport. Chappell rebelled at first but generally grew to enjoy the scene. His mental shift occurred in middle school when he realized how skilled he was in the sport.

"My dad wrestled in high school for two years and fell in love with the sport. He wishes he could have started earlier and so started me at age six. I hated it. I cried going to every practice. Most of my coaches didn't think I would pan out because I hated it. I fell in love when I could see that the work I put in was paying off."

Chappell's high school career at Seneca Valley was filled with accolades. He won three WPIAL titles and was a three-time PIAA runner-up. His younger brother followed in his footsteps and currently wrestles at Pitt. The Bison and Panthers faced each other this year. Despite his success, he found it difficult to obtain attention in the cutthroat and auctioneer-like recruiting game.

"It was hard getting myself on the map despite being a runner-up. I never really received any big looks. I went on trips to West Virginia, Virginia, and Bucknell. Those were the three schools that I was interested in."

Like most student-athletes, Chappell was attracted by Bucknell's superior academics. For a dedicated scholar, Bucknell offered the chance for elite studies and participation at the Division I level. His relationship with the Bison's head coach Dan Wirnsberger played a significant role.

"The school prioritized both athletes and academics. I had known Coach Wirnsberger since I attended the Bison duals in middle school. The new Graham Building showcased the program's positive direction. It was the chance to get an education and wrestle for a program where I felt valued. It was an easy decision."

An unexpected Bucknell connection revealed itself during a routine job. Chappell, displaying a typical Bison initiative, started a lawn care service. His neighbor, one of his clients, mentioned how he graduated from Bucknell.

"I would mow his lawn every summer and after I committed to Bucknell, he mentioned how he graduated from there. He immediately gave me a raise and seeing that Bucknell connection was amazing. We still stay in contact."

His collegiate success hasn't changed Chappell's mindset. National rankings are appreciated but he remains dedicated to treating every bout with the correct preparation.

"I try to avoid that mindset. I have never seen rankings as meaning anything. Things change every week. Everyone is a good wrestler and won't lie down. I go there with the same mentality and a chip on my shoulder. The ranking means nothing at the day's end."

His wrestling tactics aren't flashy or showy. They are rooted in fundamentals and core principles. There is no savage berserker mentality but the soul of an efficient machine dedicated to defeating the opposition round by round by any approach possible.

"I am technical and wrestle with a high IQ. I am not the wrestler that will club you super hard. I will always try to find a way to win. You can come back from a deficit quickly with the recent rule changes and all you need to do is have more points than the other guy when the bell rings. There are so many ways to do that. Wirnsberger always talks about testing every position."

Chappell has been a force off the mat and in the classroom. He carries an impressive GPA as a STEM major while playing Division I athletics. Last year, he received the EIWA Academic Achievement Award. He truly embodies the model student-athlete - the modern paladin.

"Coach always harps on it about having the opportunity to wrestle there while pursuing a strong degree. There aren't many avenues for wrestlers outside of college competition. You will provide yourself with the best opportunity by succeeding academically. I chose Bucknell for that reason."

His major, chemical engineering, like many young people's career paths, was generated via an influential high school teacher. His teacher pushed Chappell to pursue chemistry. He was already a STEM prodigy taking multiple math classes and physics. Bucknell's buffet of engineering options allowed Chappell to pigeonhole his preference.

Engineering is a challenging major that demands constant dedication and repetition - like wrestling. As a former engineering major said, "You can't cram for an engineering final the night before." No last-second miracle or the cavalry galloping over the hill will save a neglectful student. But the true hard worker can open multiple doors. Chappell has done so with his projects and research.

The senior has worked on three projects. The first was a Process Safety engineering project with a trio of Bucknell, Ohio State, and Rowan University. The focus was ensuring safety in the Process Safety field. The second project revolved around polymer research on seed oil - seeking more sustainable resources instead of the typical and rapidly dwindling current oils. The final project was on aerosol where Chappell worked on data collection for different types of materials under a microscope. His wide-ranging choices, like various wrestling positions, set him up for success.

"All three projects offered a different avenue to translate to a job someday. I received exposure to different fields and seeing where my interests reside."

Chappell will spend this summer in his first internship at the Perryman Company where they produce titanium products. The company produces ingots capable of holding tons and strong wires thinner than human hairs.

"It is a worldwide company. I want to gain exposure to various engineering projects and manufacturing ways. It will be half in the office and half on the floor."

Chappell likened the pursuit to trying different wrestling positions. The concepts are not dissimilar. Both are avenues to avoid stagnation - a fatal disease that hinders and delays more dreams than procrastination. In athletics and life, one falls behind if they are not moving forward.

"Opening yourself up to different opportunities is like being on the mat when you try different scenarios and positions. You are prepared for any situation. You have to find your passion and lean on those advantages."

Chappell has Coach Wirnsberger for the mat. He has long-time Bucknell professor Jeff Csernica as his de facto coach for engineering. The good professor has been present in Lewisburg since 1989. He is a sports aficionado and recently umpired the 2023 Europe-Africa Regional softball championship in the Czech Republic. As such, he is cognizant and aware of Chappell's athletic responsibilities and does not view them as rivalry.

"He has helped provide opportunities to wrestle and attends the matches. He recognizes both sides are important to me. He grants access to the labs at night or on the weekend whatever works best for me. Professor Csernica has been one of the most influential people here."

The professor offered this quote about Chappell's ability in the classroom.

"Dylan's technical work is very solid, and he also exhibits a strong conceptual ability to see how things happening at the atomic scale influence the behavior of materials and systems of interest to engineers. He has maintained a level of dedication to his academic and athletic pursuits that has allowed him to excel at both."

The 2024-25 season enters its final swing with two more dual meets, the EIWA Championships (March 7-8), and National Championships (March 20-22). Bucknell and Chappell have plenty left to wrestle for. With his fifth-year engineering program, Chappell will return in 2025-26 for an encore. He has his eye on the post-collegiate world but there are still worlds to conquer on the mat.

"I plan to dive deep into the internship. I desire to finish my wrestling career the way middle school and high school Dylan would want and leave a lasting impact on Bucknell wrestling. I will look for a job with the company I interned at or with another professional connection. I plan on using the Bucknell web to find a job. I am ready for it."

Most Bucknell student-athletes leave the Susquehanna Valley optimistic and thankful for choosing the institution. Chappell falls into the same crowd. He will prove to be a good ambassador for the Orange & Blue, like his neighbor.

"I aligned myself so much with the Bucknell wrestling program and the engineering department knowing those two teams changed my life. I wouldn't change anything for the world. When I was here first, Todd Newcomb (Bucknell alum, Director of the Bison Club, and Mr. Orange & Blue) told me, 'You can do anything you want but you can't do everything.' Being able to choose how I aligned myself was extraordinary. I compete at the highest academic and athletic levels. I am thankful for what Bucknell has provided me."

The world is Chappell's to grab with his steady foundation in engineering and wrestling. An EIWA title in the 141-weight pound is possible. The conference is full of elite wrestlers but Chappell knows his angles. His effort isn't built on shifting sand but sturdy concrete. The best building formula is yet to come.

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