Dan Wirnsberger, Head Coach
Dan Wirnsberger was named the 15th coach of the Bucknell wrestling program on May 10, 2005.
Hired to guide Bucknell’s wrestling 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 142. He has accumulated 168 victories in his career, which includes 26 in three seasons at Bloomsburg. His 100th career victory came in December 2014 against Hofstra at the Grapple at the Garden.
Read more about Coach Wirnsberger.
Tyler Smith, Coach
Four-time NCAA qualifier Tyler Smith returned to Bucknell as a volunteer assistant wrestling coach in August 2021. He was elevated to a full-time assistant coach in September 2022.
Smith, who graduated from Bucknell in 2018 ranked ninth in program history with 107 career victories, was the head wrestling coach at the United States Military Academy Preparatory School from 2019 to 2021. While at West Point Prep, he also served as the Director of the West Point Regional Training Center, working in tandem with the Army West Point coaching staff.
Read more about Coach Smith.
Donny Ooton, Coach
Donny Ooton, who helped coach the Bison in 2009 and 2010, made his return to the staff in July, 2023. Ooton has spent the previous 13 years holding various coaching positions in his home state of Virginia while also pursuing a professional MMA career. He accumulated an 11-1 amateur record in the sport as well a 5-2 professional record.
Outside of his five-year MMA career, Ooton spent time as an assistant coach with Virginia Team Predator, was head coach at Glen Allen High School for a time, and has been a program director with Atlantic Shores Christian Schools.
While leading the Glen Allen Jaguars, Ooton coached six individual 5A state qualifiers, a 2016 Virginia state placer, as well as the 2015 Virginia state champion at 171 lbs.
Read more about Coach Ooton.