Morrill joins Bucknell staff as assistant coach

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell head wrestling coach Dan Wirnsberger announced Tuesday that Eric Morrill has joined his staff as an assistant coach.

Morrill, who spent the past three seasons in the same position at Ohio University, replaces long-time assistant coach Jim Gibson, who left in late March for a head coaching position at the Virginia Military Institute.

"We're extremely thrilled to have Eric join our staff," Wirnsberger said. "He will play a vital role in helping us take the necessary steps to compete at the top of the EIWA. He brings a wealth of experience to our organization and will be able to hit the ground running. We're expecting him to have a big influence on the development of our lightweight wrestlers."

At Ohio University, Morill helped mentor one All-American and 11 NCAA qualifiers. In 2015-16, his first season with the program, a record seven Bobcats qualified for the NCAA Championships, with Cody Walters earning All-American accolades for the second year in a row.

Ohio University finished third at the 2016 MAC Championships and fifth at the 2018 edition. The Bobcats went an impressive 13-3 during the 2015-16 campaign and, over the course of Morrill's time in Athens, had one wrestler win a MAC title and three finish as MAC runner-up. The program also brought in its highest ranked recruiting class, with three recruits slotted in the top 100 nationally.

Before joining the Bobcat staff, Morill spent four seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at ACC powerhouse Virginia Tech. During his time in Blacksburg, the Hokies won the 2013 and 2014 ACC Championships and placed a then program-best eighth at the 2014 NCAA Championships. Morill worked directly with nine All-Americans and the first NCAA finalist in school history.

Morrill was a three-time NCAA qualifier at Edinboro University, where he graduated in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in Health Studies. Morrill, who wrestled at 125 pounds his first three seasons before bumping up to the 133-pound weight class as a senior, posted a 90-45 record. As a junior, he compiled a 31-9 ledger and was ranked as high as fourth in the country. As a senior, he went 24-10, won an Eastern Wrestling League title and qualified for the NCAA Championships at his new weight class. He also placed second at the EWL Championships as a sophomore and fourth as a true freshman.

Morrill received his master's degree in 2017 from Ohio University in Recreation & Sport Sciences with a concentration in Coaching Education and his Health Counselor Certification in 2013 from the Institute of Integrated Nutrition.