Bucknell University Athletics
Youthful Bison Water Polo Team Hopes to Improve upon Last Year's 20-Win Season
8/31/2001 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Aug. 31, 2001
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Don't be surprised to see a batch of new faces bobbing around Freas-Rooke Pool when the Bucknell water polo season gets underway this fall.
After losing five top-notch seniors to graduation, head coach John Zeigler decided it was time to revamp and reeled in seven freshmen over the off-season. His rookie class nearly equals the remainder of his 2001 roster, which consists of three sophomores, three juniors, and two seniors.
"We're definitely a young team," concedes Zeigler, who enters his third season overall as the Bison's head coach, "but there's also a lot of returning talent. We have a good mix of upperclassmen coming back. But with so many freshmen, a lot of our success will depend on how quickly the younger players will learn to mesh with the upperclassmen and understand a new system."
In the first season of his second stint as the team's head coach, Zeigler directed the veteran-led Bison to a solid 21-21 record while facing a very competitive schedule last season. His squad fared well at the Collegiate Water Polo Association and Eastern Championships, finishing third and seventh, respectively, at the events.
In 2001, Zeigler will turn to senior co-captains David Kennedy and Ryan McCarty for much-needed leadership and production.
A seasoned third-year starter, Kennedy provides the Bison with incredible defensive stability from his goalkeeper position. Kennedy has made his mark as one of the finest netminders in Bucknell water polo history, making 653 saves over three seasons between the pipes. Despite playing in just eight games as a freshman, the St. Louis native is on pace to shatter the school record of 833 career saves established by Tony Paxton from 1978-80. After setting the Bucknell single-season record with 393 saves last year, Kennedy was honored as the team's Defensive MVP at the conclusion of the season.
On the other end of the pool, Kennedy's ex-high school teammate, McCarty, will be expected to orchestrate the Bison's offensive attack. The versatile driver and 2-meter man will try to pick up some of the scoring slack left by departed senior standouts Kevin Permisohn (47 goals, 65 assists) and Tate Greditzer (65 goals, 33 assists), the team's top two point-producers a year ago. Last season McCarty led the Bison in goals scored with a career-high 72 tallies, a mark that nearly doubled his total from 1999. He also handed out 14 assists for the season to finish third on the squad with 86 points, and shared the team's Offensive MVP award with Greditzer.
Zeigler is also counting on a pair of returning upperclassmen to continue their outstanding play from a year ago. Sophomore driver and 2-meter man Jamie Saettele, Bucknell's Rookie of the Year last season, was a dangerous offensive weapon in 2000, finishing third on the team with 48 goals scored. Junior Daniel Lonnerdal, a driver/2-meter defender, helped anchor the Bison defensive unit by leading the team with 59 steals. He also contributed on the offensive end of the pool with 19 goals and nine assists.
Other veteran Bison returning for the 2001 campaign include drivers Chris Saxton, John Kearney, Scott Afzal, and Adam Yerkes. Saxton enjoyed his most productive season as a Bison last year, posting 22 goals and 21 assists and finished seventh on the team with 43 points. Kearney, Afzal, and Yerkes combined for 26 goals and 22 assists last year, but will be expected to make even bigger contributions this season.
Rounding out Zeigler's roster is the bountiful freshman class, which will provide the Bison with outstanding depth. First-year players Nick Ferring and Paul Yerkes are hoping to make their mark at the driver position, while Elliot Benoist will try his hand at 2-meters. Ernest Martin will serve as the team's back-up goalkeeper, and utility men James Danforth, Aaron Platshon and Sam Sullivan will also look to make their presence felt, particularly at 2-meter defense.
With a handful of nationally-ranked opponents returning in the ever-improving Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA), the Bison are prepared for another challenging schedule. Nevertheless, Zeigler's troops would like to match or improve upon their .500 record from a year ago and better their third place finish at the Southern Championship and seventh place mark at the Eastern Championship.
Bucknell's 2001 season gets underway at the Navy Invitational on Sept. 1-2 before the team returns home for its only two home events of the season: the Bucknell Invitational (Sept. 15-16) and a set of league games on Sept. 22-23. Once again, the Bison will make their annual swing through California when they compete in the Claremont Convergence Tournament on Oct. 12-13. The team's biggest event of the season will take place on Nov. 3-4, when the Bison compete in the CWPA Southern Division Championship at Navy with a berth in the Eastern Championship, to be held two weeks later at Princeton, on the line.
