Bucknell University Athletics
Three Bucknell Women's Water Polo Players Named to All-Conference Team
4/23/2004 8:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 23, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Junior co-captain Meg Blitzer (Durham, N.H./Phillips Academy) became just the second player in Bucknell women's water polo history to earn a spot on the Collegiate Water Polo Association all-conference first-team, announced at the 2004 Women's Eastern Championship Awards Banquet in Larison Hall on Bucknell's campus on Friday evening. Blitzer was a selection to the CWPA Southern Division first-team, while classmate Katie Hartigan (Coronado, Calif./Bishop's School) and senior co-captain Kelly Hofstetter (Scotts Valley, Calif./Harbor) were named to the second-team. The banquet was held in conjunction with the Eastern Championship Tournament, being held in Kinney Natatorium this weekend.
Blitzer joins 2002 graduate Adrienne Schober as the only other Bison first-team member, while BU's three selections to the all-league teams matches the program's highest total. Schober was named to the elite team for the 2000 season, and that same year Paige Cull '01 and Katie Stahler '03 were named to the second team.
Blitzer is in the midst of the best season of her career, leading the team with 61 goals and 24 assists for 85 points. Just hours before her all-conference selection was announced, the driver tied the school single-season record for goals in a season with two scores against Wagner in a 5-3 Bison win in the opening round of Eastern's. Blitzer's goal production this season nearly doubles her highest single-season output from either of her first years, and her point total is tied for the second-best output in one year on the Bison list. Earlier this season, Blitzer set a school record with seven goals in a game, leading the Orange and Blue to an 11-6 victory over Villanova in conference play.
In addition to her offensive prowess, Blitzer has also been BU's leader on the defensive end. This year, she has recorded a team-best 65 steals, placing her third on the school's single-season list and moving her into fifth on the career thefts list with 138. Blitzer's 65 steals on the year also nearly double her previous single-season outputs from her first two years.
 Senior Kelly Hofstetter made her first career appearance on the Southern Division All-League Second-Team.  |
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Making her first appearance on the all-league team, Hofstetter has been a mainstay in the Bucknell program for the past four years. A contributor from the moment she put on the Bison uniform, Hofstetter has been the image of consistency throughout her career, reaching at least 30 points in every season. This year is no different as the driver has recorded 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points, fourth on the team.
With her 29 steals on the season, Hofstetter has moved herself into second place on the BU career list in that category with 150. Her other career numbers are just as impressive. The co-captain is just the third Bison player to reach 200 career points, and with 210 stands in third place on the career list. Her 144 goals are good enough for second, and her 66 assists over four years ranks fifth on the career ledger.
 Junior Katie Hartigan joined Hartigan on the all-conference second-team. |
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Bucknell's final all-league representative is Hartigan. Hartigan has been one of Bucknell's defensive leaders all year, while quietly amassing respectable offensive numbers. A utility player for the Orange and Blue, Hartigan has registered 31 steals, fifth-best on the team. She has also been a key contributor in giving the Bison extra-man opportunities with her 22 ejections drawn, third-highest among her teammates.
This season, Hartigan has matched her career-high for goals with 21 scores, while achieving a career-best for assists with 14, including one in today's win over Wagner. With 53 career goals and 35 assists, Hartigan stands just 12 points shy of becoming the ninth Bucknell player to reach 100 career points.
Bucknell is 15-16 overall. The Orange and Blue finished Southern Division play with a 4-4 record, and earned a third-place medal at the Southern Division Championship last weekend. The finish, matching the program's best-ever, earned the Bison an at-large bid to this weekend's Eastern Championship, where the team is the eighth seed.
