Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Basketball Teams Gearing up for Midnight Mania
10/11/2005 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 11, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Basketball season officially kicks off on the Bucknell campus this Friday night at Sojka Pavilion for the annual Midnight Mania event. Always a popular and spirited function, this year's Midnight Mania actually runs from 9-11 p.m., thanks to a modification in NCAA policy that allows teams to hold events such as this prior to midnight.
Midnight Mania is free to all Bucknell students, faculty and staff with BU ID. The event is also open to the general public for $3 per person, or $5 per family. There will be free hot dogs, wings, soft pretzels and soft drinks while supplies last.
The Bucknell men's and women's basketball teams will both be introduced, and the men's team will help unfurl its 2005 Patriot League championship banner from the rafters of Sojka Pavilion.
 Darren Mastropaolo and the Bison begin practice this weekend.  |
|
There will be plenty of entertainment to accompany a brief series of drills from both the Bison men's and women's squads. The Bucknell Cheerleaders, The Bison Girls, hip-hop dance troupe Jelani and the Bucknell Pep Band will all perform.
Judging will take place for most spirited group, and there will also be a lip sync contest, a shooting contest and the always-popular "Commerford Crawl."
Midnight Mania is sponsored by ACE, the CAP Center, Athletics & Recreation, Residence Hall Association, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, The Bookstore and Bucknell Dining Services.
Bucknell's men's basketball team is listed as the preseason favorite in the Patriot League by three preseason publications. Coach Pat Flannery, now in his 12th season at Bucknell, returns 12 lettermen, including all five starters, from last year's team that won the Patriot League championship and defeated Kansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The women's team, under the direction of Kathy Fedorjaka, also has a promising outlook in 2005-06. Bucknell returns three players honored by the Patriot League with postseason awards last season. Lindsey Hollobaugh, the 2004 PL Rookie of the Year, was a Second Team All-League selection last year, while Kesha Champion and Hope Foster were members of the Patriot League All-Rookie Team.
