Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Chris Cara and Lauren Wible Top Nation in Offensive Categories
4/20/2005 8:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
April 20, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell's Chris Cara, a senior attack on the nationally ranked men's lacrosse team, and Lauren Wible, a junior first baseman on the softball squad, rank first in country in key offensive categories in their respective sports. Cara tops the nation in points per game, assists, and assists per game, while Wible is first in batting average.
In the latest NCAA rankings, which do not include Cara's six-point performance during an 11-10 loss to Penn State Tuesday night, the Medford, N.Y., native was averaging 5.10 points per game to lead the country. He had tallied 23 goals and 28 assists for a total of 51 points in Bucknell's first 10 games, during which the Bison posted a 7-3 record. Those 28 assists, and his average of 2.8 per game, also led the nation. He added three goals and three assists to those totals Tuesday. Cara ended the 2004 season leading the country in points, scoring 78 times in 14 contests (5.6 points per game).
Already Bucknell's all-time leading scorer, Cara's six points Tuesday increased his career total to 240, vaulting him past Army's Tim Pearson's Patriot League record of 238. Cara raced past Pete von Hoffmann's Bucknell career record of 220 points earlier this season. With 108 career goals he stands third on the Bison career list, and his 132 assists in his four-year career is second most in Bucknell history, just six behind von Hoffman.
Cara, who's 40 assists last year is the highest single-season total in the 37-year history of the Bucknell men's lacrosse program, has his name appear a number of times in the Bison single-season record book. He owns four of the top-10 positions on the single-season assist list, tallying at least 30 every season, including 31 this year. Cara registered 78 points last year, which was one shy of equaling the most in Bucknell history, while his 38 goals last season tied for the seventh-highest mark.
Like Cara, Wible is near the top of the NCAA in a number of categories. She leads the nation in hitting with a robust .525 batting average. The Dover, Pa., native also ranks second in the country in slugging percentage (.900) and third in doubles per game (0.41).
The reigning Patriot League Player of the Week after hitting .476 with four home runs and 11 runs batted in during a 7-1 week for the Bison last week, Wible is 42-for-80 at the plate this season and has a team-high 17 walks. Since going hitless in the first two games this season she has recorded at least one hit in 25 of the last 27 for Bucknell, which is 12-17 this year. Wible, who has 42 hits in her last 73 at bats (.575), had a pair of multiple-hit games last week and has 11 this year. With eight regular season games remaining she has already equaled her career high of 22 runs batted in and has scored a career-high 18 runs.
Wible, who is in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak, and had an 11-game hot spell earlier this year, has six home runs this season to tie the Bucknell single-season record. Just a junior, she is also tied for the Bison career home run mark of 12.
 Lauren Wible leads the nation in hitting with a .525 batting average.  |
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If Wible keeps her average above .500 the rest of the year she will break the Bucknell single-season record and challenge the Patriot League standard of .506 that was set in 1995 by Kim Miller of Lehigh.
Cara and Wible are not the only Bucknell men's lacrosse and softball players to appear in the NCAA rankings. Sophomore attack Kirk Klett, who teams with Cara to give the Bison a potent offense that is 14th in the country in scoring at 10.7 goals per game, ranked 17th in goals per game with 2.4 per contest entering this week. He had one more goal against Penn State to bring his season total to 25. Junior goalie Matt Baran was among the nation's best in goals against average (7.68) and save percentage (.599) in the rankings. He was 13th in goals against average and 11th in save percentage. As a team, Bucknell was ninth in the country in scoring margin, outscoring its opponents by 3.2 goals per game prior to Tuesday's contest.
Junior pitcher Julie Williams joins Wible in the softball rankings with her career-high three saves this season. That figure is 22nd in the nation, and tops the Patriot League.
The men's lacrosse team, which will be the No. 3 seed in the Patriot League Tournament, which will be played in Annapolis, Md., April 29 and May 1, will conclude its regular season Saturday when it travels to Hamilton, N.Y., to face Colgate at 3 p.m. The softball team is also in action next at Colgate. The Bison will play a doubleheader against the Raiders Thursday, April 21, at 3:30 p.m.
