Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Swimming & Diving Starts Season on Saturday
10/3/2008 8:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Oct. 3, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell men's and women's swimming & diving teams begin their seasons on Saturday, traveling to Baltimore, Md., for a meet against UMBC. This is the first of only three times all season that the Bison will compete away from Kinney Natatorium. The first home meet for the Orange and Blue will come against Boston College on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 12 p.m.
"UMBC is consistently one of the top mid-major programs in the country so this is a great opportunity for our team to start the competitive season and measure ourselves against some great competition," Bucknell head coach Dan Schinnerer said.
Saturday's meet will feature no team scores, as it is a triple distance meet. The Bison and the Retrievers last met on Oct. 6, 2007, in Lewisburg, both opening their seasons with a non-scored meet.
The Orange and Blue return a number of all-league swimmers this season, but Schinnerer is also looking forward to viewing the class of 2012 in competition for the first time.
"I am particularly excited to see where our freshman class is at this point of the season," he said. "This will be the class's first collegiate meet and it is always an exciting experience the first time you race representing Bucknell."
Among those returning to the pool this year for the Bison men's squad are three-time All-Patriot League performer Mark Kawczenski (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Hanover Area) and two-time First Team All-Patriot League honoree Luke Trafton (Bath, Maine/Morse). Kawczenski won the 100 back at last year's Patriot League Championships, while Trafton won the 500 and 1,650 freestyle events. Junior Ben Leboza (Green Oaks, Ill./Libertyville) has been named to the All-Patriot League second team each of the last two seasons.
Other returning all-league performers from last season for the men are Gonzalo DeLeon (Ringwood, N.J./Lakewood Regional), Daniel Fletcher (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) and Michael Volpe (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts).
The Bucknell women's team is led by two-time all-league performers Rebecca Bersani (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport), Eliza Massie (Rochester, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland), Megan Mongan (Malvern, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) and Courtney Warren (Montour Falls, N.Y./Watkins Glen). Warren was the conference's top swimmer in the 100 back for the 2007-2008 season.
Other past all-league performers swimming for the Bison this year are Abigail Atkinson (Newtown, Conn./Newtown), Molly Goebel (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan), Kelly Morris (Metuchen, N.J./Metuchen), Sinead O'Dwyer (Green River, Wyo./The Peddie School (N.J.)), Lauren Russell (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) and Nikki Seaman (Cleveland, Ohio/The Hawken School).
