Bucknell University Athletics
From the AD's Desk
4/3/2009 8:00:00 AM | General
April 3, 2009
Greetings Bison Fans!
The scent of spring is in the air here in Lewisburg, and that means folks all over campus are beginning to come out of their winter hibernation and resume outdoor activities. The joggers are out in abundance, the golf course has been packed, and the intramural fields are once again teeming with students.
Our spring student-athletes are all off and running as well, with some of them already well into conference play. Of note so far, the women's lacrosse team is off to its best start in more than a decade; men's lacrosse has played a very challenging schedule and has top-20 wins over Navy and Denver; women's water polo beat league-rival Princeton on ESPNU; and the baseball team has really broken out the bats, with one player hitting for the cycle (Bob Donato), another producing a six-hit game (Andrew Loucks) and yet another finishing a remarkable 17-RBI week (Andrew Brouse).
I would also like to offer special congratulations to Gene Depew, who won his 500th game as Bucknell's head baseball coach during the team's Spring Break trip to Florida. This is a tremendous accomplishment, and we were proud to honor Gene with the game ball from that historic victory prior to one of last weekend's home games against Army.
Even with the games going on as a backdrop, it is evident that our department is going to be facing unprecedented financial challenges moving forward. As all of us are painfully aware, we are currently living through a very difficult financial climate. As much as we would like to carry on as normal in our everyday lives, most of us have been forced to make financial sacrifices while we ride out this historic economic downturn. For Bison Athletics, this means that for the foreseeable future, we will not be operating in the mode of “business as usual.”
While we do not yet know the full extent, it is almost certain that our department, like many others at Bucknell, is going to be faced with an operating budget reduction. This is not unique to Bucknell. Institutions across the country are facing cutbacks, in some cases by as much as 20 percent. Hiring and compensation freezes, staffing reductions and even the elimination of varsity programs have already occurred across all levels of higher education.
As I have noted repeatedly in this space and elsewhere, the education and welfare of our student-athletes is our No. 1 priority, and it will remain our No. 1 priority as we deal strategically with our future budgetary situation. There is no doubt that we are going to be faced with some difficult choices, but protecting the competitive opportunities for our student-athletes in our varsity programs must be our focus.
On a related and equally pressing note, these economic times have also impacted fundraising and charitable giving activity in all walks of life. Understandably, Bison Club giving is behind last year's pace, and we have some catching-up to do in order to reach our goal of $1.8 million for 2008-09.
No matter the strength of the markets, at Bucknell we have always relied on Bison Club support to fundamentally subsidize each of our program's operating budgets. Meeting our Bison Club goal remains a critical component as we plan for our financial future.
So as you make your own giving plans, I hope you will keep our student-athletes and programs in mind. The adage “it's not what you give, but that you give” has never been more appropriate. Elevating our Bison Club participation levels is going to be a key to reaching our goal. If you have not made your annual Bison Club donation yet, I encourage you to do so. If you have, thank you, and let me ask that you please call a friend and spread the word regarding the positive attributes of the Bison Club.
As always, you can choose to support a specific varsity program or donate to the Bison Club, our unrestricted athletics fund. Please contact Todd Newcomb at the Bison Club Office (570-577-1771) or donate online. In order for Bucknell Athletics to continue to be the successful, dynamic, broad-based program that it is today, we will continue to need your assistance, even in these tough economic times.
As we strategize for our financial future, Bucknell is also facing an even more challenging competitive landscape within the Patriot League. With many of our Patriot League peers offering merit scholarships in sports beyond men's and women's basketball, our coaches are working incredibly hard to keep Bucknell at the head of the class.
This unprecedented competitive balance is evidenced by the ultra-tight Presidents' Cup standings entering the spring season. Bucknell has the overall lead as we strive for our 15th Cup in 19 years, but the cushion is a mere quarter of a point over Navy. As many as five league members seem to have a chance to win the Cup with a good spring season.
Looking back a few short months, just as the spring season is gearing up, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge some outstanding happenings from the winter campaign. First and foremost, I cannot say enough about the performance of the Bison wrestling team at the EIWA Championships.
Dan Wirnsberger's team, armed with only three classes of recruited student-athletes, marched into the championship meet of one of the oldest and most respected wrestling conferences in the nation, and came away with the third-place EIWA trophy. Only Cornell, the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, and traditional juggernaut Lehigh finished ahead of Bucknell.
Remarkably, six of the nine Bison wrestlers at the EIWA meet secured NCAA Championship berths, setting a program record. Only three short years after the program's varsity reclassification, it has already gained national prominence. Andy Rendos highlighted some outstanding performances by the six Bison grapplers at the national championships when he became only the fourth Bucknell wrestler to earn All-America status by placing fifth in the 165-pound weight class.
Kudos also go out to our aquatics staff for successfully hosting two major swimming and diving meets in successive weeks. First was the Patriot League Championships, in which Bucknell performed very well with a second-place finish by the men and a third-place finish by the women.
The following week, Kinney Natatorium again played host to the Pennsylvania State Swimming & Diving Championships. The meet drew considerable attention from the media for its positive impact on the local economy. Comparisons were even made to the Little League World Series in terms of the visitor impact on area hotels, restaurants and other local merchants.
The men's and women's indoor track and field teams both turned in strong performances with second-place finishes at the Patriot League Championships. While the women were disappointed to see their seven-year title run come to an end, it was a great meet that ultimately ended with a narrow nine-point win for Navy. The men also performed extremely well despite some key injuries and finished in the top two for the second year in a row.
To be sure, the basketball season fell short of our high standards for both the men's and women's programs. The men's team played plenty of exciting games, setting a school record with six overtime games along the way, but ultimately this transitional year was a frustrating one for our fans, players and coaches. The good news is that coach Dave Paulsen and this group of student-athletes have built a foundation for future success through their hard work, and a promising recruiting class is expected to join the program in the fall.
As I sat in Sojka Pavilion this year through so many close contests, I wondered how many men's basketball programs across the country with a won-loss record such as ours have ever led their conference in attendance. Well, we did just that and accomplished that feat this year – our fourth straight Patriot League attendance title, I might add – and substantiated the fact that Bucknell has built a dedicated fan base that supports our Bison student-athletes through thick and thin. So, from everyone associated with our program, I offer a heartfelt THANK YOU!
I hope to see you all out at the games this spring, and I sincerely thank you for all you do in support our athletics programs at Bucknell.
GO BISON!
John P. Hardt
Director of Athletics and Recreation
Previous installments of "From the AD's Desk"
-- August 15, 2005
-- September 26, 2005
-- December 1, 2005
-- April 6, 2006
-- August 3, 2006
-- August 28, 2006
-- October 22, 2006
-- March 26, 2007
-- May 25, 2007
-- August 8, 2007
-- November 20, 2007
-- March 30, 2008
-- June 10, 2008
-- June 12, 2008
-- Aug. 18, 2008
-- Dec. 19, 2008
