Bucknell University Athletics
Two Bucknell Men's Water Polo Players Earn Weekly Honors from CWPA
9/28/2009 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 28, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell men's water polo goalie Nick Donahue (Brooklyn, N.Y./Lawrenceville) registered 28 saves, including a pair of double-digit performances against ranked opponents, as he helped the Bison to a 3-0 weekend against league opponents. On Monday, he was named the Collegiate Water Polo Association Southern Division Player of the Week. Bison freshman Brian Barron (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) was also honored as he was named the conference's Rookie of the Week after tallying two goals and an assist over the weekend.
Donahue had standout performances in victories over No. 20 Johns Hopkins and No. 17 Princeton. The senior registered 13 saves against only five goals allowed opposite the Blue Jays on Friday night. He followed that with 12 more stops, including one of a five-meter penalty shot, in a one-goal win over the Tigers. Playing only the first half, Donahue added three saves in a seven-goal victory over George Washington. A two-year starter in the cage, Donahue yielded 16 goals in his three weekend appearances for a stellar .636 save percentage.
The 13 saves Donahue recorded against Johns Hopkins were a season high. He now has nine career double-figure save outings.
Donahue, who earned his third career weekly honor from the CWPA, concluded the weekend with a team-high 75 saves this season and has accumulated 335 in his four-year career. He has appeared in all 14 games this year and started 11. His .536 save percentage leads the team and his higher than his solid .524 career figure.
In addition to his CWPA award, Donahue was cited as the Player of the Week in a weekly water polo column on NCAA.com.
Barron also had a solid weekend, totaling two goals, one assist, two steals, two ejections drawn, one field block and a team-high five sprints won in three games. The only Bison rookie to start a game this year, Barron came off the bench in his first weekend of league action. His best outing came against George Washington when he posted one goal, one assist, one steal, one field block and was 2-for-2 on sprints.
Barron now has nine goals and two assists this year, placing him tied for ninth on the team with 11 points. He leads the Bison with 13 sprints won in 25 chances.
Bucknell (9-5, 3-0 CWPA Southern Division) is in the midst of a five-game winning streak. The Bison will wrap up a four-game homestand this Saturday, Oct. 3, with a 12 p.m. contest against league rival Navy. Bucknell has not defeated the Mids since 2004.
