Bucknell University Athletics
Top 11 of 2011: BucknellBison.com's Most Viewed Stories in the Past Year
12/29/2011 7:00:00 AM | General
LEWISBURG, Pa. -The most-viewed releases and recaps on BucknellBison.com in 2011 are listed below. Bucknell claimed five Patriot League titles, was awarded its 17th Patriot League Presidents' Cup in 21 years, had two more student-athletes earn Capital One Academic All-America honors, welcomed two new head coaches to the Bison family and remained among the nation's leaders in graduation rates during a banner 2011. Even with all that success, some stories stood out more than others this year.
BucknellBison.com's Most Viewed Stories in 2011
No. 1: BISON GO DANCING! Bucknell Tops Lafayette 72-57 for Patriot League Title
For the fifth time in program history, the Bucknell men's basketball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament. Led by 18 points from tournament MVP Mike Muscala, the Bison punched their ticket to "The Big Dance" with a 72-57 victory over Lafayette in front of a raucous crowd of 4,271, the third-largest ever to see a game in Sojka Pavilion.
No. 2: Bucknell Men's Lax Wins Patriot League Title After 10-3 Rout of Colgate!
Tournament most valuable player Charlie Streep scored three goals and assisted on another, and the Bucknell defense turned in yet another gem as the 12th-ranked Bison added yet another milestone to a remarkable season with a 10-3 runaway over No. 16 Colgate in the Patriot League championship game at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
No. 3: Muscala's Buzzer-Beater Gives Bison Men Thrilling 62-61 Win at Richmond
Bison sophomore center Mike Muscala was just nine months old when Christian Laettner hit his famous shot to beat Kentucky in the 1992 NCAA Tournament, but in early January he did his best Laettner impersonation, taking a long inbounds pass from Joe Willman and hitting a turnaround jumper at the buzzer to give the Bison a thrilling 62-61 win over Atlantic-10 power Richmond.
No. 4: Smith's Career Day Leads Bucknell Football to First Victory Over Lafayette Since 2001
Tyler Smith rushed 42 times for 212 yards and Bucknell forced seven turnovers as it posted a 39-13 win at Lafayette at a snowy and cold Fisher Field at Fisher Stadium. It was the first victory for the Bison over the Leopards since 2001, and the largest for Bucknell in the series since 1971.
No. 5: Bucknell's Kevin LeValley Wins 149-Pound Title at EIWA Championships, Named EIWA Outstanding Wrestler
Bucknell's Kevin LeValley claimed a hard-fought overtime victory over top-seeded Kyle Dake of Cornell in the EIWA Championships 149-pound title bout at Sojka Pavilion to become the second Bison to ever win an EIWA crown. LeValley won the bout with a takedown of Dake with 12 seconds remaining in the second sudden-victory period.
No. 6: Bucknell Women's Track & Field Powers to Third Straight Patriot League Championships Title
Bucknell women's track and field claimed its 12th Patriot League Championship trophy in program history behind three individual titles and a second broken school record at Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex. Among the winners was Jennifer Zymet, who won the 400 meters and led off the gold medal 4x100 relay that registered the fastest time in Bucknell annals. Jamie Leacock was also the top finisher in the 400 hurdles, while Kevin Donner received his second consecutive Coach of the Year nod.
No. 7: Bucknell Men's Track & Field Wins Second Consecutive Patriot League Championship
Bucknell men's track and field earned six more individual gold medals and three school records fell as the Bison won back-to-back Patriot League Championships for the first time in program history. Robert Arent, who won the 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles in addition to running the fastest 110-meter hurdle race in Bucknell history, was named the Track Athlete of the Meet for the second straight year. Kevin Donner also claimed his second consecutive Coach of the Year honor.
No. 8: Randall Goldsborough to Return as Bucknell Head Women's Lacrosse Coach
Randall Goldsborough, a former standout player at the University of Maryland and with the U.S. National Team, will return for her second stint as Bucknell's head women's lacrosse coach, director of athletics and recreation John Hardt announced this past June. Goldsborough previously coached the Bison in 2003 and 2004, leading the team to .500 or better records and berths in the Patriot League Tournament both years.
No. 9: Bucknell Men's Basketball Draws Connecticut in NCAA Tournament
Patriot League champion Bucknell will face Connecticut in its opening game of the NCAA Tournament in Washington, D.C., at the Verizon Center. The Bison are the No. 14 seed in the West Region, while the Huskies are the No. 3 seed. Bucknell (25-8, 13-1 PL), which is coming off its third Patriot League title since 2005, will be making its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bison also earned berths into the NCAA Tournament in 1987, 1989, 2005 and 2006. Bucknell posted opening-round wins in 2005 vs. Kansas as a No. 14 seed and 2006 vs. Arkansas as a No. 9 seed.
No. 10: Bucknell Women's Rowing Wins Sixth Consecutive Patriot League Title!
Another year, another title for the Bucknell women's rowing team. The Bison claimed their sixth consecutive Patriot League crown on Lake Quinsigamond in 2011. Bucknell won the varsity eight and second varsity eight races, and took fourth in the varsity four as it totaled 33 team points. Navy was second in the team standings with 28 points. Bison head coach Stephen Kish was awarded his fifth career, and third consecutive, Patriot League Coach of the Year citation, while the varsity eight was named Boat of the Year for the sixth straight year.
No. 11: Bucknell Women's Basketball Advances to PL Tournament Semis with 54-40 Win over Army
Shelby Romine finished with 19 points helping No. 4 Bucknell women's basketball to lead the entire way in a 54-40 defeat over fifth-seeded Army in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals at Davis Gym. The Bison (11-16) advance to Wednesday's semifinals where they will meet top-seeded Navy at 7 p.m. in Annapolis, Md.
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