Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Track & Field Earns Four PL Weekly Awards, Finishes in Top Three in Preseason Poll
12/5/2011 7:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Dec. 5, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. – With the start of the indoor track and field season last Saturday, Bucknell has had plenty to celebrate. The teams' performance at the Bison Opener led to Patriot League honors for Dave Brown (Westborough, Mass./Westborough), Tom Barr (Ambler, Pa./La Salle College HS), Christian Lupica (Newtown, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) and Jessica Matsinger (Frazer, Pa./Great Valley) on Monday. The league also announced its 2011-12 Preseason Poll with the women taking second and the men in third, according to a vote of the Patriot League head coaches and sports information directors.
The Bucknell men swept the Patriot League weekly awards as Brown was named the Runner of the Week, Barr the Field Athlete of the Week and Lupica the Rookie of the Week during the first voting period of the season. It is the first career award for each of the three Bison. Brown won the 5,000 meters at the Bison Opener in a career-best 14 minutes, 36.62 seconds. The time topped hi previous best of 15:19.95 and qualified him for the IC4A Championships in March. With the win, Brown also claimed his first victory since taking gold in the 3,000 meters two seasons ago.
Barr also claimed a number of wins on Saturday as he was the top finisher in both the shot put and weight throw. The senior's marks in both events met the IC4A-qualifying standard. In the weight throw, Barr finished with a career-best 59 feet, 6 ¼ inches, which ranks third in program history. His 52-5 ½ in the shot put was less than six inches off his personal best of 52-11, which ranks second in the Bucknell record books. It was the first time in Barr's career that he won both events at the same meet.
Lupica made inroads in the record books as well. The freshman ran an 8.36 preliminary in the 60-meter hurdles, which ranks fifth all-time at Bucknell. The mark qualified him for the finals where he placed fifth with a time of 8.38. Lupica was also 23rd in the 400 meters and a member of the ninth-place 4x400 relay team.
The Bucknell men were also recognized as the third-place team in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, claiming 78 points and four first-place votes. The Bison trailed Army, which was selected first with 90 points and eight first-place votes, and Navy, the second-place team with 88 points and four votes for first place. Lehigh (62 points), American (46) and Lafayette (43) were next in line behind the Bison, while Colgate (26) and Holy Cross (15) wrapped up the poll.
On the women's side, Bucknell was selected second in the preseason poll with 88 points and five first-place votes. The Bison came up just short of first-place Navy. The Midshipmen, which is the only squad other than Bucknell to earn a Patriot League indoor title since 1997, finished with 95 points and 11 first-place votes. Army (69) was third, followed by Lehigh (68), Lafayette (39), Colgate (38), Holy Cross (36) and American (15). Bucknell will host the Patriot League Championships this year at Gerhard Fieldhouse Feb. 17-19, 2012.
Giving reason to expect another strong year from the Bison was Matsinger's performance on Saturday at the Bison Opener. The freshman was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week after placing second in the triple jump in her first career collegiate meet. Matsinger posted a mark of 36-7 ½, making her the highest Bison finisher in the event.
Bucknell will have some time before it returns to the track. The Bison will host the Bucknell Mini Meet at Gerhard Fieldhouse on Jan. 7, 2012.
Men's Indoor Track & Field Preseason Poll
Team - Points
1. Army - 90 (8)
2. Navy - 88 (4)
3. Bucknell - 78 (4)
4. Lehigh - 62
5. American - 46
6. Lafayette - 43
7. Colgate - 26
8. Holy Cross -15
Women's Indoor Track & Field Preseason Poll
Team - Points
1. Navy - 95 (11)
2. Bucknell - 88 (5)
3. Army - 69
4. Lehigh - 68
5. Lafayette - 39
6. Colgate - 38
7. Holy Cross - 36
8. American - 15
First-place votes in parentheses
