Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Tabbed as Preseason Favorite in Patriot League, Bison to Appear on National Television Twice in Regular Season
1/25/2012 7:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Jan. 25, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - During its annual preseason men's lacrosse media teleconference, the Patriot League announced Wednesday that defending champion Bucknell has been unanimously selected as the preseason favorite in the conference. It was also announced that nine Patriot League men's and women's contests - six in the regular season and all three Patriot League Tournament games - will\ air\ on\ the\ CBS\ Sports\ Network, including Bucknell's home games with Army and Colgate.
The Bison are coming off a record-setting 14-3 season in 2011. The 14 wins were the most in program history and included a clean sweep of the Patriot League. After going 6-0 to capture the regular season league title, Bucknell defeated Lehigh and Colgate to capture the Patriot League Tournament. With a best-ever No. 7 national ranking, the Bison advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history, where they lost an overtime heartbreaker to eventual national champion Virginia.
Frank Fedorjaka's squad returns seven starters and 26 lettermen from a year ago, and the Patriot League coaches and sports information directors selected them No. 1 in the 2012 preseason poll. Voters may not pick their own team, so Bucknell received the maximum 12 first-place votes and 72 points. Army garnered the other two first-place nods and was picked second with 54 points.
Colgate was a close third with 52 points, followed by Lehigh (44), Navy (38), Lafayette (19) and Holy Cross (15). Colgate's Peter Baum was selected as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year pick was Army's Tim Henderson.
Earlier this offseason, Bucknell earned a No. 10 ranking in Inside Lacrosse's 2012 preseason coaches' poll. Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook has Bucknell No. 15 in its preseason rankings.
CBS Sports Network begins televising Patriot League lacrosse on Friday, March 30, when Lehigh travels to Navy at 7 p.m. The network comes to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium twice this spring, first for the Bucknell-Army game on Saturday, Apr. 7 at noon, and then on Friday, Apr. 20 for the 7 p.m. Bucknell-Colgate regular-season finale.
Once again this season, the entire Patriot League Tournament will be televised on CBS Sports Network. The semifinals will be held at 5 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 27, with the championship game to follow on Sunday, Apr. 29 at 3 p.m. The tournament will be played at the home of the highest-seeded team.
Patriot League Lacrosse Schedule on CBS Sports Network
Friday, March 30 -- Lehigh at Navy, 7 p.m. (Men)
Saturday, April 7 -- Army at Bucknell, 12 p.m. (Men)
Friday, April 13 -- American at Navy, 7 p.m. (Women)
Saturday, April 14 -- Navy at Army, 12 p.m. (Men)
Friday, April 20 -- Colgate at Bucknell, 7 p.m. (Men)
Saturday, April 21 -- Johns Hopkins at Navy, 12 p.m. (Men)
Friday, April 27 -- Patriot League Tournament Semifinals, 5 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. (Men)
Sunday, April 29 -- Patriot League Championship, 3 p.m. (Men)
The Bison open their 2012 campaign at home against Delaware on Feb. 11 at 1 p.m.
