Bucknell University Athletics
Plenty of Individual Honors for Bucknell Men's Water Polo After Postseason Run
11/19/2012 7:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 19, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. -The Bucknell men's water polo team won its first-ever Southern Championships crown and advanced to the Eastern Championship title game for the first time in nearly 20 years and the Bison did it thanks to contributions from the whole team. A few members of the squad have earned special recognition over the last few days. Leading the way was senior co-captain Brian Barron (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick), who was named the CWPA Southern Division Player of the Year, First Team CWPA All-Southern Division, First Team All-Eastern Championship and Bison Athlete of the Week.
In addition to Barron's many accolades, senior goalie Matt Napleton (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) was named First Team All-Southern Division and Second Team All-Eastern Championship. Junior Jack Else (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) was named Second Team All-Southern Division and he joined Napleton on the All-Eastern Championship Second Team. Freshman Stefan Aleksic (Belgrade, Serbia/Sport Gymnasium) was named Eastern Championship Rookie of the Tournament and he joined Napleton and Else on the Second Team.
Bucknell finished the season with a 17-14 record, its most wins since 2009. The Bison entered Sunday's Eastern Championship title game on a season-best seven-game winning streak, but lost to St. Francis (N.Y.) by a 10-9 score in overtime. The Terriers earned the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Championship, a tournament the Bison were trying to advance to for the first time since 1985.
Barron became Bucknell's first-ever Southern Division Player of the Year as he totaled a team-high 59 goals and dished out 41 assists this season. His 34 assists were second on the team and he captured 74 of 128 sprints, including 6 of 6 Sunday vs. St. Francis. He will graduate ranked eighth on Bucknell's career steals list (120), third in career sprints won (159) and 10th in games played (112). Barron's final career offensive numbers include 153 goals, 93 assists and 246 points.
At this past weekend's Eastern Championship, Barron netted seven goals and dished out seven assists while winning 12 of 14 sprints. He scored a game-high four goals in the title game and had five assists in the team's opening-game win vs. Harvard on Friday.
Barron is no stranger to many of these awards. He earned Bison Athlete of the Week for the third time this season, while it was his second straight First Team All-Southern Division selection. He was on the All-Eastern Championship Second Team last fall.
Napleton, a high school teammate of Barron, wrapped up his senior campaign with a career-high 330 saves, a figure that ranks him third in program history. His 661 careers stops are No. 6 in school annals. The two-year starter totaled 28 saves this past weekend and posted double-figure saves in 19 of 31 games this year. Twice he reached 20 stops in a contest.
Napleton landed on the All-Southern Division First Team for a second consecutive year. It is the first time in program history Bucknell has had the same two teammates (Napleton, Barron) named First Team All-Southern Division in back-to-back years.
One of three Bison, along with Barron and Aleksic, with more than 50 goals this year, Else tallied 55 scores and drew a Bucknell-record 133 ejections. The 133 ejections drawn would rank fifth on the program's career list, which Else tops with 238, 52 more than second-place Richie Hyden.
This past weekend Else totaled three goals and 10 ejections drawn.
Else was named to the All-Southern Division Second Team for a second straight year, while his All-Eastern Championship honor was the first of his three-year career.
Aleksic made an immediate impact on Bucknell in 2012. He led the team in assists (50), points (101), steals (44) and field blocks (30) as he started all 31 games as a freshman. This past weekend he totaled six goals and three assists and he netted the game-winning goal in the semifinals vs. No. 20 Princeton.
Bucknell's Postseason Awards:
All-Southern Division
Brian Barron (1st Team & Player of the Year)
Matt Napleton (1st Team)
Jack Else (2nd Team)
* Previous Awards: Barron (1st Team), Napleton (1st Team) and Else (2nd Team) in 2011
All-Eastern Championship
Brian Barron (1st Team)
Matt Napleton (2nd Team)
Jack Else (2nd Team)
Stefan Aleksic (2nd Team & Rookie of the Tournament)
* Previous Awards: Barron (2nd Team) in 2011
