Bucknell University Athletics
Men's Water Polo Ranked 14th Nationally in Preseason Poll
8/28/2013 5:29:00 PM | Men's Water Polo
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell men's water polo team finished the 2012 campaign ranked 14th nationally and they will start the 2013 season in the same place. The Collegiate Water Polo Association announced its Preseason Poll Wednesday and the Bison are the second-highest ranked team from the East Coast.
Bucknell returns five starters and one reserve who played starters minutes from a team that was 17-14 a year ago and captured its first-ever Southern Championships title. The Bison came one win shy of their first NCAA Championship appearance in nearly 30 years as they dropped a 10-9 overtime decision to St. Francis Brooklyn in the Eastern Championship title game last November.
Bucknell in 2012 did not make its first appearance in the national rankings until Oct. 17. The Bison won seven of their final eight games to climb to No. 14 by season's end.
USC was listed first in the Preseason Poll, while No. 10 St. Francis Brooklyn is the only East Coast team listed ahead of Bucknell.
Leading scorer Stefan Aleksic (101 points) returns for his sophomore season, while the six-person senior class of Julian Colina, Jack Else, Mike Kimble, Stephen Norton, Alex Nowlin and Andrew Somers have combined for 388 career goals.
Junior goalie Keegan Williams is expected to move into the starting lineup after serving a two-year apprenticeship behind current professional player Matt Napleton.
Bucknell will open its 2013 campaign Sept. 7-8 at the Navy Invite. The Bison will take on Notre Dame (Ohio), Mt. San Antonio (exh. game), Gannon and Iona.
