Women's Water Polo Opens CWPA Championship Friday vs. Hartwick

LEWISBURG, Pa. – One of the biggest goals for the Bucknell women's water polo team in 2014 was to qualify for the CWPA Championship since it would be held at Kinney Natatorium for the first time since 2004. The Bison accomplished that goal, meaning this weekend the new goal is to string a few wins together and contend for a title in the eight-team field.

The CWPA Championship decides the conference's automatic berth to next month's NCAA Championship at USC. Sixth-seeded Bucknell will open play Friday at 3 p.m. against third-seeded Hartwick, which is ranked 16th nationally in the latest poll. The winner will advance to Saturday's 6 p.m. semifinal, while Sunday's championship game is slated for 1:30 p.m.

Indiana, Princeton, Hartwick and Michigan are the top four seeds in the CWPA Championship and all four show up in the latest national rankings with Princeton's No. 11 spot the highest.

Bucknell (12-12, 3-2 CWPA) earned an automatic berth to the CWPA Championship thanks to a third-place showing at the Southern Championships. The Bison will be competing in their 13th consecutive CWPA Championship, formerly known as the Eastern Championship. Bucknell's best finish at the event was a fourth-place showing in 2006.

The Bison are 3-4 this year against the CWPA Championship field and have faced seven ranked opponents this season. They have already improved on last year's win total by four victories and have a chance at posting their first .500 season record since 2010.

A two-time Second Team All-CWPA Southern Division selection, Julianne Valdes leads Bucknell in goals (35) and points (59) this year. She ranks in the top 10 in program history in seven statistical categories, including goals (176, 6th), assists (124, t-5th) and points (300, 5th).

Eleanor Marrs (56 points) and Mackenzie Ferry (51 points) join Valdes to give the Bison three 50-point scorers for the first time since 2012.

Goalie Rena Heim has 198 saves this year, putting her on the verge of a third consecutive 200-save campaign. Her 859 career stops rank her third in program history and her .520 save percentage this season is a career-best mark.

Sophomore Hannah Sunday has drawn a career-best 98 ejections this year, breaking the program single-season standard held by Meagan Gins since 2007. In just two years, Sunday has piled up 147 ejections drawn to rank sixth in school history on the career ledger.

Bucknell, which owns a 60-34 (,638) all-time record in Kinney Natatorium, has won its opening game at the CWPA Championship each of the last three years.

The CWPA Championship is a ticketed event. Ticket options include a three-day tournament pass for $25 or a one-day ticket for $10. Bucknell students, faculty and staff with a valid ID, and fans 65-and-older, will be admitted at discounted prices of $12 (tournament pass) and $5 (one-day ticket). Children 12-and-under will be admitted free of charge. A video broadcast of the entire tournament will be available via CollegiateWaterPolo.com.

Bucknell vs. Potential Weekend Opponents
Bucknell vs. Indiana: 2-7 (Bucknell's last win was in 2008; Indiana won at last year's Eastern Championship)
Bucknell vs. Princeton: 5-36 (Tigers have won last eight meetings)
Bucknell vs. Hartwick: 1-12 (Harwick has won nine in a row since Bucknell's lone win in the series during 2005 regular season)
Bucknell vs. Michigan: 0-16 (Teams last met at 2012 Eastern Championship)
Bucknell vs. Brown: 7-14 (Teams have split last four meetings over last two years)
Bucknell vs. Harvard: 10-14 (Bucknell has won two in a row after a seven-game losing streak in the series)
Bucknell vs. Connecticut College: 0-0

Bucknell's Weekly Awards/Honors in 2014
CWPA Southern Division Defensive Player of the Week: Rena Heim (Feb. 25, April 9, April 17)
CWPA Southern Division Rookie of the Week: Tegan Stanbach (Feb. 18)

Bison on Single-Season Record Lists
Hannah Sunday: Ejections Drawn (1st, 98)

Bison on Career Record Lists
Rena Heim: Saves (3rd, 859)
Stephanie Ovalle: Sprints Won (5th, 78)
Hannah Sunday: Ejections Drawn (6th, 147)
Julianne Valdes: Points (5th, 300), Goals (6th, 176), Assists (t-5th, 124), Ejections Drawn (7th, 132), Sprints Won (4th, 86), Shots (6th, 432), Games Started (7th, 114)

2014 CWPA Championship Schedule (Bucknell's Kinney Natatorium):
Friday, April 25
Game 1 – No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 8 Connecticut College, 10:30 a.m.
Game 2 – No. 4 Michigan vs. No. 5 Brown, 12 p.m.
Game 3 – No. 2 Princeton vs. No. 7 Harvard, 1:30 p.m.
Game 4 – No. 3 Hartwick vs. No. 6 Bucknell, 3 p.m.

Saturday, April 26
Game 5 – Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 1, 1:30 p.m.
Game 6 – Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 3 p.m.
Game 7 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4:30 p.m.
Game 8 – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m.

Sunday, April 27
7th Place – Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 5, 9 a.m.
5th Place – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 10:30 a.m.
3rd Place – Loser Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7, 12 p.m.
1st Place – Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 1:30 p.m.