Bucknell University Athletics
Men's Lacrosse Announces Four Captains for 2015
1/5/2015 11:57:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell head men's lacrosse coach Frank Fedorjaka has announced that seniors David Dickson, Ryan Joseph, Ben Kellar and Mike Ondrusek have been elected team captains for the 2015 season. All four student-athletes have been key contributors for the Bison in recent years and will be counted on once again for both leadership and quality play this spring.
Dickson has played both attack and midfield in his career, and he has earned a reputation as one of the best feeders in college lacrosse. He broke Bucknell and Patriot League records with 48 assists and earned Third Team All-America honors in 2013, and last season he set a career high with 15 goals and added another 28 assists while garnering All-Patriot League honors for the third year in a row. Dickson is an Inside Lacrosse Preseason Honorable Mention All-American heading into his senior campaign, and he already ranks fourth in Bucknell history in career assists (102) and ninth in career points (139).
"Most of us enjoy watching David throw no-look passes and set up his teammates on the field," said Fedorjaka, "and as a leader, he continually works to hone his skills. He speaks intelligently and with direction. Everyone respects David's maturity and his lacrosse IQ."
Joseph scored a career-high 10 goals for the Bison last spring while playing in all 15 games with three starts. He closed the 2014 season with the best game of his career, a four-goal, five-point night in a tough 10-9 loss at Colgate in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals. Joseph has 14 goals and six assists in his career and will once again be a leader of the Bison midfield.
"Through a lot of hard work, Ryan has significantly improved each year he's been here," said Fedorjaka. "Ryan has changed his physique. He has become the type of player and leader who has earned the respect of being voted captain by his peers."
After missing all of his freshman year with a knee injury, Kellar will be entering his third season as a starting defenseman. He has started all 31 games over the last two seasons, and last year he ranked third on the Bison in both ground balls (37) and caused turnovers (14) for a team that gave up only 8.6 goals per game.
"Ben is the definitive vocal leader on defense," said Fedorjaka. "He has acted as a key liaison seaming the freshman class into the overall team culture, and his is effort in the weight room is exceptional."
One of the team's toughest and hardest-working players, Ondrusek plays short-stick defensive midfield and is also a key wing player on faceoffs for the Bison. Last year he scored his first collegiate goal in a win over Brown, and the in-state (Lancaster) product has played in every game over the last two seasons.
"Mike goes as hard as he can for as long as he can on every drill and every play in practice," said Fedorjaka. "His diligence inspires all of his teammates to achieve at even higher levels."
Bucknell returns seven starters this spring, including a pair of All-Patriot League selections in Dickson and midfielder Thomas Flibotte. Five of the team's top seven scorers are back, and while they will have to replace All-America defenseman Jackson Place, the bulk of the defensive corps returns as well.
The Bison will scrimmage Hobart, Towson and Syracuse during the month of January before traveling to Delaware for the season opener on Saturday, Feb. 7. The home opener will be one week later, on Feb. 14 against Bryant at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
