Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Ready for 2019 Campaign

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

1/24/2019 2:23:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

LEWISBURG, Pa. – As always, expectations are high for the Bucknell men's lacrosse team entering a new season. A year removed from one of their finest campaigns in Frank Fedorjaka's tenure as head coach, the Bison remain committed to the three core principles that drove their 2018 success: No Excuses, Earn Everything and Appreciation.

"The 2019 season will be exciting," said Fedorjaka, the 2018 Patriot League Coach of the Year. "Obviously, we graduated a lot of really good players coming off a really memorable year. While 2018 was a great year, it was still incomplete. We didn't accomplish all of our goals. We didn't win the Patriot League Tournament. We didn't reach the NCAAs. So this year's theme is to light the torch and to start a new journey, focusing on moving forward and winning a Patriot League Championship."

To prime his team for Patriot League success, Fedorjaka assembled a grueling non-conference schedule. Bucknell opens its 52nd campaign on Saturday, February 2 at Maryland, which reached the NCAA title game three years in a row from 2015 to 2017, winning the 2017 edition. The Bison are also slated to face off against Ohio State, the 2017 NCAA runner-up, and North Carolina, the 2016 NCAA champion.

"We added some very tough teams to our schedule," Fedorjaka said. "The styles of play of Maryland, North Carolina and Ohio State match some of the styles of play of some of the better teams in the Patriot League, and that's why we're taking them on. We scheduled them to get better and because we believe we can have success against them. They're great opportunities to go on the road, play in tough environments and really challenge ourselves. Our guys are excited for the opportunity."

In 2018, the Bison made the most of every opportunity, taking down five nationally ranked teams, including eventual NCAA champion Yale on the road in overtime. Overall, they finished 11-4 overall and captured a share of the Patriot League regular-season title by fashioning a 7-1 conference record; they rose as high as 10th in both the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches' Poll and Inside Lacrosse Maverik Media Listing, their best national ranking since the 2013 campaign. But, with the loss of their top three point producers and starting three close defenders to graduation, a new cast of characters will be called on to carry the momentum from that success into the 2019 campaign.

Bucknell's offense in particular will have a radically new look. A year ago, the Big Three of attacker Will Sands, attacker Connor O'Hara and midfielder Sean O'Brien accounted for 57 percent of the Bison's goals and 62 percent of their overall point production. Bucknell's offense ran through Sands, a dynamic distributor who broke school records in single-season (55) and career (141) assists during the campaign thanks in part to his uncanny connection with O'Hara and O'Brien. Sands also became only the third Bison to reach the 200-point plateau in his career, joining a pair of Bucknell Athletics Hall of Famers.

"Obviously, when you graduate three of the better players in your school's history, you're going to have a different look the next year," Fedorjaka said. "This year, our offense is going to be more team oriented. Will had the ball in his stick a lot, and now everybody is going to have the ball in their stick about the same amount of time. Our offense will also be kick started by the middies, which is a big change for our program."

Fedorjaka has nothing but confidence in his top midfield line. While he acknowledged that O'Brien will be missed, he noted that having three unselfish seniors who "aren't afraid to get hockey assists" will help the offense keep right on ticking.

"The strength of our offense will be at the midfield," Fedorjaka said. "We have three seniors who can all create shots for themselves, can finish, can feed and can distribute the ball. It's one of the better middie lines in the Patriot League."

Reed Malas, the lone 2018 All-Patriot League honoree remaining on the roster, will take on an even larger role this season. Fedorjaka praised Malas for holding himself and his teammates to a high standard, noting that the two-time Academic All-Patriot League selection who carries a 3.96 GPA in Bucknell's Accounting & Financial Management program is both a "coach's and a professor's dream." Much of his success, Fedorjaka said, can be attributed to his drive and his determination to be the best he can be in everything he does. And, on the lacrosse field, the fleet-footed and cerebral Malas has excelled; the two-year starter enjoyed a breakout year in 2018, finishing second among Bison in assists (12) and fourth to the Big Three in points (34).

"Reed is very dynamic," Fedorjaka said. "He has great quickness. He can shoot the ball both ways on the run. He can shoot it from the outside. He can feed. He's terrific cutting off ball. He's a very smart player who makes good decisions. He plays hard but is always under control."

Like Malas, Tom Smith took a leap forward as a junior. A natural lefty who was expected to be a role player, he was pressed into Bucknell's starting lineup four games into the 2018 campaign. Once he settled in, he took off, registering 14 of his 26 points, and 12 of his 21 goals, in the final three contests.

"It took Tom a few games to get settled in, but he really stepped up in the end," Fedorjaka said. "He became a tough matchup. People started to double team him, and he had success in spite of that. He's picked up right where he left off, and we're expecting him to have a really great year."

Fedorjaka explained that what sets Smith apart is his ability to see plays developing and get the ball to where it needs to be to ultimately find the back of the net.

"Tom can feed the ball for the assist, but he understands what a good play is," Fedorjaka said. "If he draws a double team, he's more than willing to move the ball so the next guy can get the assist. His lacrosse IQ is exceptional. Beyond that, his work ethic is second to none, and he's just a very tough player."

Smith got the chance to start because Ryan Durkin went down with injury. Entering 2018, Fedorjaka had high expectations for the steady, versatile Durkin, who he said at the time could play "first-line middie, second-line middie, defensive middie, clearing middie and the wing on faceoffs." Now that Durkin is healthy, Fedorjaka believes that he'll play a key role in many facets of Bucknell's game.

"Ryan worked really hard on his rehab, and he's back to full speed," Fedorjaka said. "You'll see a theme with a lot of our guys. We don't have the biggest, strongest and fastest team in Division I, but we do have very skilled and very smart players. Ryan is a perfect example of that. He can dodge against shorties or poles. He's really good on ground balls. He can read the defense and see where the ball needs to go or where he needs to dodge. He's just an asset in so many phases of the game."

Junior Grayson Burns and sophomores Brendan Egan and J.J. Alicea will give the Bison a solid second midfield line. While all three lack game experience, Fedorjaka has liked what he's seen out of them in practice, noting that Burns boasts a blistering shot while Egan and Alicea have proven adroit dodgers.

Fedorjaka is the first to admit that the Bison aren't nearly as experienced at attack as they are at midfield. With Sands and O'Hara gone, their third 2018 starter will be asked to be the focal point of the attack for the first time in his young career.

A year ago, Tommy Sopko was one of only two freshmen to start for Bucknell. A bit overshadowed by the Big Three, the former Philadelphia High School Player of the Year quietly started all 15 games, finishing third on the team in goals (24) and fifth in points (30). A pure finisher who doesn't shy away from taking contact to get to the goal, he worked this fall to add elements of Sands's game to his own.

"This year, Tommy will have a much bigger role in our offense," Fedorjaka said. "He'll be asked to do more things. Last year, he learned a lot from Will in terms of being able to make plays when we need them or when covered by the other team's best defender. Will was more of a distributor than Tommy is, but Tommy is working towards being able to set up his teammates after winning his matchups. Right now, Tommy is going to be more of a guy who will create his own shot, and we'll be looking for him to be efficient with his touches."

After spending his first two years in Lewisburg as a reserve, junior Will Yorke worked hard to seize one of the two open starting spots at attack. One of Bucknell's more physically imposing attackers at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he can best opposing defenders with both his strength and skill.

"Will hasn't had his opportunity yet, and he's poised to make the most of it," Fedorjaka said. "He's a really big kid who's also very creative. He's worked hard to become a terrific scorer, and he's doing the little things he needs to be successful."

It's likely a freshman will have the opportunity to start at attack for the second year in a row. Whether that freshman is Alston Tarry or Matthew Barkauskas remains to be seen. Both three-sport athletes and prolific point producers in high school, Fedorjaka believes that Tarry and Barkauskas will each make an impact in 2019, no matter which one eventually earns the starting job.

"They're very different players," Fedorjaka said. "Both of them do a good job playing within the offense, but they bring different things to the table. Alston is very skilled. He has a high lacrosse IQ and can really shoot the ball. Matt is more of a blue-collar player. He goes hard and does everything at full speed. He's a very aggressive dodger. He brings a toughness to the position."

A rule change has also changed the look of the Bison's offense. With the addition of an 80-second shot clock this season, Bucknell has had to pick up its traditionally methodical pace of play.

"We were one of the more deliberate teams in the country," Fedorjaka said. "We liked to focus on generating quality shots. The shot clock has picked up the pace of play. For the offense, it's going to be more quantity than quality. The teams that figure out how to get the same quality shot as before are going to be successful. We're confident the system we're using is going to allow us to get the same quality shots we've gotten in the past, but we're going to get them quicker than before."

Along with their tactical offense, the Bison have long been known for their tough defensive play. And, even though they lost their three starting close defenders from a unit that held 10 of its 15 opponents under 10 goals in 2018, Fedorjaka is confident that their defense will be as strong as ever.

"It's not as bad as it looks on paper," Fedorjaka said, with a chuckle. "We may have lost our three starters on close defense, but we actually have a lot of experience coming back. We have two guys who got a taste of starting on close defense, and we have most of our long-stick and short-stick defensive middies back. Our guys know our system, and they're all ready to take on their new roles within it."

At defensive midfield, senior Brad Landry will lead the short-stick rotation. Despite his small stature, he's one of the strongest players on the team; this fall, Fedorjaka said that he bench pressed a team-high 325 pounds. Not only strong, Landry boasts impressive speed and acceleration, which helps him routinely beat out the opposition for ground balls.

"Brad is very, very fast," Fedorjaka said. "During testing this fall, he ran a 4.45 40-yard dash in one line with me. Then, he went over to Coach [Ryan] Danehy's line and ran another 4.45. So it wasn't like I had a quick finger; he's just that fast."

Junior Matt Fedorjaka will also see plenty of action at short-stick defensive midfield in 2019. The head coach's son gained 20 pounds during the offseason, making him "much tougher to move around" according to his father.

"Matt has always been a bit of an overachiever," Fedorjaka said. "His biggest asset is his lacrosse IQ. But, during the off-season, he added muscle and got a step quicker. He's much more confident, and he fits into our defensive scheme really well. I can always count on him to be where he's supposed to be."

At long-stick defensive midfield, Hunter Newman is back. A year ago, Newman transitioned to long-stick from short-stick and made an immediate impact, logging 25 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. His biggest moment came during Bucknell's 12-11 victory at No. 6 Loyola; with the Greyhounds pressing to net the equalizer in the final minute, he picked off a Pat Spencer pass to seal the upset, which propelled the Bison into the USILA and Inside Lacrosse polls.

"Hunter is a playmaker," Fedorjaka said. "He's very active. He's really good at winning ground balls, picking off passes and knocking down passes. He's able to anticipate plays, and he's tough and smart. He also communicates well, which is really important on our defense because we slide on every play."

Senior Teddy Dumbauld, sophomore Nick Clarke, formerly an offensive midfielder, and freshman Travis Talarico will provide depth at defensive midfield.

Back on close defense, sophomore Bryant Boswell is poised to be a breakout star. Also a key face-off wing, he started the first four games of the 2018 campaign at close defense before shifting up to long-stick defensive midfield. He finished his freshman campaign second only to face-off specialist Jarett Witzal with 42 ground balls, collecting more than one in each of Bucknell's final 12 games.

"Ben is an absolute beast," Fedorjaka said. "He's physical and aggressive. He plays angry. It's his second year in our system, and he's flying around more now. There's more pressure on him as a close defender, but he's actually played that position for the majority of his career here if you count the falls. He's ready for the challenge. He's a really good one, and he's going to have a great year."

Junior Conor Shears, the first defender off the bench a year ago, and senior Alec Talarico are also projected to start. Fedorjaka praised Shears for his "great feet and stick skills" and the elder Talarico for "stepping up for his team."

"Alec has dealt with injuries during his time here, and it's great to see him earn a starting spot as a senior," Fedorjaka said. "We're young down low, and it's good for us to have a senior step up. Alec has been in our system for three years, and he understands our defense. He's a good addition for us."

A trio of talented freshmen, Frankie Higgins, Reid Delanois and Drew Wellington, will challenge the returnees for their starting jobs at close defense. All hail from strong high school programs that were regulars in their state tournaments, and Fedorjaka has been impressed with how quickly they've picked up the Bison's defensive schemes.

"All three of those guys have had a taste of being in the starting lineup this fall and spring," Fedorjaka said. "I would be comfortable putting any of those guys, as well as Travis Talarico, in at long-stick defensive midfield or close defense. They're all ready to go. That's why we call them the Fab Four Froshies."

Bucknell's last line of defense is three-year starter Christian Klipstein. An All-Patriot League Second Team goalie in 2017 and 2016, he enters his final campaign in Lewisburg needing 91 saves to become the seventh Bison with at least 500 in his career. He posted a goals against average south of 10 in 2016 (8.41) and 2018 (9.11), with his best single-season save percentage of .579 coming as a freshman.

"Christian understands the defense as well as any player I've ever coached," Fedorjaka said. "He wants to be a college coach one day, and he even gives me ideas. He's very vocal. He gets guys into the right spot. And he does all that without being distracted. He makes great saves and great reads in the clearing game. I'm looking for him to really carry our defense this year."

Fedorjaka said that sophomore Ben Clark could also see action in the cage. As a freshman in 2018, Clark saw action in six games, making 20 saves with an 8.13 GAA. In Bucknell's opener against Marist, he came in for Klipstein and went on to make four saves and force a critical turnover with 1:24 left in regulation to lift his team to victory; for his efforts, he was named to the USILA Team of the Week.

"Ben has the ability to make big save after big save after big save," Fedorjaka said. "He's a big, strong goalie who also moves his feet well. This fall, he became more consistent, and I feel comfortable putting him into the game. He understands our system much better now."

Like Klipstein, faceoff specialist Witzal has three valuable years of experience under his belt. Witzal enters his final year in Lewisburg as the Bison record holder in career faceoff wins (455), single-season faceoff wins (171, 2016), single-game faceoff wins (22, 2016) and single-season faceoff percentage (.6173, 2016). In addition, he stands third in career ground balls (180), third in career faceoff percentage (.542) and 10th in single-season ground balls (69, 2017).

"The Patriot League has some of the best faceoff guys in the country, but I believe Jarett is up for the test," Fedorjaka said. "He's had another year working with Coach [Matt] Dugan, our faceoff coach, and he's expanded the diversity of his moves and countermoves as well as his exits. He's done a great job of getting better at scooping ground balls and handling the ball. His faceoff percentage from last year reflects the quality of the teams we played, and I know he's ready to have a great senior year."

If Fedorjaka decides to shake things up at the faceoff x, freshman Nick Crovatto will be waiting in the wings. Crovatto helped New Canaan High School win two Connecticut state titles, setting the school record with 754 faceoff wins in the process.

"Nick gives us a one-two punch at the x," Fedorjaka said. "He's strong, tough and has quick hands and feet. Jarett will take most faceoffs, and there will be games where he takes every faceoff. But there could be some games where we need Nick to come in and throw off the other guy's rhythm. Nick will give them a completely different look, and we have a lot of confidence in him."

The 2019 team may have a completely different look than the 2018 squad that made the Bucknell men's lacrosse program's 50th anniversary season so special. But Fedorjaka is confident that the Bison, who were picked to finish sixth in the 2019 Patriot League preseason poll, still have the pieces they need to make a run in the always competitive conference.

"This year's team has terrific leadership in its senior class," Fedorjaka said. "They're a very unselfish group that is totally committed to winning plays, winning each day and preparing for Patriot League play now. I like the drive, camaraderie and chemistry this team has, and I believe those things are important to us reaching our fullest potential this year."