Bucknell University Athletics
Joksimovic Named MAWPC-East Player of the Year, Vlasceanu Selected as Rookie of the Year
11/22/2019 9:35:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Three Bison Earn All-MAWPC Honors
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The No. 13 Bucknell University men's water polo team earned three representatives to the All-MAWPC Teams, as announced by the CWPA on Friday morning. Senior attacker Rade Joksimovic earned Most Valuable Player for the fourth straight season, while freshman attacker Andu Vlasceanu was named Rookie of the Year two days after earning MAWPC Rookie of the Week honors. Senior Logan Schofield also earned a spot on the All-MAWPC First Team for the second straight year.
Joksimovic, a senior from Novi Sad, Serbia, has been the Player of the Year each year that the MAWPC has existed in helping Bucknell to the No. 1 seed in each of his four seasons in Lewisburg. Joksimovic leads the team in goals (122), assists (36), and steals (66). Earlier this month, Joksimovic became the second player in Bucknell history to reach 500 career goals, and also became the all-time steals leader at Bucknell earlier this season. Joksimovic is a four-time First Team selection, and was also named MAWPC Rookie of the Year his freshman season.
Schofield earns his second straight nod to the First Team after an excellent senior campaign. The native of Maumee, Ohio has played and started every game this season, drawing 97 ejections a season after breaking Jack Else's single-season record of ejections drawn with 135. Schofield has also chipped in 53 goals and an assist, while adding 16 steals. The senior has been a force in the center his senior season, helping open space for teammates while also earning penalty shot opportunities with the exclusions drawn for the Bison. Schofield, who was named an Honorable Mention All-American last year, joins Joksimovic as Bucknell's only repeat selection to the First Team in the four years of the MAWPC.
Vlasceanu, a freshman from Bucharest, Romania, earns his first All-MAWPC accolades after a strong rookie season. Vlasceanu has scored 61 goals, added 35 assists, and posted 37 steals for the Bison so far this season. Vlasceanu earned MAWPC Rookie of the Week honors twice this season, and has also played and started each game in 2019. Additionally, Vlasceanu also earned a nod to the Second Team, becoming the first freshman to pick up postseason accolades from the CWPA since Joksimovic in 2016. Vlasceanu is also the fourth Bison to win Rookie of the Year honors since the award was created in 2007.
The three honorees mark the fourth straight year that Bucknell has had at least three players honored by the CWPA for their regular-season efforts.
2019 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference-East Region All-Conference Team
Most Valuable Player: Rade Joksimovic (Bucknell University)
Rookie of the Year: Andu Vlasceanu (Bucknell University)
Coach of the Year: Bill Harris/Brian Bacharach (Fordham University)
First Team:
Bailey O'Mara (Goalie – Fordham University)
Jake Miller-Tolt (Fordham University)
Rade Joksimovic (Bucknell University)
Logan Schofield (Bucknell University)
Andrew Mavis (George Washington University)
Atakan Destici (George Washington University)
Isaac Salinas (United States Naval Academy)
Second Team:
Matthew Taylor (Goalie – George Washington University)
Andras Levai (George Washington University)
Andu Vlasceanu (Bucknell University)
Dimitris Koukias (Fordham University)
Finn Banks (Johns Hopkins University)
Daniel Domotor (La Salle University)
Trevor Clark (United States Naval Academy)
Oliver Fodor (Wagner College)
Bucknell takes on La Salle in the first round of the MAWPC Tournament on Friday at 3 p.m.
