Volleyball Travels to Loyola (Md.) & Hosts Senior Day Versus Colgate with Regular Season Title & Tournament Hosting At Stake

Setting the Scene, Part I
Who: Bucknell (20-3, 12-2 Patriot) at Loyola (Md.) (10-14, 8-7 Patriot)
When: Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.
Where: Reitz Arena – Baltimore, Md.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: loyolagreyhounds.com

Setting the Scene, Part II
Who: Bucknell (20-3, 12-2 Patriot) vs. Colgate (16-10, 13-2 Patriot)
When: Saturday, Nov. 16 at 4 p.m.
Where: Davis Gym – Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: bucknellbison.com

About Bucknell

Bucknell went 1-1 during a Patriot League weekend for only the second time this season. The Bison easily demolished Holy Cross in a Friday night sweep but were ambushed by Army at West Point and fell in straight sets. The Black Knights have defeated both Bucknell and Colgate at home reinforcing the defensive capabilities of the former fort declared by Washington as the most important in America. The Army loss dropped Bucknell to 12-2 in conference - a half game behind reigning league champion Colgate (13-2). But the path to host the Patriot League Tournament and hoist a regular season title remains open for Bucknell. The Bison earn both laurels by winning out.
The Bison set a program record for conference wins (12) in a season with the Holy Cross. Bucknell broke the previous standard set by the 2003 team and tied by the 2023 squad.
The Orange & Blue will play two conference games this weekend while the rest of the conference will only contest one. Since the Patriot League has nine members for volleyball, one team each year will draw a bye, and it was Bucknell's turn this season. The Bison will have to travel to Loyola (Md.) Friday night and then immediately return home to prepare for Colgate.
Bucknell will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday and honor the careers of Jordan Hardy and Jen Sivak. Both seniors have witnessed the rebirth of Bucknell volleyball and played a key role in that resurrection.
Hardy continues to move up the Patriot League career leader board for digs, as her total has grown to 1,916. She moved into fourth place after surpassing Army's D.J. Phee's total of 1,832.
Both games will be streamed this weekend. The contests will be available on ESPN+. Live stats will be available for both games. The links are in this preview and on the Bucknell volleyball schedule page.
Bucknell is 23-13 in non-conference matchups under Head Coach Tyler Hagstrom. In 2023, Bucknell went 4-5 in non-conference games against a challenging schedule. The 2022 Bison were 7-2 in non-conference games, including a 6-0 start. That start was the best in Bucknell's history through six games. This year, the Orange & Blue went 8-1.
The annual Patriot League preseason poll tabbed Bucknell to finish third. Reigning champion Colgate was picked to defend their crown. Bucknell ended Colgate's 33-game home winning streak last year in an epic five-set match.
Jordan Hardy defended her title as the Preseason Libero of the Year. Hardy won the 2023 Patriot League Libero of the Year, the first time a Bison player won the honor. She and Catherine Jamison also become the first Orange & Blue players to win First Team All-Patriot League honors since Heidi Kemp in 2010. The libero won the first AVCA honor in Bucknell history when she earned AVCA Northeast All-Region Honorable Mention.
Hardy led the Patriot League in digs (537), 29 more than the nearest opposition, and digs per serve (5.54). Her digs per set mark ranked seventh nationally and she helped Bucknell finish third nationally in digs per set (17.84).
The Orange & Blue return a healthy core of players but did lose five pillars to graduation, including outside hitter and First Team All-Patriot League honoree Catherine Jamison and constant starter Libby Nieporte. Sophomore Sidney Shaffer, the 2023 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and member of the 2024 Patriot League Preseason Team with Hardy, returns to strengthen the Bucknell offense and defense. Along with the returners, the Bison greet three newcomers, Sarah Hilliard, Emily Kearney, and Bella Rodriguez to the team.
Hagstrom enters his fifth season at the helm of the Bison herd, having turned around a program mired in the Patriot League basement. He is joined by fourth-year assistant Jeremy Young.
The Bison's 20-3 start has boosted Hagstrom's record to 58-46 (.557), easily the best percentage in Bucknell volleyball history.
Caleigh O'Connell places first in the conference for assists per set (9.92), which ranks 56th nationally.
Tijana Kostic has been an excellent server, currently ranking first in the circuit in service aces per set (0.41).
Frazilus ranks tied for first in the Patriot League for kills per set (3.71).
Hardy leads the PL and slots 11th nationally in digs per set (5.13).
The team ranks sixth nationally in digs per set (18.06).
Bucknell slots 80th in the latest RPI rankings, the third-highest Pennsylvanian team behind Pitt (3) and Penn State (6).

Tournament Time

The Patriot League Volleyball Tournament fields six teams with the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds hosting quarterfinal games. The semifinals and championship game are exclusively at the No. 1 seed's court. Thus, the No. 2 seed does not host a tournament game. That increases the importance of the Bucknell-Colgate showdown.
The conference tournament race has become a mixture of settled and wide open. All six teams have been determined with American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Lehigh, and Loyola (Md.) making the field. But the top-two seeding remains wide open. Bucknell and Colgate are locked into the top-two seeds after American lost its fifth conference game last weekend. The Eagles are 10-5 and third, followed by Army in fourth (9-6), Loyola (Md.) sits fifth (8-7) and Lehigh is sixth (7-8). Seeds 3-6 are locked in.
As mentioned, Bucknell faces Colgate and Loyola (Md.). American duels Lehigh in a Battle of the Birds, Army welcomes Lafayette, and Holy Cross battles Navy in an attempt to avoid a fruitless conference campaign.

Scouting Loyola (Md.)/Series History

The Greyhounds are 10-14 overall but are 8-7 in the Patriot League. They are currently sitting as the fifth seed in the conference tournament but could move into the fourth slot and host a quarterfinal contest should they win and the tiebreakers point their direction.
Loyola went 11-16 overall and 6-10 in conference play last season. They did not qualify for the conference tournament.
Lauren Link has been the strongest link in the Loyola chain with 309 kills. She ranks second behind Frazilus in the PL in kills per set (3.47).
Alija Pittenger enters her tenth season as the lead Greyhound.
Loyola was picked to finish sixth in the PL and will surpass that expectation.
Link made the All-Patriot League Preseason Team.
Bucknell is 20-14 all-time against Loyola and won the first meeting this season at Davis Gym.

Scouting Colgate/Series History

Colgate sits at 16-10 overall and holds a 13-2 record in the Patriot League. The Raiders played an ambitious non-conference schedule, including four Power Four opponents. Once again, their tough non-conference schedule prepared them for league play. Colgate enters having won their last nine of ten games, including four straight sweeps. A loss at American was their sole blemish during their stretch.
The Raiders finished 22-8 overall and 13-3 in conference last season, repeating as PL title champions for the third straight season. They posted a 13-1 record at home - the only defeat came against Bucknell. Their season ended in the NCAA First Round versus #17 Creighton.
Colgate has a balanced attack with four players recording over 140+ kills. Milan Bayless leads the team with 295 kills.
Ryan Baker enters his 19th season as the premier coach of the circuit with four titles.
Abby Shadwick was named the PL Preseason Player of the Year. She has been a rock with 3.35 kills per set.
She was joined on the Preseason All-League Team by Gillian Hauschild.
Colgate was unanimously selected to repeat as league champions.
The Raiders leads the all-time series 48-24. Bucknell lost to Colgate in four sets earlier this season. The Bison won the first set handily but ran into trouble as the Raiders conquered the next three stanzas.

Up Next

The Bison will compete in the Patriot League Tournament and strive to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000.

Volleyball Travels to Loyola (Md.) & Hosts Senior Day Versus Colgate with Regular Season Title & Tournament Hosting At Stake

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jordan Hardy

Jordan Hardy

Sarah Hilliard

Catherine Jamison

Emily Kearney

Tijana Kostic

Libby Nieporte

Caleigh O'Connell

Bella Rodriguez

Sidney Shaffer

Jen Sivak

Volleyball Travels to Loyola (Md.) & Hosts Senior Day Versus Colgate with Regular Season Title & Tournament Hosting At Stake

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jordan Hardy

Jordan Hardy

Sarah Hilliard

Catherine Jamison

Emily Kearney

Tijana Kostic

Libby Nieporte

Caleigh O'Connell

Bella Rodriguez

Sidney Shaffer

Jen Sivak

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