Bucknell Community Displays Orange & Blue Spirit in Evelyn Bliss Sendoff for World Championships
9/10/2025 8:58:00 PM | Women's Track and Field
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell University is famous for its community spirit, and the Orange & Blue crowd displayed its 'rayBucknell spirit on Wednesday night, as multiple athletic teams and individuals gathered to see Team USA member and United States national champion javelin thrower Evelyn Bliss, as she departed for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. She received a Bucknell Public Safety and a Lewisburg Fire Department escort off campus to US 15.Â
Huge Orange & Blue sendoff for the United States national champion javelin thrower, Evelyn Bliss, as she heads off for Tokyo - the site of the 2025 World Athletics Championships, representing Team USA!
'ray U-S-A! U-S-A!@usatf | @PatriotLeague @notthefakeSVP |… pic.twitter.com/jDXYweXdvD— Bucknell Athletics (@Bucknell_Bison) September 11, 2025
"I was absolutely amazed with everyone who came out to support," said Bliss. "I am still very emotional. It means the world to know how much of my Bucknell family I have behind me! I also want to thank everyone involved in getting my send off set up and all the other teams who came out to support me!"
Bliss exited the front doors of Kenneth Langone Athletics & Recreation Center to rapturous cheers from two walls of Bucknell supporters. Waves of Orange & Blue supporters held up witty signs and shook school-colored pom poms. She smiled, holding back fervent emotion, and offered brief, heartfelt thanks to her cheering crowd. Bliss then mounted the waiting fire truck and was handed a large American flag.Â
Receiving the signal, the vehicles screamed their sirens and began their cruise onto Moore Avenue with Bliss waving the Star Spangled Banner to the crowd's roaring approval. The public safety SUVs and the fire truck concluded their escort at the US 15 junction where Bliss disembarked into head coach Kevin Donner's car for the trip to the Newark Airport. Bliss leaves tomorrow for the lengthy trip to Tokyo.Â
"I love this place," said Bucknell throws coach Ryan Protzman, who leaves next week for Tokyo. "Huge thanks to Associate Director Todd Newcomb and our Sports Information Director Adam Evanko for the legwork they put in to make these last couple of days really special. I'm grateful for the support from Senior Associate Director of Athletics Natasha Wilson and Interim Vice President and Director of Athletics & Recreation Tim Pavlechko, and other administrators. It was great to see so many students, student-athletes, and other members of the Bucknell community. People were hustling over after practice. It was amazing. Bucknell is so special, and it is the community behind you that makes this journey unforgettable. I have never been more proud to be a Bison!"
Protzman's comments are apt. Bucknell exudes a special spirit and kinship that cannot found anywhere else. The type that draws athletes and staff to the banks of the Susquehanna and exhorts them to remain.Â
The World Athletics Championships run from September 13-21. Bliss will throw on September 19 in the women's javelin throw preliminaries for qualification in the next day's finals. More information will be revealed in the forthcoming preview.Â
Players Mentioned
