Update from Head Water Polo Coach John McBride -- November 2023
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Hello from Bison Water Polo,
It’s November and that means we’re getting in the heart of the fall season, which means men’s championships are right around the corner. The men are waiting for the championship seeds to come out so we can begin to prepare for our road to NCAAs.
It’s been a similar season to last year in which we had many ups and downs but found a way to grind out the end of the year and make it to the championship final where we lost to Fordham. Our hope is that we can get the whole team healthy because we are dealing with some injuries and illness issues. We are a better team this year, and we will come home this year with a win and that all-important bid to NCAAs!
The women have been practicing very hard and will host their annual fall scrimmages the weekend before the men’s championships. The women look strong and are extremely motivated to have a great spring season.
If you’ve been watching our games and haven’t seen me on deck, it’s because I’ve been coaching with the Men’s Senior National Team, preparing for Pan-Am’s in Chile. I will return for the final few weeks to get everyone ready to compete when the season matters.
We are very excited about the $1.6 million dollars that was anonymously donated for pool upgrades. We need to keep Kinney Natatorium the premier pool in the Patriot League, especially for water polo! We still need your help with fundraising for our day-to-day operations. The fundraising goal has been raised to $300,000 for the 2023-2024 year, which is more than double what we’ve had to raise in past years. This is due to current inflation, which we see in the ever-mounting costs of things such as transportation, lodging, and meals for both water polo teams. I know we can get there if we all contribute to help give these athletes the necessary DI student-athlete experience they need to succeed. The athletes have definitely been doing their part: training hard and getting great grades in the classroom. Most importantly, they have been amazing ambassadors for Bucknell and everything the school stands for. If you can give to Bucknell Water Polo, it would tremendously help these young men and women.
I hope this note finds you well as we enter the holiday season. Championships are at Bucknell this year, so if you can make it, that would be awesome. I will share the info as we progress through November. See you on deck!
John McBride
Head Water Polo Coach
Bucknell University
jwm035@bucknell.edu
Past Newsletters:
Bison Club support is the driving force behind Bucknell Athletics. Your donations directly impact the holistic development of student-athletes from 27 Division I varsity programs who are building a foundation at Bucknell to become leaders and difference-makers around the globe. Make your gift online, or call 570-577-1771 to support your favorite Bison team today.
It’s November and that means we’re getting in the heart of the fall season, which means men’s championships are right around the corner. The men are waiting for the championship seeds to come out so we can begin to prepare for our road to NCAAs.
It’s been a similar season to last year in which we had many ups and downs but found a way to grind out the end of the year and make it to the championship final where we lost to Fordham. Our hope is that we can get the whole team healthy because we are dealing with some injuries and illness issues. We are a better team this year, and we will come home this year with a win and that all-important bid to NCAAs!
The women have been practicing very hard and will host their annual fall scrimmages the weekend before the men’s championships. The women look strong and are extremely motivated to have a great spring season.
If you’ve been watching our games and haven’t seen me on deck, it’s because I’ve been coaching with the Men’s Senior National Team, preparing for Pan-Am’s in Chile. I will return for the final few weeks to get everyone ready to compete when the season matters.
We are very excited about the $1.6 million dollars that was anonymously donated for pool upgrades. We need to keep Kinney Natatorium the premier pool in the Patriot League, especially for water polo! We still need your help with fundraising for our day-to-day operations. The fundraising goal has been raised to $300,000 for the 2023-2024 year, which is more than double what we’ve had to raise in past years. This is due to current inflation, which we see in the ever-mounting costs of things such as transportation, lodging, and meals for both water polo teams. I know we can get there if we all contribute to help give these athletes the necessary DI student-athlete experience they need to succeed. The athletes have definitely been doing their part: training hard and getting great grades in the classroom. Most importantly, they have been amazing ambassadors for Bucknell and everything the school stands for. If you can give to Bucknell Water Polo, it would tremendously help these young men and women.
I hope this note finds you well as we enter the holiday season. Championships are at Bucknell this year, so if you can make it, that would be awesome. I will share the info as we progress through November. See you on deck!
John McBride
Head Water Polo Coach
Bucknell University
jwm035@bucknell.edu
Past Newsletters:
Bison Club support is the driving force behind Bucknell Athletics. Your donations directly impact the holistic development of student-athletes from 27 Division I varsity programs who are building a foundation at Bucknell to become leaders and difference-makers around the globe. Make your gift online, or call 570-577-1771 to support your favorite Bison team today.