Update from Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach Kevin Donner -- May 2023
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Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends:
We are now hitting the homestretch as we approach the championship portion of the outdoor track and field season with the Patriot League Championships on the horizon this weekend, May 5-6, at Lehigh University. As has been the tradition for our program, I hope we will once again have a large group of alumni at the meet to cheer on the Bison. You can find the meet schedule at www.patriotleague.org.
The following weekend, May 12-13-14, we will be at the IC4A-ECAC Championships at George Mason University.
So far, we have had a great outdoor season despite the rainy weekends. Seems like the weekdays have been great for practice but the weekends have been wet. Our two recent home meets, the Bison Outdoor Classic on April 14-15-16 and the Team Challenge on April 22, went really well. At the Outdoor Classic, we had a very nice alumni turnout of approximately 60-70 alums who stopped by the alumni tailgate at one time or another and over 70 prospective student-athletes who attended our annual "High School Junior Day." We celebrated our annual "Senior Day” at the Team Challenge on the 22nd as we recognized 16 men and 21 women who will be graduating in the class of 2023 on May 14.
So far this outdoor season, our men have added new additions to our all-time top-10 list in the 100, 400, 1500, 110 high hurdles, distance medley relay, shot put (two new additions), pole vault, and hammer. Our women have added new additions in the 100, 200, 400 (two new additions), 3000, 5000, 3000 steeplechase, high jump (three new additions), javelin, 4x100 relay, and the 4x400 relay. We have had school records in the 100, 200, high jump, 4x100 relay, and 4x400 relay. In our next letter, we will send names and marks as we expect this list to grow over the next two weeks.
Last month the athletics department held its annual "One Herd One Day" 24-hour giving challenge and I'm proud to say that 319 alumni, family, and friends donated $92,769. Obviously, this was a fantastic day for our program. With the price of transportation, hotels, food, entry fees, etc. higher than it has ever been, we are still in need to raise some more money before the fiscal year ends on June 30. We are trying to give our student-athletes a great experience and we still have one of the largest roster sizes in the country. If you have not yet made a gift during this fiscal year or if you would like to make another, it would be much appreciated. Fundraising is our lifeline in running a competitive Division I program in which we still offer competitive opportunities from the top to the bottom of our large rosters.
Once again, I thank everyone for your tremendous support and I cannot wait for the next two weeks of championship meets.
Sincerely,
Kevin Donner
Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
Bucknell University
kdonner@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.
We are now hitting the homestretch as we approach the championship portion of the outdoor track and field season with the Patriot League Championships on the horizon this weekend, May 5-6, at Lehigh University. As has been the tradition for our program, I hope we will once again have a large group of alumni at the meet to cheer on the Bison. You can find the meet schedule at www.patriotleague.org.
The following weekend, May 12-13-14, we will be at the IC4A-ECAC Championships at George Mason University.
So far, we have had a great outdoor season despite the rainy weekends. Seems like the weekdays have been great for practice but the weekends have been wet. Our two recent home meets, the Bison Outdoor Classic on April 14-15-16 and the Team Challenge on April 22, went really well. At the Outdoor Classic, we had a very nice alumni turnout of approximately 60-70 alums who stopped by the alumni tailgate at one time or another and over 70 prospective student-athletes who attended our annual "High School Junior Day." We celebrated our annual "Senior Day” at the Team Challenge on the 22nd as we recognized 16 men and 21 women who will be graduating in the class of 2023 on May 14.
So far this outdoor season, our men have added new additions to our all-time top-10 list in the 100, 400, 1500, 110 high hurdles, distance medley relay, shot put (two new additions), pole vault, and hammer. Our women have added new additions in the 100, 200, 400 (two new additions), 3000, 5000, 3000 steeplechase, high jump (three new additions), javelin, 4x100 relay, and the 4x400 relay. We have had school records in the 100, 200, high jump, 4x100 relay, and 4x400 relay. In our next letter, we will send names and marks as we expect this list to grow over the next two weeks.
Last month the athletics department held its annual "One Herd One Day" 24-hour giving challenge and I'm proud to say that 319 alumni, family, and friends donated $92,769. Obviously, this was a fantastic day for our program. With the price of transportation, hotels, food, entry fees, etc. higher than it has ever been, we are still in need to raise some more money before the fiscal year ends on June 30. We are trying to give our student-athletes a great experience and we still have one of the largest roster sizes in the country. If you have not yet made a gift during this fiscal year or if you would like to make another, it would be much appreciated. Fundraising is our lifeline in running a competitive Division I program in which we still offer competitive opportunities from the top to the bottom of our large rosters.
Once again, I thank everyone for your tremendous support and I cannot wait for the next two weeks of championship meets.
Sincerely,
Kevin Donner
Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
Bucknell University
kdonner@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.