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Hello everyone:

As the fall semester comes to a close, I want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season. We had a very busy and productive fall, beginning with Evie Bliss making it to the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where on September 19 she threw the Javelin 58.88 (193-1.25) to finish 10th in her preliminary flight and 19th overall among a field of 36 of the best javelin throwers in the world. Evie was the youngest competitor in the field and the first-ever Bucknell Track and Field athlete to compete in a World Championship. What a fantastic year for Evie. It was great that we were able to send Coach Ryan Protzman to Tokyo to coach her in the meet, thanks to the Spiked Shoe Club and its fundraising efforts.

The cross country season came to a close a couple of weeks ago, and our women’s team capped it off by finishing second (48 pts) at the Patriot League Championships – the program’s best finish since 2019. The only team to best the Bison that day was a very good Army (21 pts) squad led by head coach and Bucknell grad Michael Smith ’88. We had four ladies earn All-Patriot League status, led by sophomore Shealan McNally, who was the runner-up in the race. Junior Kailey Granger (6th), sophomore Katie Moncavage (10th), and senior Caryn Rippey (13th) were the other three to earn all-league honors. We were well ahead of Navy (3rd, 99 points), Boston U (4th, 120 points), and Lehigh (5th, 136 points) – the other schools among the top-five in the 10-school field. Two weeks later, we competed at Lehigh in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships and finished 7th out of 30 schools. I was very pleased with that finish, which was our highest place since we were 6th in 2016.

Our men’s team had some health issues late in the season, but nevertheless improved one spot from the 6th-place showing in 2024 with a 5th-place finish (135 points) this season. Our goal was to finish in the top three, and we were only 19 points behind 3rd-place American University (116 points) and 4th-place Boston University (117 points). Navy won the meet with 28 points, followed by Army at 58 points. Senior Henry Didden led us with a 10th-place finish, followed by sophomore Ethan Pratt-Perez, who was 14th – both runners earned All-Patriot League honors. It was the second consecutive year that Ethan made the all-league team. Two weeks later, the Bison finished 12th of 29 teams with 334 points at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. Our goal was to be in the top 10, and we were only 29 points away from 10th place (U-Penn, 305 points). Pratt-Perez was our top finisher (39th, 30:52 for 10K), followed closely by Didden ( 43rd, 30:56).

We began our indoor track and field season on December 5-6 with our Annual Bison Opener, and I felt it was one of the best openers we have ever had, setting us up for what I hope is a very successful indoor season. We had 11 schools on campus for the meet, including Penn State. The men had five individual victories, and a total of eight men made our all-time top-10 list. The women had four individual winners and six new additions on the all-time top-10 list, including a school and fieldhouse record in the 300 meters by sophomore Alex Lea.

Men’s Event Winners:

Lucas Williams Pole Vault 16-4.75 #8 all-time

CJ Simbiri Triple Jump 48-10.75 #5 all-time

Nick Bouril 300 meters 34.57 #2 all-time

Cooper Hollinger 3000 meters 8:41.31

Alex Goonewardene Mile 4:28.28

 

Men’s Additional All-Time Top-10 Entries:

Luke Petryna 60 meters 4th place 6.91 #8 all-time 

Preston Lubeski 300 meters 3rd place 35.40 #8 all-time

Ethan Knight 60 M Hurdles 3rd place 8.30 #7 all-time

Eamon Golden 60 M Hurdles 4th place 8.37 #10 all-time

Henry Didden 5000 meters (at Boston University) 14:05.94 #2 all-time

 

Women’s Event Winners:

Anna Carruthers 800 meters 2:16.34

Alex Lea 300 meters 39.29 school and fieldhouse record

Bella Johns Mile 5:09.88

Megan Baggetta Triple Jump 38-2.75

 

Women’s Additional All-Time Top-10 Entries:

Grace Camerlingo 60 meters 7.62 #3 all-time (2nd place)

Piper Portacio 60 meters 7.75 tie #7 all-time (5th place)

Ali Cooke 300 meters 40.83 #6 all-time (2nd place)

Raygan Lust 300 meters 41.22 #7 all-time (3rd place)

Alexa Goll 300 meters 41.41 #8 all-time (4th place)

 

Here is our Indoor Track and Field Schedule. We would love to see you at any of our meets, at home or on the road, if we are in your area.

 

Sat., Jan. 17 Penn State Challenge State College, Pa.

Sat., Jan. 24 Gulden Invitational Home

Fri-Sat, Jan. 30-31 Bucknell Invitational & Multi Home

Fri-Sat, Jan. 30-31 Penn State National Open State College, Pa.

Fri-Sat, Feb. 6-7 UPenn Invitational Philadelphia, Pa

Fri., Feb. 20 Bucknell Tune-up Home

Sat-Sun, Feb. 28-Mar. 1 Patriot League Championships Boston University

Last year, we had some really great support for our program through donations made to the Spiked Shoe Club, and we need to have an even better year in 2025-26 if we want to accomplish some of our goals. The Patriot League Outdoor Championships were pushed back to mid-May this spring, resulting in a longer outdoor season in general. I’d like to travel a little more than in past years, including bringing more athletes to the Penn Relays than usual, along with trips to William & Mary and the IC4A-ECAC Meet at Rutgers.

In addition, we expect to have quite a few athletes making postseason meets such as the NCAA East Prelims in Kentucky, and potentially the USATF Nationals and U20 Nationals. Your gifts to the program will go a long way, and we hope to once again break program fundraising records for the number of donors and the amount raised.

I hope you will mark your calendars now for March 25-26, the 2026 One Herd One Day giving challenge. Our program has consistently been one of the top in the department on this important day, and your continued support will help determine the type of student-athlete experience we are able to provide to all the young men and women in our program.

I cannot wait for 2026. Have a great Holiday Season.

 

 

Kevin Donner

Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach

Bucknell University

kdonner@bucknell.edu

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Past Newsletters:

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Lincoln men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams combined to win three events Friday at the Indiana Early Bird.

Lincoln swept the titles in the 60-meter hurdles. Brandon Harris won for the men in 7.98 seconds and Aaliyannah Anderson took first place for the women in 8.48 seconds.

Malik Drummond was also a winner for the Lincoln men in the triple jump, posting a distance of 48 feet, 6¼ inches.

In total, the Blue Tigers had 22 top-five finishes during the meet.

On the men’s side, Tajai Duffus placed second in the 200-meter dash in 21.84 seconds, followed by Keano Charles in fourth place in 21.91 seconds. Rondino Dean followed Harris in the 60 hurdles with a fifth-place time of 8.25 seconds.

Finishing third for the Lincoln men were Franklyn Tayloe in the 800-meter run (1:54.98) and Dejone Raymond in the high jump (6-8). Melon Lowenfield was fourth in the long jump (22-9), Donovon Bruce was fourth in the 400-meter dash (48.84 seconds) and Dimitri Beckford placed fifth in the 60-meter dash (6.88 seconds).

On the women’s side, Quana Walker placed second in the 200 in 24.59 seconds, followed by Anderson in third in 24.93 seconds. Walker finished second in the 400 in 56.92 seconds.

Also on the track, Maria Diamond was fifth in the 800 in 2:21.22 and Hannah Fatade placed fifth in the mile run in 5:25.89.

In field events, Brittania Ingram was second in the triple jump (37-1) and fourth in the long jump (17-7).

Lincoln had a pair of top-five finishers in the women’s pentathlon. Calah McDonald finished fourth with 2950 points and Kimesha Francis was fifth with 2943. McDonald won the shot put with a throw of 32-6¼ and Francis was second in the long jump with a leap of 17-2¾.

In the 4×400-meter relay, the Lincoln men — Harris, Bruce, Tayloe and Charles — placed third in 3:15.55, while the women — Odeshia Nanton, Walker, Diamond and Anderson — took fifth in 3:53.73.

Lincoln returns to the track Jan. 17 for the Show Me Showdown at the University of Missouri.

LINCOLN – The No. 3 seed Texas A&M volleyball team handed the No. 1 overall seed Nebraska Cornhuskers their first home loss since November 26, 2022, to claim victory in Sunday afternoon’s NCAA Regional Final at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 35-37, 15-13).
 

The Aggies (27-4) won an instant classic over Nebraska (33-1) to punch their ticket to the Final Four. The teams split the opening four frames setting up a winner-take-all finale, and it was the Maroon & White who reigned victorious behind a complete team victory which included 75 kills, 17 blocks and nine aces.

 

Nebraska came out of the gate on the front foot, as head coach Jamie Morrison called his first timeout of the match trailing 9-3. The Aggies found their footing, cutting into the deficit to 12-9 behind a stretch at the service line from Tatum Thomas. The Cornhuskers won the race to 15 (15-10), but Texas A&M answered right back with a 7-0 run forcing Nebraska to burn both of its timeouts. The onslaught continued, as Cos-Okpalla recorded two aces paired with a Cornhusker error, stretching the lead to 20-15. Nebraska battled back within one as coach Morrison huddled up his squad up 21-20. The Maroon & White would not be denied, as once again the service line was the difference, with an ace from Maddie Waak sealing the opener, 25-22.

 

Carrying the momentum into the second, the Aggies forged an early 5-2 lead. Nebraska responded with a streak of its own inch ahead 10-9. Waak once again got the ball rolling, spearheading a 4-0 run from the service line which included two aces, a kill from Kyndal Stowers and a solo block from Cos-Okpalla as the Maroon & White went ahead 14-11. The train kept rolling, as the gap extended by one as the Cornhuskers huddled up for the time in the frame down 19-15. Nebraska mounted a late comeback in the frame, trimming the deficit to 24-22, but a timeout from coach Morrison was what the team needed Lednicky landed the final blow of the set with the Aggies prevailing 25-22 for a two-set advantage.

 

The Cornhuskers strung together a streak early in the third building a 10-5 advantage, but a response came once again as the Maroon & White ripped off four-straight to shrink the gap to one. The programs began trading points down the stretch and it was Nebraska who grabbed the frame, 25-20, and cut into the match lead, 2-1.

 

Back-and-forth scoring opened fourth, as the teams were knotted on five occasions through the first 14 points including 7-7. Texas A&M was the team to create some breathing room, again thanks to Thomas leading three-straight from the service line as Nebraska huddled up down 10-7. The Aggies would not be waver, extending the gap to 15-10 as the Cornhuskers called their final timeout. Nebraska grabbed one back, as Coach Morrison collected his squad with a break (18-14). The set went the well in extras and it was Nebraska narrowly took the frame, 37-35, and sent the match to a fifth set.

 

In the deciding final frame, it was the Aggies who captured the early momentum leading 8-6 as the programs swapped ends. Texas A&M kept rolling with a 4-1 streak, forcing the Cornhuskers to burn both timeouts trailing 12-8. Nebraska persisted, as the Maroon & White called a break with the advantage down to 13-11. The Aggies found themselves one point from victory and it was Lednicky who dealt the game-winning blow (15-13) ensuring their spot in the Final Four.

 

Following the conclusion of the Regional, the Aggies claimed four of the seven All-Tournament Team selections, headlined by Lednicky who was named the Regional Most Outstanding Player, while Waak, stowers and Ava Underwood were also named to the team.

 

STAT LEADERS

Kills – Kyndal Stowers – 25

Hitting Percentage (Min. 10 kills) – Kyndal Stowers – .327

Assists – Maddie Waak – 63

Aces – Maddie Waak – 4

Digs – Kyndal Stowers – 16

Blocks – Morgan Perkins – 9

 

GAME NOTES

• Logan Lednicky recorded her 21^st consecutive game with 10 or more kills and climbed to No. 3 in career kills passing Hollann Hans (1,640).
• Ifenna Cos-Okpalla climbed to No. 2 on the program’s career block list passing Cindy Lothspeich (552).
• The Aggies secured their first Final Four berth in program history.
• The victory over Nebraska marks the programs second win versus a No. 1 ranked opponent and first in 30 years.

 
UP NEXT

The Maroon & White head to Kansas City for the NCAA Tournament Final Four where they will face No. 1 seed Pittsburgh, Thursday, Dec. 18 with timing details to be announced at a later date.
 
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.