Dan Frake has been named the Mid-Atlantic Region Women’s Track and Field Assistant Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. “In only his second year here as a coach, Dan has definitely adjusted great to the collegiate system and our throwers have really responded well to him and his style," praised Bucknell head track & field coach Kevin Donner. "This is a very deserving award." Frake had athletes score 59 points to help the Bison win the team title at the Patriot League Outdoor Championships. Sophia Nnadi broke Bucknell and conference marks in the shot put with a toss of 49-10 ½ and qualified for the NCAA East Prelims. Nnadi also earned All-Patriot League honors with a second-place finish in the hammer throw and took third in the dis- cus. The Bison throwers also helped lead the team to the title at the Patriot League Indoor Championships. Abby Brundage won the shot put with a heave of 46-3 ½, while Nnadi was third in both the shot put and weight throw. Spring 2015 Volume 12, Number 3 Bucknell University Finally, it would not be a newsletter if I didn’t update you on our Spiked Shoe fundraising. With only a few days remaining until our June 30 fiscal year deadline, we are still slightly short of our $125,000 fund- raising goal, so if you have not al- ready donated, please consider making a donation before June 30. Every penny of our fundraising dol- lars is spent on keeping our rosters large and offering the best competi- tive opportunities for every level of athlete. Travel costs continue to increase, while our budget does not. Your continued support is greatly appreciated by our tremen- dous coaching staff and athletes alike. Go Bison! A NOTE FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN DONNER Coach Frake Named Mid-Atlantic Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year It was another very successful year, both athletically and academically, for our Cross Country/Track & Field program. The season ended with our women’s team winning the Patriot League Outdoor Track & Field Champion- ship and our men finishing third. The women’s win was especially sweet after Patriot League new- comer Boston University won all three titles rather easily last year. We were only a tie-breaker away from winning the Triple Crown. Although our men’s third place finish was not where we had hoped to place, walking away with two men’s runner-up trophies in cross country and indoor track and field was quite an accomplish- ment. We had many All-East performanc- es at the ECAC/IC4A meets and four student-athletes qualified for the NCAA East Regional in Jack- sonville, FL. The season is techni- cally not over as freshman Chrissy Bedzinski will be competing at the USATF Junior National Champion- ships in Eugene, Oregon later this month. Once again, our Bison were very strong academically with our team GPAs at 3.20 for men’s cross country, 3.15 for men’s track and field, 3.66 for women's cross coun- try, and 3.49 for women’s track and field. We graduated a total of 38 seniors who are now a part of our strong alumni network. This class was a part of eight Patriot League Cham- pionship teams and ten runner-up teams during their careers. We wish them all the best. Bison Express
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Transcript
Dan Frake has been named the Mid-Atlantic Region Women’s Track and
Field Assistant Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross
Country Coaches Association. “In only his second year here as a coach,
Dan has definitely adjusted great to the collegiate system and our throwers
have really responded well to him and his style," praised Bucknell head
track & field coach Kevin Donner. "This is a very deserving award."
Frake had athletes score 59 points to help the Bison win the team title at
the Patriot League Outdoor Championships. Sophia Nnadi broke Bucknell
and conference marks in the shot put with a toss of 49-10 ½ and qualified
for the NCAA East Prelims. Nnadi also earned All-Patriot League honors
with a second-place finish in the hammer throw and took third in the dis-
cus. The Bison throwers also helped lead the team to the title at the Patriot League Indoor Championships. Abby Brundage
won the shot put with a heave of 46-3 ½, while Nnadi was third in both the shot put and weight throw.
Spring 2015
Volume 12, Number 3
Bucknell University
Finally, it would not be a newsletter
if I didn’t update you on our Spiked
Shoe fundraising. With only a few
days remaining until our June 30
fiscal year deadline, we are still
slightly short of our $125,000 fund-
raising goal, so if you have not al-
ready donated, please consider
making a donation before June 30.
Every penny of our fundraising dol-
lars is spent on keeping our rosters
large and offering the best competi-
tive opportunities for every level of
athlete. Travel costs continue to
increase, while our budget does
not. Your continued support is
greatly appreciated by our tremen-
dous coaching staff and athletes
alike.
Go Bison!
A NOTE FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN DONNER
Coach Frake Named Mid-Atlantic Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
It was another very
successful year,
both athletically
and academically,
for our Cross
Country/Track &
Field program.
The season ended
with our women’s
team winning the Patriot League
Outdoor Track & Field Champion-
ship and our men finishing third.
The women’s win was especially
sweet after Patriot League new-
comer Boston University won all
three titles rather easily last year.
We were only a tie-breaker away
from winning the Triple Crown.
Although our men’s third place
finish was not where we had
hoped to place, walking away with
two men’s runner-up trophies in
cross country and indoor track
and field was quite an accomplish-
ment.
We had many All-East performanc-
es at the ECAC/IC4A meets and
four student-athletes qualified for
the NCAA East Regional in Jack-
sonville, FL. The season is techni-
cally not over as freshman Chrissy
Bedzinski will be competing at the
USATF Junior National Champion-
ships in Eugene, Oregon later this
month.
Once again, our Bison were very
strong academically with our team
GPAs at 3.20 for men’s cross
country, 3.15 for men’s track and
field, 3.66 for women's cross coun-
try, and 3.49 for women’s track
and field.
We graduated a total of 38 seniors
who are now a part of our strong
alumni network. This class was a
part of eight Patriot League Cham-
pionship teams and ten runner-up
teams during their careers. We
wish them all the best.
Bison Express
Five Bison Recognized at Senior Awards Dinner
Page 2 Bison Express
The Bucknell cross country and track and field teams received five
awards at the University’s annual Senior Athletics Awards Banquet on
April 28. Christian Lupica and Kim Nagotko received the Christy
Mathewson Awards, Andrew Garcia-Garrison was the recipient of
the Bradley N. Tufts Award, and Kevin Tapper took home the Bryan-
Humphreys Award. Katie Jessee took home the Edward W.
Pangburn Award.
The Christy Mathewson Award is the highest honor for Bucknell ath-
letics. It is presented to the most outstanding senior female and male
athletes. A seven-time Patriot League champion, Lupica holds school
records in seven events, including four indoor marks and three during the outdoor season. He is currently the only
Bison to own a record at the facility named for his most recent award, Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, set-
ting the mark at this year’s Bucknell Team Challenge. Lupica qualified for this year’s NCAA Regional Champion-
ships, where he just missed qualifying for the NCAA Championships. He has four career top-three finishes at the
IC4A Championships, and has also succeeded in the classroom, earning a spot on the Academic All-Patriot League
Team thanks to a 3.38 GPA in accounting and financial management. Nagotko owns more records than any cur-
rent or former Bucknell track and field athlete, including five outdoor marks and three during the indoor season.
She has earned three Patriot League titles while competing in relays and notched one individual championship with
a first-place finish in the 400-meter dash. Nagotko added Academic All-Patriot League honors to her resume fol-
lowing this past indoor season. A Dean’s List student, she has been selected to the Patriot League Academic Honor
Roll in all four years with the Bison, and carries a 3.43 GPA in environmental geology.
The Bradley N. Tufts Award is presented for exceptional athletic achievement and contributions
to Bucknell athletics. Garcia-Garrison had a season to remember for the Bison, highlighted by
records in both the indoor and outdoor mile run. He just missed breaking the four-minute mark
during the indoor season, crossing the line in 4:00.51. Garcia-Garrison put an exclamation on the
indoor season by winning four events at the conference championships, where he was named the
Patriot League Track Athlete of the Year. He also qualified for this year’s NCAA Regional meet
in the 1500 meter run.
The Bryan-Humphreys Award is presented to an individual for outstanding versatility. No one
exemplified versatility more than Tapper during his career with the Bison. He holds program top-
10 marks in 10 events, has one IC4A title and two All-Patriot League awards. At the 2015 Patriot
League Indoor Championships, Tapper led the men to a runner-up finish by competing in five
events and scoring points in all five. At the Outdoor Championships. Tapper again scored in five
events. In individual competition, he took fourth in the triple jump and long jump, and fifth in the
400-meter dash. His time of 48.09 in the 400m ranks fifth on Bucknell’s all-time list. Tapper was
part of a third-place finish in the 4x100 relay and a fifth-place finish in the 4x400 relay.
The Edward W. Pangburn Award is presented for sportsmanship, fellowship and contribution to
the University. Jessee has been an outstanding representative for Bucknell athletics, highlighted by
being named the 2014 Patriot League Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year. That
honor was fueled by a third-place finish at the Patriot League Championships and a 3.6 GPA in
markets, innovation and design. In all, Jessee has earned one individual Patriot League title and
four All-Patriot League honors. Those awards are evenly spread out, with two coming in cross
country and two coming in track and field. At this year’s Patriot League Outdoor Champion-
ships, she scored points in both the 1500 and 5000 meter runs.
Nagotko and Lupica
Volume 12, Number 3 Page 3
Bucknell Track & Field Goes to Second Grade
On Friday, May 8, Coach Donner and several track and
field student-athletes went to Kelly Elementary School to
teach Miss Snyder’s second grade class about the sport of
track and field. Sophia Nnadi, Jen Silvestri, Devon
McDonald, Efe Agege, Christian Lupica, and Nick Lom-
bardo demonstrated the finer points of running, throw-
ing, and jumping. After the coaches gave a brief demon-
stration of baton passes, the clinic ended with a relay
race.
Current Bucknell cross country and track and field head coach Kevin Donner
will be inducted into the Saint Francis University Athletics Hall of Fame during a
weekend ceremony on August 8 in Loretto, PA. Donner joins eight other indi-
viduals and one team in the 2015 class.
Donner led the Red Flash cross country and track and field programs for six
years from 1995-2001, guiding the teams to five Northeast Conference Cham-
pionships. He was named NEC Coach of the Year seven times and the Mid-
Atlantic Region Coach of the Year once during his time with SFU. In all, his Red
Flash athletes combined for 40 NEC titles, 27 All-NEC honors, nine U.S. Junior
National qualifiers, two Canadian National Qualifiers and six Academic All-
America selections. Donner will enter the SFU Hall of Fame with his most accomplished athlete. The
2015 class includes Brian Sell, who went on to compete in the marathon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Since joining the Bucknell staff in 2001, Donner has earned 24 Patriot League Coach of the Year awards.
This past season, he guided the Bison women to indoor and outdoor conference titles, receiving Coach
of the Year honors following both events.
Sudeep challenged Christian in a 20 yard dash Jillie Donner hands off to Ava in the relay race
Donner to Be Inducted into Saint Francis University Hall of Fame
Page 4 Bison Express
More than 4,000 donors stepped up on April 23 to meet the $300K in a Day Trus-
tee Challenge. The grand total of gifts, including challenge money from the trustees
and President Bravman, was $1,883,590.
The Spiked Shoe Fund had the seventh largest number of donors with 178 alumni,
parents, and friends giving to the Cross Country/Track and Field team on April 23.
This represented 3.44% of the overall donors and in Athletics was surpassed only by
Men’s Crew and Football.
The total amount donated was $28.663. The matching money from the Trustees
was $13,030.43 which made our grand total for the day $41,693.43!
We are so grateful for your loyalty and support!
Spiked Shoe Club Has Big Day of Giving
Alumni Spotlight: Jack Wickens ’78
Jack Wickens (Class of ’78; 4:16 miler) can attest to the value of Bucknell
alumni friendships. Jack recently founded a unique platform that showcases
and markets the talents of our nation’s top track & field athletes. To help
make AthleteBiz (www.athletebiz.us) a winner Jack has enjoyed the help and
involvement of a few Bucknellians.
Steve Fillebrown (Class of ’78; 9:10 steepler) serves on the board of Ath-
leteBiz and writes a regular column for the site called Track Shorts that suc-
cinctly summarizes what’s happening in our sport each week.
Brian Fullem (Class of ’86; 14:25 5K) will be lending his clinical expertise as a regular guest columnist
about injury prevention and care.
Bill Reifsynder (Class of ’84, Hall Of Famer) published a great article about AthleteBiz on RunHaven, a
highly successful digital community of running enthusiasts. Bill is the President of RunHaven: