May 12, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's water polo team wrapped up its 2004 season with a team banquet held last weekend. Six members of the team were honored by head coach John Zeigler, and co-captains were named for the 2005 season.
Freshman Mandy Bynum (San Jose, Calif./Leland) received the Allyson Gillespie Award. The award recognizes "demonstrated leadership, loyalty, and total dedication to Bucknell women's water polo" and was established in honor of former player, captain and coach of the club team, and 1996 graduate of Bucknell. Bynum jumped right into a starting role as a rookie, starting all 34 games in goal for the Bison. She posted a save percentage of .560, which is a single-season record, and recorded 279 saves, which is the second-highest single-season total in the record books. In addition to her competence in net, Bynum also managed to score one goal and pass out 12 assists while stealing the ball 25 times.
Zeigler presented the Vicki Gorman Award to Bison co-captain, junior
Meg Blitzer (Durham, N.H./Phillips Academy). The award was named after Gorman, a 1993 Bucknell graduate and former club player who was the first Bison to represent BU as a member of the U.S. National Team. Blitzer had a breakout year, leading the team with a school record 66 goals, nearly doubling her previous single-season best. She also recorded a career-best 24 assists for 90 points, just three shy of the Bucknell single-season record. In a game against Villanova on March 6, Blitzer accounted for seven of BU's 11 goals, establishing a single-game scoring record. As well as becoming a legitimate offensive threat, the driver was also a force on defense, collecting a team-best 66 steals, which ranks third on the Orange and Blue single-season chart.
In honor of the inaugural varsity season, The Class of '99 Award was established in recognition of the first graduating class of women's water polo players whose "perseverance and dedication led to the establishment of the program" at Bucknell. This year the award was given to senior Kelly Hofstetter (Scotts Valley, Calif./Harbor). Hofstetter, a captain in her final season, capped a stellar career with a 40-point year. Her career-best 21 assists was third on the team, while her 19 goals were the fourth-highest total on the squad. In addition, she recorded 31 steals and 13 ejections drawn from her driver position. For her career, Hofstetter ranks second on the Bison list for goals (144) and steals (152), third in points (213), and fourth in assists (69).
The 2004 recipient of the Most Improved Award was freshman
Jessica Trimis (La Crescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley). Trimis was active in 33 of Bucknell's 34 games as a rookie, starting two of those early in the season. The driver really put things together in the final month of play, however, scoring a third of season goals in April and recorded nearly half of her ejections drawn. Trimis finished the year with 15 goals, eight assists, a team-high 35 ejections drawn, and 13 steals. She capped her initial season on a high note, scoring the game-winner goal with just four seconds left in the final game of the season, giving the Bison seventh place at the Eastern Championship.
The Lynn Kachmarik Award, formerly The Coach's Award, was given to freshman
Elizabeth Jensen (San Mateo, Calif./St. Ignatius College Preparatory). The award is presented for "unwavering commitment and a selfless generosity to her teammates," and is named after former women's water polo coach and CWPA and National Water Polo Hall of Famer Lynn Kachmarik. Kachmarik was the head coach for the Bucknell women's water polo team in its first season as a varsity sport. Jensen was another freshman who made an immediate impact on the program, starting in 29 of the 33 games she played in. The rookie finished second on the squad in scoring with 53 points behind 19 goals and a team-high 34 assists. Her 34 helpers are the fourth-highest total a single-season in school history, and her point total also ranks fourth on the Bucknell freshman scoring list. Jensen handed out a season-high four assists in a game against Claremont on March 20.
The 2004 Rookie of the Year award went to Mallory Sullivan (Tulare, Calif./Tulare Western). Sullivan, one of four rookies to be honored at the end of year banquet, was a starter in 13 of 34 games this season. She ended her initial season with 12 goals and seven assists for 19 points, scoring on nearly half of her attempts (26). Sullivan was a threat for Bucknell in the hole, recording 26 ejections drawn, second only to Trimis' 35. In addition, the utility player finished fourth on the squad with 34 steals.
In addition to announcing the team awards, Zeigler also announced Blitzer and classmate
Cody Keffer (Berkeley, Calif./Berkeley) as captains of the 2005 team. Blitzer will be serving her second term, while Keffer spends her final season in the leadership role. Keffer tallied 27 goals and passed out 15 assists this past season to raise her career totals to 125 goals and 70 assists for 195 points, good enough for fourth on the career list with one season remaining. Blitzer is not far behind with 132 goals and 58 helpers for 190 points and fifth place.
The 2004 women's water polo team finished the year with an overall record of 16-18 and an even mark of 4-4 in the Southern Division Conference. The squad captured bronze at the Southern Division Championship, matching the programs highest finish, and turned in a seventh-place performance at the Eastern Championship to end the season with the best-ever finish at Eastern's.
