Bison Factoids • Bucknell competes in the Division I Patriot League, along with American, Army, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy. The Bison return all five start- ers and 12 of 13 lettermen from last year’s squad that finished 23-10, won the Patriot League championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. • Bucknell stunned third-seeded Kansas 64-63 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament last season. It was the first NCAA Tournament victory in Bucknell and Patriot League history. The win would later earn an ESPY Award in the “Best Upset” category. • The victory over Kansas was hardly the only significant win of the season for the Bison, who punctuated an 11-game winning streak with consecutive triumphs over Niagara, St. Joseph’s, Pittsburgh and Holy Cross, all of which went on to play in the postseason. Pitt was ranked No. 7 nationally at the time of Bucknell’s 69-66 win, making the Panthers the highest-ranked team ever defeated by the Orange & Blue. • Just prior to the 2005 NCAA Tournament a study was released comparing the graduation rates of the 65 men’s basketball teams in the field. Bucknell was one of two schools to achieve a perfect 100% rate. • Bucknell is located in Lewisburg, Pa., a town of about 6,000 nestled along the Susquehanna River. Lewisburg is approximately an hour’s drive north of Harrisburg, an hour east of State College, and 25 minutes south of Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series. • Bucknell, Yale and Minnesota are the nation’s oldest Division I college basketball programs, with roots tracing all the way back to 1896. This is Bucknell’s 111th season of basketball. • Perhaps Bucknell’s most famous alum is baseball Hall of Famer Christy Mathew- son. Known as a gentleman and a scholar, Mathewson is buried only about 100 yards behind the school’s athletics facility, and Bucknell’s football stadium is named in his honor. • The legendary Jim Valvano served as Bucknell’s head coach for three seasons (1972-75). Since he left, the Bison have had only two head coaches, Bucknell Hall of Famer Charlie Woollum and current mentor Pat Flannery. • Bison head coach Pat Flannery starred as a point guard during his playing days at Bucknell. He was a two-year co-captain, led the team to a 20-win season as a senior in 1979-80, and ranks third on Bucknell’s all-time assists list (505). Flan- nery is now in his 12th season at Bucknell, making him the longest tenured coach in the Patriot League. • Bucknell has played in three NCAA Tournaments, in 1987, 1989 and 2005, the first two appearances coming as the champion of the now-defunct East Coast Conference. In 1987, the Bison lost to Georgetown 75-53 at The Omni in Atlanta, and in 1989 they fell to Syracuse 104-81 at Reunion Arena in Dallas. • Among the Bucknell graduates in the coaching ranks is Villanova head coach Jay Wright, who captained the 1982-83 team to a 17-11 record. The Bison host Villanova on Dec. 6 at Sojka Pavilion.
Transcript
Bison Factoids• Bucknell competes in the Division I Patriot League, along with American, Army, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy. The Bison return all fi ve start-ers and 12 of 13 lettermen from last year’s squad that fi nished 23-10, won the Patriot League championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Bucknell stunned third-seeded Kansas 64-63 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament last season. It was the fi rst NCAA Tournament victory in Bucknell and Patriot League history. The win would later earn an ESPY Award in the “Best Upset” category.
• The victory over Kansas was hardly the only signifi cant win of the season for the Bison, who punctuated an 11-game winning streak with consecutive triumphs over Niagara, St. Joseph’s, Pittsburgh and Holy Cross, all of which went on to play in the postseason. Pitt was ranked No. 7 nationally at the time of Bucknell’s 69-66 win, making the Panthers the highest-ranked team ever defeated by the Orange & Blue.
• Just prior to the 2005 NCAA Tournament a study was released comparing the graduation rates of the 65 men’s basketball teams in the fi eld. Bucknell was one of two schools to achieve a perfect 100% rate.
• Bucknell is located in Lewisburg, Pa., a town of about 6,000 nestled along the Susquehanna River. Lewisburg is approximately an hour’s drive north of Harrisburg, an hour east of State College, and 25 minutes south of Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series.
• Bucknell, Yale and Minnesota are the nation’s oldest Division I college basketball programs, with roots tracing all the way back to 1896. This is Bucknell’s 111th season of basketball.
• Perhaps Bucknell’s most famous alum is baseball Hall of Famer Christy Mathew-son. Known as a gentleman and a scholar, Mathewson is buried only about 100 yards behind the school’s athletics facility, and Bucknell’s football stadium is named in his honor.
• The legendary Jim Valvano served as Bucknell’s head coach for three seasons (1972-75). Since he left, the Bison have had only two head coaches, Bucknell Hall of Famer Charlie Woollum and current mentor Pat Flannery.
• Bison head coach Pat Flannery starred as a point guard during his playing days at Bucknell. He was a two-year co-captain, led the team to a 20-win season as a senior in 1979-80, and ranks third on Bucknell’s all-time assists list (505). Flan-nery is now in his 12th season at Bucknell, making him the longest tenured coach in the Patriot League.
• Bucknell has played in three NCAA Tournaments, in 1987, 1989 and 2005, the fi rst two appearances coming as the champion of the now-defunct East Coast Conference. In 1987, the Bison lost to Georgetown 75-53 at The Omni in Atlanta, and in 1989 they fell to Syracuse 104-81 at Reunion Arena in Dallas.
• Among the Bucknell graduates in the coaching ranks is Villanova head coach Jay Wright, who captained the 1982-83 team to a 17-11 record. The Bison host Villanova on Dec. 6 at Sojka Pavilion.
2 2005-06 Bucknell Bison Men’s Basketball
WELCOME TO BISON BASKETBALLGENERAL INFORMATIONLocation: Lewisburg, PA 17837Founded: 1846, 100th American college charteredEnrollment: 3,350Nickname: BisonColors: Orange and BlueAffi liation: NCAA Division IConference: Patriot LeagueHome Facility: Sojka Pavilion (4,000)
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATIONPresident ........................................................................................ Dr. Brian C. MitchellProvost ................................................................................................Mary DeCredicoVP for Finance & Administration ................................................................. David SurgalaVP for Student Services ..........................................................................Charles PollockVP for Development & University Relations ...................................................Robert KallinVP for Enrollment Management & Communications ........................................ Kurt ThiedeDean of Admissions .................................................................................... Mark DaviesDean of Students ...................................................................................Richard FerraroDir. of Communications ........................................................................................... TBADir. of Alumni, Parents & Volunteers .....................................................David FlinchbaughNCAA Faculty Representative ............................................................... Dr. Mitch Chernin
ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATIONDirector of Athletics & Recreation ...............................................................John P. HardtSenior Associate AD ................................................................................ Tim Pavlechko Associate AD/Senior Woman Administrator .............................................Amanda Backus Associate AD/Business & Team Services ...................................................... Terrie GriebAssociate AD/External Affairs & Bison Club ............................................. Todd NewcombAssistant AD/Athletic Training .....................................................................Mark KepplerAssistant AD/Athletic Communications ..............................................................Jon TerryAssistant AD/Facilities & Event Management ....................................... Michael McFarlandAssistant AD/Compliance & Student Affairs .............................................................. TBA
TEAM SUPPORTTeam Physician ......................................................................... Dr. Donald StechschulteAssistant Athletic Trainer (Men’s Basketball) ..............................................Brian ScorsoneManager of Athletics Fundraising .................................................................Tom HarveyCoordinator of Recreation Services ........................................................... Joe SantorineAquatics/Sojka Pavilion Coordinator ............................................................ Pam ArmoldRadio & Television Coordinator/Marketing Specialist ..................................Doug BirdsongMarketing & Promotions Intern ....................................................................... Ryan BurdEquipment Specialist ......................................................................................Mike JolinTicketing ....................................................................................................Jon HomanWord Processor ........................................................................................ Deb Hommel
BASKETBALL COACHING STAFFHead Coach ...................................................... Pat Flannery (Bucknell ’80, 12th season) Bucknell Record .......... 172-146 (.541), 11 seasons (91-50 in PL regular season play) Overall Record ............................................................. 267-189 (.586), 16 seasonsAssistant Coaches .....................................................Nathan Davis (Randolph-Macon ’97) Bryan Goodman (Barat ’96) Mark Prosser (Marist ’02)
BASKETBALL FACTSHistory ................................................................................. 111th (fi rst season: 1896) oldest program in nation (along with Minnesota & Yale)All-Time Record ........................................................1,163-1,059-1 (.523), 110 seasonsStarters Returning/Lost ...........................................................................................5/0Letterwinners Returning/Lost: ................................................................................12/12004-05 Records ...................................... 23-10 overall, 10-4 Patriot League (1st Place)2004-05 Postseason ....................................................NCAA Tournament Second Round
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERSBucknell University Switchboard ...............................................................570-577-2000Athletic Department .................................................................................570-577-1232Men’s Basketball Offi ce ............................................................................570-577-1267Ticket Offi ce ...........................................................................................570-577-1000Press Row Phone: .................................................................................570-577-1519Bison Sports Hotline: ...............................................................................570-577-1919Web Site: ..................................................................................www.BucknellBison.com
www.BucknellBison.com 3
The 2005-06 Bucknell University Men’s Basketball Media Guide is a production of the Bucknell University Offi ce of Athletic Communications.
CREDITS:The 2005-06 Bucknell University Men’s Basketball Media Guide was written, edited, designed, and typeset by the Bucknell University Offi ce of Athletic Communications, under the direction of Jon Terry. Assistance provided by Todd Newcomb, Todd Merriett and Jillian Jakuba. Photography provided by Art Foxall Photography, Steve Puppe, Terry Wild, William McBride, Amy Goodman, Mark Bogacz, TDI Productions, Miki Davis and the media relations departments of Bucknell’s 2005-06 opponents. Printing by Harmony Press, Inc., of Easton, Pa.
ON THE COVERS: Front — Bucknell all-stars Abe Bad-mus, Charles Lee, Chris McNaughton, Kevin Bettencourt; Back (L-R) — Returning lettermen Donald Brown, Darren Mastropaolo, John Clark, Tarik Viaer-McClymont, Holland Mack, John Griffi n.
TABLE OF CONTENTSBUCKNELL BASKETBALL INFOBUCKNELL BASKETBALL INFO
Patriot League Tournament Recap ............. 4NCAA Tournament Recap .......................... 5Postseason Postscript .............................. 6Pat Flannery Transforms Bison Basketball .. 7Setting the Standard of Excellence ............ 8Athletics & Recreation Center .................. 10Scenes from Sojka Pavilion ..................... 11Media Information ................................... 12Media Outlets ......................................... 14Bison on the Air ...................................... 15Welcome To Bison Country ...................... 16
BUCKNELL UNIVERSITYBUCKNELL UNIVERSITYAbout Bucknell ....................................... 18Bison Athletics: A National Model ............. 19Life After Bucknell .................................. 20University Administraton .......................... 21Director of Athletics & Recreation ............ 22NCAA Faculty Representative .................. 22Athletics Administrative Staff ................... 23Athletics Mission Statement .................... 26Lewisburg, Pennsylvania ......................... 26Athletic Training ...................................... 27Bison Club ............................................. 28
THE 2005-06 BISONTHE 2005-06 BISON2005-06 Bison Outlook ........................... 30Notebook .............................................. 332005-06 Roster ..................................... 35Abe Badmus .......................................... 36Kevin Bettencourt ................................... 38Donald Brown ........................................ 40John Clark ............................................. 42John Griffi n ............................................ 44Charles Lee ........................................... 46Holland Mack ......................................... 48Darren Mastropaolo ................................ 50Chris McNaughton .................................. 52Andrew Morrison .................................... 54Rob Thomas .......................................... 56Tarik Viaer-McClymont ............................. 58Bison Newcomers .................................. 60
THE COACHING STAFFTHE COACHING STAFFHead Coach Pat Flannery ........................ 62Assistant Coaches .................................. 64All-Time Coaching Records ...................... 65Sideline Coaches Program ...................... 65Backcourt Club ...................................... 66Bison Basketball Alumni .......................... 67Community & Alumni Relations ................ 68
THE OPPONENTSTHE OPPONENTSSeries Records ...................................... 70American, Army & Boston Univ. ............... 71UC Riverside, Colgate & Cornell ............... 72DePaul, Duke & Haverford ....................... 73Holy Cross, Lafayette & Lehigh ............... 74Navy, Niagara & Rider ............................. 75St. Joseph’s, Santa Clara & Syracuse ...... 76Villanova & Yale ...................................... 77ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday ................ 78
THE PATRIOT LEAGUETHE PATRIOT LEAGUEAbout the Patriot League ........................ 772004-05 Standings & Leaders ................ 792004-05 All-Patriot League Team ............. 802005-06 Composite Schedule ................. 81
2004-05 SEASON REVIEW2004-05 SEASON REVIEW2004-05 Statistics & Results ................... 822004-05 Game Capsules ........................ 84
BASKETBALL HISTORYBASKETBALL HISTORYYear-by-Year Records .............................. 92The Record Book ................................... 93Year-By-Year Leaders .............................. 99Bucknell Honors ................................... 100Year-By-Year Results ............................. 101Roster of Lettermen ............................. 110Bucknell Hall of Fame ........................... 112
2005-06 SCHEDULE2005-06 SCHEDULENov. 5 LOCK HAVEN (Exhibition) 7 p.m.Nov. 18 at Rider 7:30 p.m.Nov. 22 at Syracuse 7 p.m.Nov. 26 YALE 7 p.m.Nov. 30 at Niagara 7 p.m.Dec. 3 at DePaul 2 p.m.Dec. 6 VILLANOVA 7 p.m.Dec. 17 CORNELL 1 p.m.Dec. 19 HAVERFORD 7 p.m.Dec. 21 ST. JOSEPH’S 7 p.m.Dec. 28 vs. Boston Univ.# 11 p.m.Dec. 29 vs. Santa Clara or UC Riverside# 9/11 p.m.Jan. 2 at Duke (ESPN) 4:30 p.m.Jan. 7 at Navy* 2 p.m.Jan. 11 at American* 7:30 p.m.Jan. 14 HOLY CROSS* (CSTV) 1 p.m.Jan. 18 LAFAYETTE* 7 p.m.Jan. 21 COLGATE* 7 p.m.Jan. 25 at Lehigh* 7 p.m.Jan. 28 NAVY* 7 p.m.Feb. 1 at Army* 7 p.m.Feb. 4 at Colgate* 1:30 p.m.Feb. 8 AMERICAN* 7 p.m.Feb. 11 at Holy Cross* 3:30 p.m.Feb. 15 at Lafayette* (CSTV) 6 p.m.Feb. 18 at ESPN Bracket Buster^ TBAFeb. 22 LEHIGH* 7 p.m.Feb. 25 ARMY* 7 p.m.Mar. 3,5 Patriot League Tournament TBAMar. 10 PL Championship (ESPN2) 4:30 p.m. All times Eastern* Patriot League game# Cable Car Classic, Santa Clara, Calif.^ Pairings to be announced by ESPN in late January
2004-05 RESULTS2004-05 RESULTSNov. 11 vs. Princeton# 61-48 LNov. 12 vs. Northern Colorado# 67-54 WNov. 19 RIDER 69-50 WNov. 22 SAINT FRANCIS (Pa.) 70-65 LNov. 26 vs. Stephen F. Austin^ 62-49 WNov. 27 at Iowa State^ 62-55 LDec. 1 at Penn 65-52 LDec. 4 at Yale (OT) 73-65 WDec. 7 ROBERT MORRIS 60-45 WDec. 18 at Cornell 59-44 WDec. 22 NIAGARA 76-74 WDec. 28 at St. Joseph’s 69-62 WJan. 2 at Pittsburgh 69-66 WJan. 8 HOLY CROSS* 59-43 WJan. 12 at Colgate* 71-69 WJan. 15 ARMY* 63-46 WJan. 21 LAFAYETTE* 71-54 WJan. 23 LEHIGH* 65-63 WJan. 28 at American* 68-59 LJan. 30 at Navy* 66-62 LFeb. 4 at Lafayette* 89-69 WFeb. 6 at Lehigh* 57-54 LFeb. 11 AMERICAN* 65-52 WFeb. 13 NAVY* 71-60 WFeb. 15 at Villanova* 89-51 LFeb. 19 at Army* 69-55 WFeb. 23 at Holy Cross* 69-54 LFeb. 26 COLGATE* 60-59 WMar. 4 LAFAYETTE+ 70-34 WMar. 6 AMERICAN+ 53-35 WMar. 11 at Holy Cross+ 61-57 WMar. 18 vs. Kansas% 64-63 WMar. 20 vs. Wisconsin% 71-62 L
# Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, Syracuse, N.Y.^ AFI Cyclone Challenge, Ames, Iowa* Patriot League game+ Patriot League Tournament% NCAA Tournament, Oklahoma City, Okla.
The 2005 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Tournament fea-tured a brand new format, awarding home games for the fi rst two rounds to the top two regular-season fi nishers, with the hightest remaining seed hosting the championship game. With a 10-4 conference record, Bucknell secured the No. 2 seed (13-1 Holy Cross grabbed the top seed), and for the fi rst time since 1993, conference tournament games were held in Lewisburg. Large, spirited crowds helped the Bison to victories over Lafay-ette and American at Sojka Pavilion. Of course, some phenomenal defense helped a bit too. In the opening round Bucknell quickly dispatched the Leopards 70-34, setting tournament records for fewest points and fi eld goals (11) allowed. Charles Lee led the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds, and all but one Bison on the roster entered the scoring column. That defensive record nearly fell again just 48 hours later in the semifi nals, when Bucknell stymied American 53-35 to qualify for the Patriot League championship game for the fi fth time. The Bison allowed only 13 fi eld goals this time and held the Eagles to 28.3% shooting. They demolished the tournament record for fewest points allowed in back-to-back games and held consecutive opponents under 40 points for the fi rst time since the 1945-46 season. Chris McNaughton and Chris Niesz topped Bucknell with 11 points each. In the other semifi nal tilt, Holy Cross had to come from behind to defeat Lehigh in overtime, meaning Bucknell would have to travel to Worcester, Mass., to play for the title. The game was a rematch of the 1993 PL championship game, in which the Crusaders came to Bucknell’s Davis Gym and cruised to a 90-73 victory. This time it was the Bison who appeared poised for a blowout. For nearly 30 minutes the Orange & Blue played near-perfect basketball, sprinting to an early 33-13 lead and keeping the lead at 19 points with 11:32 to play. But Holy Cross stormed back with a frantic full-court press and pulled within a single basket in the fi nal minute. In the closing seconds Kevin Bettencourt grabbed a key rebound on a Kevin Hamilton miss and hit two clinching free throws with eight seconds left, giving the Bison a gratifying 61-57 victory and their fi rst NCAA Tournament berth since 1989. Among the many championship game heroes for the Bison was McNaughton, who made 7 of 8 shots from the fl oor and fi n-ished with 17 points and seven rebounds. Bettencourt added 13 points, including the two critical charity tosses, and Lee pocketed 10 points, six coming on two monumental second-half 3-pointers that helped stall the Crusaders’ rally.
For the Bison, the postseason fun didn’t end at the Hart Center. The following Sunday evening, fans packed an on-campus auditorium for the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, eagerly awaiting word on Bucknell’s “Big Dance” destination. Soon they learned that the 14th-seeded Bison would be headed to the Ford Center in Oklahoma City to face the No. 3 seed — the mighty Kansas Jayhawks. The excitement quickly turned to reality, considering Kansas had been ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the year (and were still ranked fi rst in the RPI), and the Jayhawks had already been to 33 NCAA Tournaments and 12 Final Fours. Kansas’ hallowed history hardly intimidated the Bison, however, as Kevin Bettencourt’s four-point play in the opening moments got them going, and the contest would soon develop into an “Instant Classic.” Bucknell led for most of the fi rst half, and by as many as seven points, before Kansas closed the half on a 10-0 run to take a 31-28 lead to the locker room. There were fi ve lead changes and four ties over the fi rst 12 minutes of the second half, and the Bison seemingly had the game in hand when Abe Badmus stroked two free throws to put Bucknell up 62-57 with 1:22 to play. But Kansas quickly rallied for a 63-62 lead behind six straight free throws, the last two by Keith Langford with 25 seconds left. The Bison were hardly done, though, as Chris McNaughton spun into the paint and rattled in a short jump-hook over All-American Wayne Simien with 10.5 seconds left. When Simien’s 15-foot jumper at the buzzer drew only iron, a sea of orange jerseys fl ooded the Ford Center hardwood. Not only did the 64-63 victory snatch the attention of the nation, but it was the historic fi rst NCAA Tournament win for Bucknell and the Patriot League. Two days later the Bison had to somehow put the Kansas victory in the rear view mirror and take on a very talented Wisconsin team that had captured the Big Ten regular-season title. And it was a very game effort, indeed. Bucknell shook off an early 13-point defi cit and rallied to take the lead as late as the nine-minute mark of the second half. But the Badgers had too much down the stretch and escaped with a 71-62 victory, despite an eye-popping 23-point showing from McNaughton, who made 10 of 14 shots from the fi eld going toe-to-toe with First Team All-Big Ten selection Mike Wilkinson. A true “Cinderella Story,” the Bison for a few days in March captured the imaginations of the sporting world, both for their inspired play on the fl oor and their poise, composure and sportsmanship off it. A fairy tale, indeed.
THE S
HOT!
THE S
HOT!
6 2005-06 Bucknell Bison Men’s Basketball
When the fi nal buzzer sounded in Oklahoma City, it signaled the end of an emotional, thrilling basketball season, but back in Lewisburg the party was just getting started. An exhausted Bison squad returned to campus in the wee hours of a Monday morning, spent the day attending classes and telling tales of their trip to the NCAA Tournament, then gathered downtown for an evening fi re truck parade through the streets of Lewisburg.
Several thousand townsfolk lined Market Street to salute their team. The parade ended back at Sojka Pavilion, where thousands more waited inside to honor the Bison with a spirited rally. Numerous guests of honor, including university president Brian Mitchell, spoke their high praises of the team. Lewisburg Mayor Judy Wagner issued an offi cial proclamation, making March 21, 2005 “Bucknell Men’s Basketball Day.”
In turn, each member of the Bucknell team and coaching staff took the microphone and thanked their loyal fans for their support throughout the season.
When the student body fi led out of Sojka Pavilion at the end of the night, it would actually be only a few more days before the lights came back on and the basketballs were rolled back out. That’s because the Bison had four more games to prepare for. In late May, the entire squad, including senior Chris Niesz, embarked for Shannon Airport for a 10-day, 4-game tour of Ireland and England.
For the record, the team won all four games — 77-54 over the Limerick Lions, 92-54 over Killester Basketball Club, 64-58 over London Select and 89-80 over London United. While the international basketball exposure was extremely valuable, particularly for the team’s reserves who received increased minutes, a new cultural experience was the primary purpose of the trip, according to head coach Pat Flannery. The team visited ancient castles in the Irish countryside, toured the scenic Ring of Kerry, visited the Waterford Crystal factory and saw all the sights in London, just to name a few of the activities.
The fi nal exclamation point came in late June, when Bucknell was nominated for an ESPY Award in the “Best Upset” category for their NCAA Tournament vic-tory over Kansas. Bucknell’s competition in the category was Vermont’s NCAA Tournament victory over Syracuse; Puerto Rico’s men’s basketball victory over the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens; and Giacomo’s Kentucky Derby win against 50-1 odds.
On July 14, with Flannery and co-captains Kevin Bettencourt and Charles Lee in attendance at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre, the Bison were declared the ESPY winners!
Forever in history Bucknell basketball will be linked with stars such as Lance Arm-strong and Annika Sorenstam, who won Male and Female Athlete of the Year
honors, respectively, and other ESPY winners such as Peyton Manning, Curt Schilling, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods and Steve Nash.
It was an incredible season, one nearly matched by an action-packed, fun-fi lled spring.
www.BucknellBison.com 7
The following excerpt is from an article that ap-peared in the Winter 2005 edition of the Bison Roundup, written by Jon Terry.
In a cavernous room deep in the bowels of the Petersen Events Center, Pat Flannery sat behind a mi-crophone, fl anked by his co-captains, anxiously fi dgeting with a bottle of water. Flannery is in his 15th year as a head coach, has won a Division III national championship and has triumphed in more games than all but one other mentor in the 110-year history of Bucknell basketball, but none of those experiences were any good to him at that moment. As if a coach could possibly offer an adequate account of his feelings just minutes after taking his team to a monumental upset of the nation’s seventh-ranked team.
At the postgame press conference in front of a col-lection of disbelieving Pittsburgh media after Bucknell’s eye-popping 69-66 victory over the Panthers, Flannery coasted through a few lines of coachspeak, before fi nally admitting, “I won’t really be able to put this in perspective until I calm down.”
Thanks to the weeklong litany of media requests that followed, the landmark victory announced to the nation something that fans in Lewisburg already suspected, that a special basketball team has been assembled in their small town. While plenty of basketball lingered on the 2005 schedule, and a Patriot League championship, rather than beating a top-10 team from the Big East, remained the ultimate goal, the win over Pitt served as a bold symbol of the evolution of Bison Basketball over the last decade.
For Flannery, the avenue leading up to the stunner in the Steel City (which followed another quality road victory at St. Joseph’s) has been an ever-changing whirlwind. Flannery’s introduction to Bucknell came in 1976, when a rookie head coach named Charlie Woollum was picked to replace Jim Valvano, who had moved on to Iona. Woollum could not have been more unlike Valvano. Punctuated by a Virginia drawl, Woollum’s calm demeanor provided a marked change from his predecessor, who stalked the Davis Gym sidelines as if his shorts were on fi re, even before fi nding fame at North Carolina State and ESPN.
For his very first recruit, Woollum plucked a scrapiron point guard out of the coal town of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, by the name of Pat Flannery. The shag-haired playmaker went on to become the only player in school history to lead the team in assists for four straight seasons. His 505 career assists were a school record at the time and today ranks third in Bison annals. A two-year captain, Bucknell was 38-16 during Flannery’s junior and senior campaigns, the fi rst two of 13 winning seasons Woollum would enjoy in Lewisburg.
To this day Flannery holds his former mentor in high regard, and still refers to him as “coach.” So it was appropriate that a decade and a half later, when Woollum left to coach his alma mater William & Mary, that Flannery was chosen as his successor.
Flannery had actually hung around after graduation and served as Woollum’s graduate assistant coach while working on his master’s degree in college administration, and he went on to serve assistantships at Drexel and Wil-liam & Mary. In 1989 he landed his fi rst head coaching gig at Lebanon Valley, in Annville, just a few coal mines from his hometown of Pottsville.
Success came quickly at Lebanon Valley. Flannery guided the Dutchmen to a 17-9 record in his initial season, their fi rst winning ledger in 18 years. Three more winning seasons later Lebanon Valley was in the NCAA Tourna-ment, and in 1993-94 Flannery’s troops fi nished 28-4 and captured the NCAA Division III championship. But before the champagne bubbles fi nished settling, Flannery’s life suddenly went into tumult. Just after the thrilling title game win over NYU, Flannery and his wife Patti (Bucknell ’86) welcomed their fi rst child, son Ryan.
Weeks later, his dream job now his, Pat and Patti bundled up their newborn and headed for Lewisburg.
“The main thing that always comes back to mind is all the major, wonderful things that happened in such a short amount of time,” recalls Flannery. “Winning the national championship, then having a baby — our fi rst — then having Bucknell come calling because my coach
had left to take another job, all of those things happening together was very exciting. Quite honestly, I loved the kids I had down at Leb Val, and if it wasn’t Bucknell, Patti and I were happy to stay put. But the fact that it was Bucknell and the way I felt about the school and the people here, once I came back and visited all the great memories came rushing back.”
Unfortunately, the reunion got off to a rough start. As the Flannery clan spent its fi rst Christmas in Lewisburg, the basketball team’s record stood at 0-8.
“I was honestly wondering what I got myself into,” chuckles Flannery, who remembers thinking then that as much respect as he had for Woollum, his revered coach, he had to continue to impose his own style on the Bison no mat-ter how long it took to sink in. “When I got back here, I had been gone for 15 years. As much as you take things from when you played and from the coaches you were under, you also take things from other places that you have been. So 15 years later as my philosophies evolved, in some ways they differed [from Woollum’s]. The year before Coach had a tough year and there weren’t many guys coming back, so I knew that we had to instill our style, because I couldn’t coach somebody else’s program. It took a little bit of time.”
Flannery’s fi rst Bucknell win came against longtime conference rival Lafayette, in Boise, Idaho, of all places. The Bison blew out the Leopards 90-56 in the consolation game of the Albertsons Holiday Classic, and soon after the victories began to fl ow like the Susquehanna River during the wet season. Bucknell defeated Navy by 10 in the Patriot League opener, igniting a 12-3 run that vaulted them to the top of the conference standings and earned Flannery Patriot League Coach of the Year accolades.
“As we got things moving in the right direction and gained confi dence — I never thought our attitude was anything but positive — we won a couple of ballgames and realized that we could be competitive,” says Flan-nery. “Then we really took off and ended up having a pretty good year.”
That season ended on a disappointing note with a fi rst-round Patriot League Tournament loss to hot-shooting Army on the Black Knights’ home fl oor, but just two years later Flannery had Bucknell in the league championship tilt, where it dropped a one-point decision to Navy.
The Bison went 53-21 in Patriot League play in Flannery’s fi rst half-dozen seasons back at Bucknell, but by the late 1990s the landscape of the conference had begun to change. First Fordham withdrew from the league after Flannery’s fi rst season in 1994-95, heading for the land of scholarships in the Atlantic 10. With Holy Cross pondering a similar move, the seven remaining Patriot League members voted to abandon their need-based-aid-only policy.
“We are in a league that has continually changed through my 11 years,” Flannery offers. “When I came back here I knew the ramifi cations of what we were do-ing in terms of fi nancial aid, but since that fi rst year the league has changed. And with that change the recruiting perspective has also changed. The bottom line is, and it needs to be loud and clear, is that we do things the right way both in the classroom and on the hardwood. And to fi nd those kids in such a small pool, recruiting is very, very labor-intensive for what you will hopefully end up yielding. But you also end up with the quality student-athletes that we have had.”
Scholarships have been but one piece of the pro-gression of Flannery’s Bucknell career. He has seen the hiring of a new athletics director in John Hardt, and he has proudly helped each of his fi rst three assistant coaches — Terry Conrad, Carl Danzig and Don Friday — move
on to head coaching jobs. Flannery also witnessed the opening of beautiful Sojka Pavilion in January 2003, a new facility that provides the Bison with a fi rst-class home that, not insignifi cantly, also leaves recruits awestruck.
While the physical nature of the job has certainly changed through the years, Flan-nery also admits that his coaching style has evolved as well, although the average fan might not notice.
“I have changed immensely,” says Flan-nery, who entered the 2004-05 season with
149 Bucknell victories, second in school history only to Woollum’s 318. “Maybe
the people who only see us on the 27 nights a year that we play don’t notice, because I will always be competitive on the sidelines. The biggest thing that’s changed for me is that as you get older and as you’ve been in the profession a little bit longer, there are more heart-to-heart talks with the kids. I think that at one time a few years ago we had six play-ers come from single-parent households. These kids come from good backgrounds, but at the same time they have a lot of demands. If it just
becomes singular in that you are just a basketball coach, then
it’s no longer something that I want to do. I think that I’ve gotten more and
more involved in their lives as we’ve gone forward. There aren’t many programs in the
country that get as involved as we do with the whole realm, as far as being a student-athlete.”
As he has worked to advance the Bison from a team to a family, Flannery credits much of his sensitivity in that regard to his own fatherhood. When son Ryan was two, he was joined by a younger brother, Jesse. As the boys have grown — Ryan is now 10 and Jesse 8 — the elder Flannery has become a Little League baseball coach, and during the winter holiday he often brings at least one of the boys on the road with the team. When Flannery emotionally addressed his players after the Pittsburgh game, Ryan and Jesse were in the room with him.
“The players who have played for me post-children, as opposed to pre-children, can attest to the change,” says Flannery, who became the dean of Patriot League coaches when Navy’s Don DeVoe retired at the end of last season. “I always felt like I was a good recruiter and I always cared about my players, but since I’ve had kids and realized that I am now entrusted with other people’s kids, it’s become even more so. These are people’s children, and they have had different experiences when they come to me. You can’t just exclude those experi-ences. I have kids from all different backgrounds. Now that I have my own, and mine are also very different, I realize that you are not going to be able to put a bunch of guys on one squad and push one button that makes them all think alike. They are all individuals and have dif-ferent goals and different concerns and different trusts and different abilities.”
Given that perspective, Flannery also admits that the best parts of his day do not always come on the basketball court.
“It’s extremely important to me to see our kids graduate, or to go to a former player’s wedding, or to get a card announcing a baby,” Flannery offers. “And especially now, I think looking back that some of these guys might not be where they are today if it wasn’t for our recruitment of them to Bucknell. I have grown up at Bucknell since the age of 17. I’m 47 now, so that’s 30 years that I’ve been a part of the Bucknell family. Obvi-ously you want to be successful and do good things, but as I’ve been here longer, that part of it has lessened to a degree. The most important thing is that you are happy with what you are doing and the student-athletes are responding to you. As our fans know, these kids play to the wall for us. They are fi rst-class acts in everything that they do.”
PAT FLANNERY TRANSFORMS BISON BASKETBALL INTO A WINNING FAMILYPAT FLANNERY TRANSFORMS BISON BASKETBALL INTO A WINNING FAMILY
8 2005-06 Bucknell Bison Men’s Basketball
The Kenneth G. Langone Athletics & Recreation Center
A major element in ensuring Bucknell’s commitment to athletics excellence is the Kenneth G. Langone Athletics & Recreation Center, which opened fully in 2003. One of the finest collegiate athletics facilities of its kind, the center includes the 4,000-seat Sojka Pavilion, the Olympic class Kinney Natato-rium, the Krebs Family Fitness Center and the Berger Family Weight Room. A new Hall of Fame area, a display of Bucknell’s Medal of Honor recipients, a sports medicine suite, modern offices for coaches and staff, and new locker room and classroom space are also included in the facility’s layout.
Bucknell has won 11 Patriot League Presidents’ Cups in 15 years
Bucknell has captured the Patriot League Presi-dents’ Cup, signifying the league’s all-sports cham-
pion, 11 times in the 15-year history of the affilia-tion, including seven straight titles from 1998-2004. Bucknell finished second in the overall Cup stand-ings in 2004-05 and tied for the women’s all-sports
title. It was the eighth straight year, and 11th time overall, that the Bison captured the women’s title.
In 2004-05, Bucknell won titles in men’s basketball, women’s swimming & diving and women’s indoor
and outdoor track & field.
BUCKNELL RANKS THIRD IN THE NATION (TO NEBRASKA AND NOTRE
DAME) IN TOTAL NUMBER OF ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA SE-
LECTIONS. A TOTAL OF 110 BISON STUDENT ATHLETES HAVE RECEIVED NA-
TIONAL ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA RECOGNITION SINCE 1970.
BUCKNELL BISON ATHLETICS:Setting the Standard of Excellence
www.BucknellBison.com 9
Bucknell Student-Athletes Among Nation’s Best
Bucknell takes great pride in its commitment to excel-lence on and off the playing fields. From Presidents’ Cups to Academic All-Americans to graduation rates that are ranked annually the national top-10, Bucknell is clearly at the head of the class when it comes to upholding the scholar-athlete ideal.
• Bucknell LED THE NATION in graduation rates in the 2003 survey conducted by the NCAA and the U.S. Department of Education. Bucknell graduated 100% of the student-athletes who entered school in 1996. It was the third time Bucknell has led the nation in graduation rates, and the Bison have never finished out of the top 10.
• Bucknell claimed its 100th Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the spring of 2005. That is more than twice the next-highest total.
• Bucknell student-athletes comprised nearly one-fourth of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in 2004-05. A total of 300 Bison recorded a GPA of 3.2 or better during their sport’s competition season. Among all BU student-athletes, 227 made the Dean’s List with GPAs of 3.5 or better in the spring of 2005.
• Twenty-two of Bucknell’s 26 varsity squads posted team GPAs of 3.0 or better in the spring of 2005, in-cluding all 14 women’s programs.
• In addition to the 110 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-Americans produced since 1970, Bucknell has also claimed 213 Academic All-District honorees over the same span, including nine last year.
• With four more Patriot League championships in 2004-05, Bucknell has now earned 50 crowns in 15 years in the league. In addition, Bucknell has had 68 conference players of the year, 65 PL coaches of the year and a whopping 391 individual league champi-ons from sports such as cross country, track & field, swimming & diving, tennis and golf.
• Bucknell’s men’s basketball team made history in 2005, writing national headlines with a stirring 64-63 upset of Kansas at the NCAA Tournament. It was the first NCAA men’s basketball win in school and Patriot League history. The victory earned Bucknell an ESPY Award in the “Best Upset” category.
10 2005-06 Bucknell Bison Men’s Basketball
The Bucknell University Department of Athlet- ics and Recreation prides itself on setting the standard of excellence when it comes to success both on the playing fi elds and in the classroom. With 11 Patriot League Presidents’ Cups in 15 years, national leadership in graduation rate of student-athletes, 110 Verizon Academic All-Americans in 35 years and 100 Patriot League Scholar-Athletes in 15 years, Bucknell is clearly at the head of the class in terms of upholding the scholar-athlete ideal.
The addition of the Kenneth G. Langone Athletics and Recreation Center, one of the fi n-est collegiate athletics and recreation facilities of its kind in the nation, goes a long way toward ensuring the continuation of that success.
The facility enhances each of Bucknell’s 27 varsity athletics programs and greatly expands the scope of its growing intramural and recre-ational sports offerings. A visually appealing structure located along Moore Avenue on the “downhill” side of campus, the Langone Athletics and Recreation Center was designed to reach out to all members of the campus community — the student body, varsity student-athletes, faculty, staff and alumni.
Three primary venues lie within the facility: the Arthur D. Kinney Jr. Natatorium, the 4,000-seat Gary A. Sojka Pavilion and the Krebs Family Fitness Center. Other features include a new location for the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame, a display of Bucknell’s Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, a sports medicine and athletic
training suite, classrooms, modern offi ces for coaches and staff and increased locker room space for varsity and recreational athletes.
The facility is named in honor of Ken Lan-gone, a 1957 Bucknell graduate who, along with his wife Elaine, pledged $11 million toward the center’s construction. Langone was a member of the university Board of Trustees from 1980 to 1996.
One of the special qualities of the Langone Athletics and Recreation Center is the manner in which it supplements the pre-existing facilities. The brand new construction surrounds Gerhard Fieldhouse and historic Davis Gymnasium, which has been restored as a competition venue for the Bison volleyball and wrestling teams, as well as intramural, recreation and other varsity practice activities.
As Bucknell continues to strive toward its mission of setting the standard of excellence in college athletics, the Langone Athletics and Recreation Center becomes the centerpiece in
an already impressive cache of athletics facilities that includes the 13,100-seat Christy Mathew-son-Memorial Stadium and its recently installed FieldTurf and 8-lane track surface; the scenic Bucknell Golf Club; Depew Field, the home of the Bison baseball team; a brand new grass playing surface at the Varsity Soccer Field; spacious West Fields for softball, other club and intramural activities; and, new in 2004, the Graham Field artifi cial turf playing surface for the Bison fi eld hockey and women’s lacrosse teams.
Here is a closer look behind the walls of the Langone Athletics and Recreation Center.
RAMER SCHAFFNER MEMORIAL HALLRAMER SCHAFFNER MEMORIAL HALLRamer Schaffner Memorial Hall greets
guests as they enter the Langone Athlet- ics and Recreation Center. The entry hall features the busts of 2nd Lt. George H. Ramer and 1st Lt. Dwite H. Schaffner, Bucknell’s Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, and provides access to Gerhard Fieldhouse and the Krebs Family Fitness Center on the ground level. Guests may proceed to the second level to enter Davis Gym, administrative offi ces and the Hall of Fame, which celebrates Bucknell’s Patriot League champion-ships and other athletics accomplishments.
KREBS FITNESS CENTERKREBS FITNESS CENTERPromoting lifetime wellness, the Krebs Fam-
ily Fitness Center contains state-of-the-art cardiovascular and strength conditioning equip-ment. The 16,000-square-foot center includes over 175 positions for equipment within three distinct areas. The fi rst-level cardiovascular and pin-select equipment is open for student, faculty and staff use at all times. Directly above the mezzanine also contains cardio equipment, with scenic views of the campus and natatorium.
The third area, the Berger Family Weight Room, sits on the former site of Freas-Rooke Pool, and is used for instructional free-weight training and varsity workouts.
KINNEY NATATORIUMKINNEY NATATORIUMThe Kinney Natatorium features a 50-meter
by 25-yard Olympic class pool, which accom- modates four varsity programs — men’s and women’s swimming and diving and men’s and women’s water polo — while enhancing the recreational aquatics opportunities for the Bucknell community. The pool itself features two
ATHLETICS FACILITIES
KENNETH G. LANGONE KENNETH G. LANGONE ATHLETICS AND RECREATION CENTERATHLETICS AND RECREATION CENTER
moveable bulkheads, allowing for multiple team practices and recreational swimming to occur simultaneously.
Natatorium amenities include seating for 500 spectators, restrooms, separated var-sity and visiting team locker rooms, a poolside classroom, sauna, steam room and concession stands.
Already Kinney Natatorium has played host to several major events — the 2003 and 2005 Patriot League Swimming and Diving Champion-ships; the Eastern water polo championships for both men and women; an exhibition game pitting Bucknell against the U.S. women’s water polo national team; and the Pennsylvania state high school swimming championships — drawing rave reviews at each. On Dec. 3-4, 2005, the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championship comes to Kinney Natatorium, making Bucknell only the fi fth non-California school to host the event.
The facility has proven to be quite a home pool advantage for Bucknell, which became the fi rst institution in league history to capture both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving championships in the same season in 2003. The Bison women won their third straight PL title at home in 2005, with numerous school, meet and league records falling.
SOJKA PAVILIONSOJKA PAVILIONSojka Pavilion provides the Bison men’s and
women’s basketball programs with one of the fi nest arenas in the East. A “fi rst-class” venue capable of seating 4,000 spectators for sport-ing and other campus events, the pavilion has walk-down access to all seats and unobstructed views of the playing surface or concert stage for all spectators. The seating bowl features approxi-mately 1,500 fi xed seats and 2,500 retractable seats, enabling an “expandable” open fl oor area with suffi cient space for three basketball courts for recreational activities and varsity practices. The spacious upper concourse includes two con-cession areas, restrooms, handicapped seating and several suites that overlook the fl oor.
Named in honor of former university president and current faculty member Gary A. Sojka, the facility provides a green room for performance acts and other functions, a cater-ing kitchen for special events, ticket windows, locker room space for home and visiting teams and offi cials, and a loading dock capable of ac-commodating team buses and production trucks for televised events.
Offi ce of Athletic CommunicationsBucknell University
Lewisburg, PA 17837
PHONE: (570) 577-1227FAX: (570) 577-1660
WEB SITE: www.BucknellBison.com
COVERING THE BISONCOVERING THE BISONThe Bucknell University Offi ce of Athletic Communications looks forward to working with members of the media during the 2005-06 basketball season. This guide has been published to assist media members in their coverage of Bison basketball. Additional information, includ-ing press releases, photographs, etc. is available upon request. To receive press notes and releases via e-mail throughout the season, please contact Jon Terry in the Offi ce of Athletic Communications. If at any time during the season you have any questions regarding Bucknell’s media policies, please do not hesitate to contact the Offi ce of Athletic Communications.
CREDENTIALSCREDENTIALSMedia credentials are required for Bucknell home games and are issued to working members of the press only. Requests for credentials must be made in writing on company letterhead.
Season credentials will be granted to members of the media that cover Bucknell basketball on a regular basis. Requests for season credentials should arrive by November 15, 2005. Requests for single-game credentials should arrive no later than 24 hours prior to the game. All single-game credentials will be left at the media will call table in Sojka Pavilion.
All requests for credentials should be made to:
Offi ce of Athletic Communications Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA 17837 Phone: (570) 577-1227 Fax: (570) 577-1660
MEDIA SERVICESMEDIA SERVICESWorking media at Sojka Pavilion will receive: • Game program, pregame notes, media guides • Complete halftime statistics (“live” stats available throughout the game on display monitors at press row) • Complete fi nal statistics • Complete play-by-play • Out of town scores
TELEPHONESTELEPHONESTelephones are available in the Sojka Pavilion media room, located just off the playing fl oor on the south side of the building, and may be used on a fi rst-come-fi rst-served basis. A fax machine is also available for use by members of the working media. Newspapers and radio stations desiring their own private lines to be installed on press row should contact the Offi ce of Athletic Communications for further assistance.
VISITING RADIOVISITING RADIOThere are two courtside locations for electronic media in Sojka Pavilion, one of which is reserved for the Bison Sports Network. The remaining spot will be reserved for the “offi cial” station of the visiting team, as designated by that institution’s director of athletic communications. If there are more than two electronic media organizations broadcasting the game, then at least one broadcast crew may have to work from an auxiliary position, space permitting.
Permission to broadcast games is granted through the Bucknell Offi ce of Ath-letic Communications, and arrangements for use of a phone line should be made at least one week prior to a game. Bucknell reserves the right to deny any access to organizations giving less than one week’s notice of intent to broadcast.
Bucknell provides regular phone lines at a cost of $100 per line. ALL long distance calls must be made using a credit card, or placed to a toll-free number.
OFFICE OF ATHLETIC OFFICE OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONSCOMMUNICATIONS
PHOTOGRAPHY POLICYPHOTOGRAPHY POLICYPhoto credentials are issued only to ac-credited photographers on assignment. Per NCAA rules, photographers are not permitted behind the team bench areas.
PHOTO LIBRARYPHOTO LIBRARYThe Bucknell Office of Athletic Com-munications maintains a digital photo library for its student-athletes, and head shots and action photos are available on request. For more information, contact Jon Terry at (570) 577-3121.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW AREAPOSTGAME INTERVIEW AREAPostgame interviews will take place in the Sojka Pavilion media room, located just off the court under the south grand-stand.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW POLICYPOSTGAME INTERVIEW POLICYApproximately 10 minutes after the teams have arrived in their locker rooms, following the NCAA-mandated “cooling-off period,” the visiting team’s press conference will be conducted, followed by Bucknell head coach Pat Flannery and select Bison student-athletes. Requests for players will be taken by a member of the Athletic Communications staff with fi ve minutes remaining on the game clock. Following the press conferences, additional players may be made available for interview upon request. The Bucknell locker room is closed to all members of the media.
BACKCOURT CLUB LUNCHEONSBACKCOURT CLUB LUNCHEONSOn the fi rst Wednesday of each month during the season, head coach Pat Flannery, members of his staff, and select players will attend the Backcourt Club Luncheon. The luncheon, which is held at the Lewisburg Hotel, is open to members of the media. If you wish to attend, please contact the Offi ce of Athletic Communications for further details.
PATRIOT LEAGUE BASKETBALL SERVICE BUREAUPATRIOT LEAGUE BASKETBALL SERVICE BUREAUThe Patriot League offi ce, located in Center Valley, Pa., provides the media with a weekly basketball release complete with standings, players of the week and statistics. Chris Graziano, director of media relations, can be reached at 610-289-1950, or log on to the league’s offi cial web site at www.patriotleague.com.
Bucknell’s fun and informative Web site — BucknellBison.com — is the fastest and easiest way to locate up-to-the-minute information on all 27 Bison athletic programs, including men’s basketball. Updated daily and available 24 hours a day, BucknellBison.com is designed to provide fans and media alike user-friendly access to Bison Athletics. Some of the many features of the basketball page include:
• Bison roster and schedule• Latest press releases• Game recaps and boxscores• Player and coach bios• Complete statistics• Live radio broadcasts• Game notes for each contest• Feature stories• Information on Sojka Pavilion• Online ticket offi ce• Online donations to the Bison Club• Much, much more!
MEDIA INFORMATION
KEEP UP WITH THE BISON ONLINEKEEP UP WITH THE BISON ONLINE
BISON ON THE ROADBISON ON THE ROAD
Trip 1: Bucknell at RiderHotel: Westin Princeton (609-452-7900)Night: Nov. 17Travel: Bus
Trip 2: Bucknell at SyracuseHotel: Wyndham Syracuse (315-432-0200)Night: Nov. 21Travel: Bus
Trip 3: Bucknell at NiagaraHotel: Buffalo Marriott (716-689-6900)Night: Nov. 29Travel: Bus
Trip 4: Bucknell at DePaulHotel: Courtyard Marriott O’Hare (846-824-2737)Night: Dec. 2Travel: Air
Trip 5: Bucknell at Cable Car Classic and DukeHotel: Hilton San Jose (408-947-4454)Nights: Dec. 26-30Travel: Air
Hotel: Marriott Triangle Park (919-941-6200)Nights: Dec. 31-Jan. 1Travel: Air
Trip 6: Bucknell at NavyHotel: Loews Annapolis (410-263-7777)Night: Jan. 6Travel: Bus
Trip 7: Bucknell at AmericanHotel: Key Bridge Marriott (703-524-6400)Night: Jan. 10 Travel: Bus
Trip 8: Bucknell at LehighHotel: Hotel Bethlehem (610-867-2200)Night: Jan. 14Travel: Bus
Trip 9: Bucknell at ArmyHotels: Hotel Thayer (845-446-4731)Night: Jan. 31Travel: Bus
Trip 10: Bucknell at ColgateHotel: Colgate Inn (315-824-2300)Night: Feb. 3Travel: Bus
Trip 11: Bucknell at Holy CrossHotel: Crowne Plaza (508-791-1600)Night: Feb. 10Travel: Bus
Trip 12: Bucknell at LafayetteHotel: Hotel Bethlehem (610-867-2200)Night: Feb. 14Travel: Bus
Once again this winter the Bison Sports Network is your home for every minute of Bucknell Basketball action. Radio broadcasts of all 27 Bucknell regular season games, as well as the Patriot League Tournament in March, will be carried live on the Bison Sports Network.
The network’s new fl agship station this season is Eagle 107 (WEGH 107.3 FM). The pregame show begins 30 minutes prior to tipoff. The broadcasts also have a worldwide audience over the internet, in partnership with SportsJuice.com, on the Bucknell athletics & recreation Web site — www.BucknellBison.com. Fans can also hear the games over the phone through Teamline at 800-846-4700 ext. 1668. Doug Birdsong is in his sixth season as the “Voice of the Bison.” A 1987 Marshall University graduate who called play-by-play for college and high school athletics for 17 years before coming to Lewisburg, Birdsong was named Radio/TV Coordinator and Marketing Specialist at the University in July of 2000. In addition to calling the action for the Bison men’s basketball team, Birdsong is also the play-by-play voice of the Bucknell football team, and he also broadcasts numerous events from nearly all of the university’s varsity sports programs. Birdsong became just the second full-time “Voice of the Bison,” replacing Bob Behler who held the position for more than 13 years before leaving to go to the University of Mas-sachusetts. “When we reevaluated this position, we realized that it is much more than a play-by-play job,” stated Bucknell’s director of athletics, John Hardt. “We need someone who will become involved in both the campus and Lewisburg communities, and who can help deliver the message about Bucknell athletics. In a pool of candidates that was extremely talented, Doug jumped right off the page. In his former position he displayed the ability to spread a message with an outstanding record of sales and advertising.”
Birdsong helped initiate and serves as host of Bison Live!, an hourlong radio show performed before a live audience at the Lew-isburg Hotel each Monday evening. Birdsong came to Bucknell from AVC Com-munications in Cambridge, Ohio, where, as the Sports Director, he managed the play-by-play crews on fi ve radio stations for the past 12 years. He called play-by-play for Muskingum College football, men’s and women’s basketball, softball and vol-leyball, and also handled the same duties plus baseball for area high schools. Birdsong was also responsible for writ-ing and producing 11 daily sportscasts focusing on the six area high schools and Muskingum College. For his last fi ve years at AVC, Birdsong coordinated
BISON ON THE AIR
DOUG BIRDSONGPlay-by-Play
BISON LIVE!BISON LIVE!Bison Live!, a fast-paced, one-hour live ra-
dio show featuring head basketball coaches Pat Flannery and Kathy Fedorjaka, is back on the air in 2005-06. The show, which is hosted by Doug Birdsong each Monday at 7 p.m., is staged live at the Lewisburg Hotel on Market Street in downtown Lewisburg. Other features include interviews with a variety of coaches, student-athletes and special guests from the world of Bison Athletics.
The live audience is invited to ask ques-tions on the air, with trivia and other prizes given away during breaks. Food and drink specials at the Hotel are also available.
BUCKNELL ON TVBUCKNELL ON TVBucknell could play a record number of
games on national television in 2005-06, with at least one fi rm date on ESPN and two on CSTV as the season begins. Additional television opportunities could occur on ESPN Brack-et Buster Saturday, as well as during the postseason.
Bucknell’s Jan. 2 game at Duke will be aired live on ESPN, marking the fi rst time the Bison have appeared on that network in the regular season.
The Patriot League will produce men’s and women’s basketball games for television once again in 2006. Eleven games will be broadcast in total, with eight regular season men’s and women’s games and three tourna-ment contests on the schedule.
The men’s basketball schedule begins with the much-anticipated rematch of the 2005 Patriot League championship game, between Holy Cross and Bucknell, on Satur-day, Jan. 14. The Bison will also appear on CSTV on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at Lafayette.
On Sunday, Mar. 5, a men’s tournament semifi nal game will round out the men’s por-tion of the package. One women’s semifi nal game and the women’s championship game will also be televised on CSTV. ESPN2 has the men’s title game on March 10.
Returning for his fourth season as the play-by-play commentator will be Bob Socci. John Feinstein, author of The Last Amateursand numerous other best-sellers, will handle the color commentary duties for the men’s games for the fi fth year.
advertising and posted an outstanding record, increasing sales by at least ten percent each year. Prior to his experience at AVC, Birdsong worked at WTCR in Huntington, W.Va., after graduating from Marshall. While he was a stu-dent at Marshall, he worked for WMUL as its Sports Director and called football, basketball and baseball for the Thundering Herd. In addi-tion, Birdsong produced and hosted a weekly one-hour sports talk show. He has won numerous awards, including citations from the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters for “Best Local Sporting Event Coverage” two years in a row. Birdsong has also won four Outstanding Sports Operation for Play-by-Play citations from the Associated Press in Ohio, and two from the Associated Press in West Virginia. In 1999, he was chosen as the Eastern Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Media Person of the Year. Back for his second year with the Bison basketball broadcast team this season will be color analyst Doug Byerly. The director of camps and conferences at Lock Haven Univer-sity, Byerly has also served as color analyst on high school football broadcasts for a local radio station. For the second straight year the Bucknell women’s broadcasts will air on the school’s stu-dent-run radio station, WVBU-FM (90.5). Trevor Rutledge-Leverenz, a 2001 Bucknell graduate who currently works at Sirius Satellite Radio in New York City, will handle play-by-play.
DOUG BYERLY Color Analyst
16 2005-06 Bucknell Bison Men’s Basketball
LEWISBURG
Sojka Pavilion is both located on Moore Avenue about 1/4 mile from the entrance to the Bucknell campus on U.S. Route 15, about seven miles south of Interstate 80. From New York City or Ohio, simply take I-80 to Route 15 South (Exit 210).
Turn left into campus at the seventh traffi c light (fi rst light after PA Rt. 45).
From additional locations:From Philadelphia — Take the Northeast
Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-476) North to Interstate 80 (Exit 35), and follow the directions above.
From Baltimore — Take Interstate 83 North and pick up Route 15 North just south of Harrisburg. Follow Route 15 for approximately
GETTING TO BUCKNELLGETTING TO BUCKNELLWHERE TO STAYWHERE TO STAY
WHERE TO EATWHERE TO EAT
• Country CupboardRt. 15 NorthLewisburg, PA570-524-5500
• Country Inn & SuitesRt. 15 & Walter DriveLewisburg, PA570-524-6600
• Days Inn LewisburgRt. 15 N.Lewisburg, PA570-523-1171
• The Lewisburg Hotel136 Market StreetLewisburg, PA 570-523-7800
• Pineapple Inn (B&B)439 Market St.Lewisburg, PA570-524-6200
• The Comfort InnI-80 & Rt. 15New Columbia, PA570-568-8000
• Holiday Inn Express1-80 & Rt. 15New Columbia, PA 570-568-1100
• Days Inn DanvilleI-80 & Rt. 54Danville, PA570-275-5510
• Hampton InnI-80 & Rt. 54Danville, PA 570-271-2500
• Pine Barn Inn1 Pine Barn Pl.Danville, PA 800-627-2276
FAST FOOD• KFC/Taco BellRts. 11 & 15Lewisburg, PA570-524-2465
• McDonaldsRt. 15Lewisburg, PA570-524-7022
• Wendy’sRt. 15Lewisburg, PA 570-524-7040
• Burger KingRt. 15Lewisburg, PA570-524-4838
• Dunkin’ DonutsRt. 15Lewisburg, PA570-524-7495
• SubwayMarket StreetLewisburg, PA570-523-7827
• Italian TerraceMarket StreetLewisburg, PA570-524-0069
SIT DOWN SERVICE• Applebees300 International Dr.Lewisburg, PA570-522-6513
• Bechtel’s DairyRt. 15Lewisburg, PA570-524-2229
• BJ’s Steak & Ribs17 N. Market StreetSelinsgrove, PA 570-374-9841
• Bull Run Inn/Rusty’sMarket & 6th StreetsLewisburg, PA570-524-2572
• Damon’sRt. 15 & Walter Dr.Lewisburg, PA570-523-3266
• Front Street Station2 Front StreetNorthumberland, PA 570-473-3626
• Towne Tavern600 Market StreetLewisburg, PA 570-524-0821
• Temperence House50 North 2nd St.Lewisburg, PA570-524-2558
60 miles. Approximately seven miles after passing through Selinsgrove you will crest a hill with a fl ashing traffi c light warning signal, and the stadium will appear on your right. At the traffi c light at the bottom of the hill turn right into campus.
From Pittsburgh — Take US Route 22 East to 220 North (I-99). Continue until reaching Interstate 80 East, and then take that to Route 15 South (Exit 210). At the seventh traffi c light make a left into campus.
From Washington D.C. and South — Take I-495 to I-270 North and pick up Route 15 North near Frederick. Follow Route 15 all the way to Bucknell.
WELCOME TO BISON COUNTRY
For more, visit the Susquehanna Valley Visitors Bureau at www.visitcentralpa.org.
