Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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12-05-19 12:16 PM - Post#293775
In response to Bison89
With only 1 other D1 team in PA ('Nova), how did Bucknell end up with a D1 team?
Bucknell has had a water polo team since at least the 1960's. Back then, there were far more Eastern schools with teams - but many have become club teams or been eliminated, likely due to Title IX. For example, some of the Bison opponents in the 1970's included Cornell, Delaware, Columbia, Penn State, Yale, Syracuse, St. Francis (PA), Army, Pitt, Lehigh, Northeastern, Michigan, Richmond, Ohio State, Kentucky, etc.
I'm not sure why Bucknell water polo survived when so many programs did not, but I suspect it is a combination of having been very successful and having a lot of alums backing the program. The Bison btw from 1977-80 were the strongest program east of California and featured Scott Schulte, who is in the conversation for the best Eastern water polo player ever. Schulte scored 586 goals in his career and still holds the record for most goals in NCAA tournament play. He is the only player ever to be the leading scorer in four consecutive NCAA tournaments. Unfortunately he was denied some accolades he deserved due to California totally controlling water polo - including All-American awards and spots on the Olympic teams.
As for why the best water polo teams are all in California, I think there are a few factors: (a) almost all the top HS players are in California, since that is the only place there are strong development programs; (b) a very large number of California high schools have water polo teams; (c) the top California D1 programs are all fully funded; and (d) the California schools all have the tradition of having been the nation's dominant programs. It is very hard to recruit a top player away from them.
By the way, the list you linked is out-of-date. Villanova only has a club team, but La Salle has a full D1 varsity team. Bucknell also plays a couple of Pennsylvania D2/D3 schools: Mercyhurst and also Washington and Jefferson. Additionally there are a couple of strong D3's nearby who they usually play, i.e. Johns Hopkins and MIT.
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