Success in water polo, like many sports, lies not entirely with the players in the water, but the number of suitable options residing in the sedate metal stands poolside. The best teams have large battalions of reserves for fierce position fights and tenacious intrasquad scrimmages creating a battle-tested starting lineup and hardy substitutions ready to dive into the churning waters. The Bucknell Bison men's water polo program has been rebuilding its depth since the pandemic hit in 2020 and this season the Orange & Blue are closer to regaining its historical strength level.
The 2024 team finished 13-16 overall and 7-7 in the MAWPC (Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference). The Bison won two games at the MAWPC Tournament to earn fifth place. Bucknell was competitive and nearly upset several ranked teams, speaking to the burgeoning talent assembled by veteran head coach and USA Olympian John McBride. The squad was several coin flips away from a winning record.
Goalkeepers
David Dumitru enters his junior campaign with 511 saves. The Romanian goalkeeper has been a sturdy war wagon in the cage and his veteran presence will stabilize the Bison backline against the talent-laden offenses. His 37 steals mean Dumitru is not afraid to venture off his line to grab errant balls.
The other two goalkeepers offer intriguing options for McBride. Senior Mateo Herrera has seen occasional action with 72 career saves. His experience will allow him to spell Dumitru without a large drop-off in production. Freshman Aiden Stone was All-Trinity League Second Team during his high school career.
Attackers
"We have lots of guys that can play from the left. We have lots of guys that can play from the right. We have depth and talent."
Aleksa Stefanovic headlines the offensive attack and with excellent reason. The Belgrade native has pummeled the nets for 235 goals while racking up three Honorable Mention All-American awards and two All-MAWPC Team laurels (2022 & 2024). Stefanovic's Samson-like right cannon will play a pivotal in Bucknell's scoring efforts.
Tyler Hedblad symbolized the burst of youth talent in the Bison pipeline. He collected 47 goals in his first year and will look to pair with Stefanovic for the classic one-two punch.
Jovan Udovicic shined during his freshman campaign, tallying 38 goals, and laying the foundation for a sensational sophomore season. He has a second connection with McBride. His uncle, Dejan Udovicic, is the current head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team. He and McBride led the United States Olympic Team to a bronze medal during the Paris 2024 games.
Sean Tunnicliff developed nicely during his sophomore season, scoring 32 goals. He added a defensive element with 11 steals. Fellow junior Ian Shultz has scored 29 goals in his career.
Sophomore Jake Wedding joins freshmen Kai Johnson, Nick Karamian, and Ori Raz as additional options. Raz is not the typical freshman. The Israeli served his required military service and enters Bucknell as a 21-year-old rookie.
Centers
Jack Murad broke through in his junior season for a career-high 13 goals and will look to complete his Bucknell tenure with another step forward.
Senior Maxime Touzot has scored 27 goals and his 6-6 frame proves a formidable wall in defensive play. Greg Nordheim has tallied 18 goals in three years.
Jack Dillane posted nine goals and Ned Smith added three in their freshman years. The underclassmen are joined by rookie Andrew Hunyady.
Schedule
McBride always tests his teams to run the gauntlet and the 2025 slate offers top five opponents and regional powers. Bucknell doesn't ease into the hurricane but starts the season (August 30-31) at the Bruno Classic against #18 Harvard, #7 (Division III) MIT, #17 Brown, and Iona. The following weekend's Princeton Invite goes Category Five with a Harvard rematch, a duel versus #10 Princeton, and a high-stakes showdown against #1 UCLA.
The team begins home play at the Bucknell Invitational (Sept 20-21) with games versus Salem and Air Force before starting MAWPC play against #3 Fordham and Wagner. Fordham is the block of granite in the deep MAWPC. Seven straight conference matches against George Washington, Mercyhurst, Mount St. Mary's, and Navy follow.
Heeding Horace Greeley's call, Bucknell heads west to California for the Julian Fraser Memorial (October 24-26) to face Fresno Pacific, #9 Pacific twice, and #16 Loyola Marymount.
The regular season concludes with three more MAWPC contests against Mount St. Mary's, Fordham, and Wagner. The team has a week off before heading to the 2025 MAWPC Championships (Nov. 21-23) hosted by Fordham.
McBride doesn't waste too much concern on the schedule. It rarely transitions form from year to year.
"The schedule never changes. The conference is the conference. Guys know heading into the year what to expect."
The 2025 season starts Saturday and the Bison are ready to roll into the tumultuous waters with a battle-ready crew and fresh blood.