Bucknell Men’s Swimming and Diving Adds Eight Newcomers for 2015-16

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Eight newcomers will be joining the Bucknell men’s swimming and diving team in 2015-16, head coach Dan Schinnerer announced on Wednesday. The incoming class will help offset the loss of five seniors to graduation and will help bolster a roster that has four returning All-Patriot League performers.

“The Class of 2019 is a large and talented group,” noted Schinnerer, who is a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year. “Many individuals in this class have made some very significant improvement in the last year and we are looking forward to helping them make the next big step in their progressions as student-athletes.”

The class is a geographically diverse one as the eight student-athletes come from seven different states, including Michigan and Texas. There are two Pennsylvania natives in the group.

The Bison are coming off a fourth-place team finish at the Patriot League Championships, which was highlighted by a Rookie of the Meet honor by Chris Devlin. He was one of five Bucknell team members to earn All-Patriot League recognition. The Bison recorded a 7-4, 5-2 PL mark during the dual-meet portion of the schedule.

Bucknell Men’s Swimming and Diving Recruiting Class
Mitch Buccalo – Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Cranbrook Kingswood
Chadd Cummings – Butler, Pa./Knoch
James Elmendorf – Medford, N.J./Shawnee
Vincent Filippini – Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg
Tom Gannon – Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Warde School
Brett Huckstep – Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette
Charlie McFarland – Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale
Jack Rogers – Houston, Texas/Strake Jesuit Prep

Recruiting Class Bio Information
Mitch Buccalo (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Cranbrook Kingswood) – Events: Backstroke, Butterfly, IM
High School: Four-year swimming letterwinner at Cranbrook Kingswood Schools … team captain as a senior … Honorable Mention All-State … 11-time all-state selection … three-time All-American … two-time individual state champion … three-time relay state champion … MHSAA state record holder in 200 IM, 400 free relay and 200 medley relay … named Division 3 state meet Swimmer of the Year … named Academic All-State and Academic All-America … won MVP award two times … helped lead team to four league championship titles, state championship titles in 2014 and 2015, and state runner-up in 2013 … also competed with Motor City Aquatics … was state title at 2014 LCM championships … NCSA Junior National qualifier in 400 IM in 2014 and 2015 …  in 2014, qualified for Speedo Winter Junior National Championships … named USA Scholastic All-American in 2014 … member of the Cum Laude society.
Personal: Mitchell William Buccalo … born May 27, 1997 in Huntington Woods, Michigan … son of Bill and Julie Buccalo … has one sister, Nicole, who attends University of Michigan … cousin, Camille Wright, was a 1976 silver medalist on the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team.

Chadd Cummings (Butler, Pa./Knoch) – Events: Breaststroke, IM
High School: Swam with Butler YMCA … two-time USA Scholastic All-American … two-time AMS Scholastic All-American … Junior Nationals qualifier … eight-time YMCA state champion … three-time YMCA national qualifier … two-time YMCA national A-finalist in 2015 … helped lead YMCA senior boys team to state runner-up position … state YMCA record-holder in 200 breast  … finished career with club team records in 100 and 200 breast, 50 and 100 free, 100 fly and 200 IM … pool record-holder at Hampton High School and Butler High School in 100 breast … did not swim with school-sponsored team.
Personal: Chadd Matthew Cummings … born April 8, 1997 in Butler, Pennsylvania … son of Marc and Amy Cummings … has an older sister, Stephanie, and a younger brother, Matt.

James Elmendorf (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) – Events: Backstroke, Butterfly
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Shawnee High School … team captain … All-South Jersey conference selection … named an All-American … won state championship in 200 medley relay … competed with Jersey Wahoos Deerbrook Swim Club … member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: James Bradford Elmendorf … born Dec. 16, 1996 in Voorhees, New Jersey … son of Charles and Eileen … has three older siblings: Caitlin, Liz and Chuck … Caitlin was a member of swimming team at The College of New Jersey.

Vincent Filippini (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) – Events: Middle-Distance Free, Butterfly
High School: Three-year swimming letterwinner at Muhlenberg High School … two-year swim team captain … named Central Penn League MVP as a sophomore and senior … named Berks County Swimmer of the Year in 2015 … District Three champion in 200 and 500 free in 2015 … first-team all-county selection as a senior … first-team all-state selection in 200 free … named all-state and All-American in 200 and 500 free as a senior … helped lead team to two Central Penn League titles, including an undefeated record in 2013 … finished career with school, county and district records in 200 free, with a best time of 1:39.11 … school record-holder in 500 free (4:30.83) … YMCA national finalist in 100, 200 and 500 free … USA Junior National qualifier.
Personal: Vincent Paul Filippini … born February 28, 1997 in Reading, Pennsylvania … son of Emidio and Stacey Filippini … has one younger sister, Felicia.

Tom Gannon (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Warde School) – Events: Backstroke, Breaststokre, IM
High School: Earned two letters each in swimming, lacrosse and golf at Fairfield Warde High School … captain of golf team as a senior … named all-state for swimming in 2013 … swam with Westport/Weston YMCA Water Rats … helped team to silver at 2015 YMCA Nationals … placed 10th (2015) and 13th (2014) in 200 breaststroke.
Personal: Thomas Richard Gannon … born November 5, 1996 in Bridgeport, Connecticut … son of Richard and Christine … has an older sister, Carin, and a younger brother, Brian … father played lacrosse at University of Connecticut … aunt, Karin Andren Keith, swam at University of North Carolina.

Brett Huckstep (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) – Events: Breaststroke
High School: Four-year swimming letterwinner at Lafayette High School … team captain as a senior … four-year all-district and all-state selection … helped lead team to win four district titles a state runner-up finish … holds state 3-A record in 200 medley relay … also competed with Williamsburg Aquatics Club.
Personal: Brett Julian Huckstep … born December 19, 1996 in Williamsburg, Virginia … son of Julian and Valerie Huckstep … has one brother, Neil.

Charlie McFarland (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale) – Events: Sprint Free, Breaststroke, IM
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Scarsdale High School … team captain as a senior … named team MVP in 2014 and 2015 … four-time all-league selection … three-time all-section selection … four-time state qualifier … gained All-America consideration … four-time Journal News all-star in 2014-2015 … named Section 1 Swimmer of the Year … finished career with school records in 50 free, 100 breast, 200 and 400 free relay, and 200 medley relay … Section 1 champion and meet record-holder in 100 breast … helped lead team to 2015 Section 1 championship title … team was four-time conference champion and had four undefeated dual-meet seasons … holds team records in multiple age groups and events with Empire Swimming and Pelham Country Club teams … three-time NCSA Junior Nationals qualifier and finalist … qualified for 2015 USA Winter Junior Nationals … Arena Pro Series qualifier … five-time Westchester County Champion and six-time Westchester County Swim Conference champion … holds 17-U 100 breast record in both leagues.
Personal: Charles Amen McFarland … born February 9, 1997 in White Plains, New York … son of Bill and Tricia McFarland … mother played tennis at Providence College … has two siblings, Carter and Tanner … brother Carter (Class of 2016) is a member of swimming and diving team at Loyola University Maryland … aunt, Regina Schweitzer, played tennis at Fairfield University … aunt, Kerry Walker, played tennis at Villanova University.

Jack Rogers (Houston, Texas/Strake Jesuit Prep) – Events: Middle-Distance Free, Butterfly
High School: Named Most Improved Swimmer on team as a freshman at Strake Jesuit Prep School … three-year regional 6A finalist (6A is highest level of high school sports in Texas) … 6A district winner in 200 free … earned fifth place at 6A Regionals … as a senior, broke three 20+-year-old school records in 200 free, 400 free relay and 200 IM relay … recipient of school’s Most Outstanding Swimmer award in 2015 … Oklahoma Pro-Am finalist in 100 and 200 free, 100 and 200 fly, and 100 back … NCSA qualifier … finalist at Sectionals in 100 and 200 free, fly, and back.
Personal: John David Curtis Rogers … born December 22, 1996 in New York, New York … son of Jim and Lisanne Rogers … has two younger sisters, Lindsay and Madeleine … mother was three-year MVP and captain on tennis team at University of Western Ontario, and received Purple Blanket for Outstanding Athletic Contribution … father was two-year member of rowing team at University of Alberta … grandfather, Peter Lockyer, wrestled for Canada at the World Championships in the heavyweight division.

Swimming news courtesy of Bucknell Swimming.