Courtesy: Bucknell Athletics
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Head coach Dan Schinnerer announced Tuesday that 16 newcomers have joined the Bucknell swimming & diving program. The incoming rookie class will join the Bison women’s and men’s teams that graduated a combined 16 student-athletes in May.
The women’s team will welcome nine incoming first-years this fall, and the men’s team will have seven in its class of 2027. Every stroke specification is represented, and both teams added a diver.
The women’s team welcomed newcomers hailing from seven states: Connecticut (2), Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York (2) and Pennsylvania.
“This group will definitely make an immediate impact and provide both depth and quality to all our events,” Schinnerer said. “We are excited by the potential here and look forward to watching this group mesh with our returners to help us continue to progress as a program,”
The seven student-athletes joining the men’s team hail from five different states as well as Canada: Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ontario.
“While we have some big shoes to fill with our senior class graduating, quite literally in Leo Kuyl’s case, we are excited that this group will come in and make an immediate impact on the success of the team,” said Schinnerer. “Several members of the class will help us on the sprint side while also adding depth in other events. We feel that this group will help us continue to improve as a team.”
Bucknell’s women’s team placed third at the 2023 Patriot League Championships and posted a 6-2 (5-2 PL) record in dual meets last season. The group graduated two of its five 2023 All-Patriot League honorees, including 1650 gold-medalist Sabrina Vumbacco.
The men’s program placed third at the Patriot League Championships as well and matched the women’s record in dual meet competition. Both programs also took second at the ECAC Championships. The men graduated 2023 All-Patriot honoree and 50 freestyle champion Leo Kuyl.
Women’s Newcomers
Samantha Benzija
Back/Fly/Free, Kinnelon, N.J., Kinnelon
Before Bucknell: Served as a team captain for the Kinnelon Colts … five-time All-New Jersey Athletic Conference Second Team honoree and four-time All-NJAC First Team honoree … helped lead her team to a 2023 sectional title and state championship … holds Kinnelon High School records in the 200 medley relay and 100 backstroke … captured the 2023 Morris County breaststroke title … 2023 Morris County Scholar-Athlete Award winner … also competed for Jersey Flyers Aquatic Club … Futures qualifier in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke.
Personal: Samantha Rose Benzija … born Dec. 30, 2004 in Pompton Plains, N.J. … daughter of Lisa and Walter Benzija … has one sibling: Alyssa … sister swims at the University of Scranton.
Talia Bugel
Back/Free, Pittsburgh, Pa., Fox Chapel
Before Bucknell: Team captain for the Fox Chapel Foxes … All-State honoree … 2021 Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League individual champion in the 100 backstroke … two-time WPIAL 200 medley and 400 freestyle champion … Pennsylvania state runner-up in 200 medley (2022) and 400 freestyle relay (2023) … helped guide the Foxes to a 2022-23 WIPAL runner-up finish and three section championships … holds school records in the 100 backstroke, 400 freestyle and 200 medley relay.
Personal: Talia Marie Bugel … born Oct. 21, 2004 in Pittsburgh, Pa. … daughter of Christy Bugel … has one sibling: Garrett Lynn … brother played football at California University of Pennsylvania.
Kelly Byrne
Free/IM, Mount Kisco, N.Y. … Horace Greeley
Before Bucknell: Four-time All-League, three-time All-Section and two-time All-State honoree … also earned All-American relay honors and All-American Academic recognition … helped guide the Quakers to two undefeated seasons and a state championship title in 2021 … earned a 2022 third-place finish in New York state in the 500 freestyle … placed first in Section 1 in the 500 freestyle in 2022 … garnered All-American honors in 2021 with a first-place finish in the 500 freestyle relay at states … four-time Futures finalist … National Team Member for Westchester Aquatics Club.
Personal: Kelly Platt Byrne … born July 28, 2005 in Mount Kisco, N.Y. … daughter of Susan and Tim Byrne … has two siblings: Scott and Nina … mother swam at Duke.
Sydney Dettmann
Free/Fly/Back, Marine, Minn., Stillwater Area
Before Bucknell: Served as team captain for the Stillwater Ponies … three-time All-State honoree … 2022 200 freestyle high school champion … section champion 10 times … part of Ponies team that has captured conference and section championships 21 years in a row and won 195 consecutive dual meets … also competed for St. Croix Swim Club.
Personal: Sydney Jane Dettman … born Jan. 5, 2005 in St. Paul, Minn. … daughter of Christine and Jon … has one sibling: Hannah … sister swims at San José State.
Kate Handley
Breast, Weston, Mass., Weston
Before Bucknell: Team captain for the Weston Wildcats … set the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association sectionals 100 breaststroke record … holds the school record in the 100 breaststroke as both a first-year and on varsity … captured a 100 breaststroke win at sectionals and placed third at states as a first-year … also competed for Commonwealth Swimming and NASA Wildcats … named a 2022 Scholastic All-American.
Personal: Katherine Isabel Handley … born Feb. 8, 2005 in Greenwich, Conn. … daughter of Alison and George Handley … has one sibling: Ethan … mother swam at Yale.
Virginia Hastings
Free/back/IM, Wilton, Conn., Wilton
Before Bucknell: Served as team captain for the Wilton Warriors … All-Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference and All-State honoree … two-time FCIAC champion in the 500 freestyle … 2022 Outstanding Senior Award recipient … Wilton’s school-record holder in the 500 freestyle … also competed for Wilton YMCA Wahoos … junior national qualifier and scorer … two-time Janel Jorgensen Award winner as most inspirational swimmer of the year … Connecticut Swimming Scholar-Athlete honoree.
Personal: Virginia Ruth Hastings … born June 11, 2005 in Wilton, Conn. … daughter of Kim and Peter Hastings … has three siblings: William, Liela and Charlie … sister, Liela, swam at Fairfield University.
Sara Ketron
Free, Atlanta, Ga., The Westminster Schools, Briarcliff
Before Bucknell: Swam for both the Westminster Wildcats and the Briarcliff Bears … served as team captain … received All-League and All-State honors … captured Georgia state championship titles in the 500 freestyle, 400 freestyle relay and 200 freestyle relay … helped set the Georgia state record in the 400 freestyle relay … also competed for Empire Swimming and Dynamo Swim Club.
Personal: Sara Jordan Ketron … born Feb. 5, 2005 in Atlanta, Ga. … daughter of Cheryl and Greg Ketron … has two siblings: Anna and Emily … sister swims at Lafayette.
Natalie Penman
Diving, New Canaan, Conn., New Canaan
Before Bucknell: Served as team captain for the New Canaan Rams … earned All-State and All-American honors … captured a Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference championship title … helped the school’s diving team win every dual meet … hold’s the New Canaan Field Club record (6 dives, 261.38 points) … also competed for Whirlwind Diving and was a YMCA national qualifier and finisher.
Personal: Natalie Elizabeth Penman … born Aug. 17, 2005 in Stamford, Conn. … daughter of Tammy and Gregg Penman … has two siblings: Samantha and Jessie.
Ashley Piacentino
Free/Fly, Carmel, N.Y., North Salem
Before Bucknell: Four-time All-League honoree and one-time All-Section honoree … served as team captain … competed at both sectionals and states four times for the North Salem Tigers … four-time Scholar-Athlete Award winner … Futures qualifier.
Personal: Ashley Shaye Piacentino … born Jan. 21, 2005 in Mount Kisco, N.Y. … daughter of Kristen and Frank Piacentino … has two siblings: Victoria and Isabella … father competed in rowing at Villanova.
Men’s Newcomers
Drew Greene
Free/Fly/Back, Annapolis, Md., McDonogh School
Before Bucknell: Received All-Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and All-American honors … helped lead the McDonogh Eagles to four MIAA championship titles … Alec Cosgarea Award recipient.
Personal: Andrew Ellis Greene … born April 16, 2005 in Annapolis, Md. … son of Nancy Greene and Andrew Skopp … has four siblings: Mitchell, Elliot, Theo and Nicholas.
Caleb Kubiak
IM/Fly/Back/Free, Cedarburg, Wis., Living Word Lutheran
Before Bucknell: Swam for the Living Word Lutheran Timberwolves … also competed for Ozaukee Aquatics club team … 2023 National Club Swimming Association finalist in the 200 IM … 2023 short course state third-place finisher … 2022 long course Wisconsin state champion in the 400 freestyle … seven-time NCSA qualifier and five-time Futures qualifier.
Personal: Caleb Aiden Kubiak … born July 14, 2005 in Milwaukee, Wis. … son of Christi and Chad Kubiak … has one sibling: Katie … father played baseball at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
James Lombardi
Breast, Marlboro, N.J., Marlboro
Before Bucknell: Two-year team captain for the Marlboro Mustangs … Monmouth County record holder in the 200 medley relay … multi-year finalist at the YMCA Nationals … Winter Junior Nationals qualifier.
Personal: James Christopher Lombardi … born Oct. 24, 2005 in Long Branch, N.J. … son of Carol and James … has two siblings: Jeannette and Joseph.
Finn Russell
Free/Fly, Caldwell, N.J., James Caldwell
Before Bucknell: Team captain for the Caldwell Chiefs … earned Third Team All-State honors … set school records in the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle relay, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay … 2022 first-place finisher in the 50 butterfly at the 2022 YMCA Long-Course Nationals.
Personal: Finn John Coogan Russell … born Jan. 13, 2005 in Montclair, N.J. … son of Elizabeth Coogan Russell and Brendan Russell … has one sibling: Owen … mother competed in swimming at Delaware.
Colin Smith
Free/Fly, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute
Before Bucknell: Ontario High School Championships medalist … also competed for North York Aquatic Club … Canadian Junior Trials qualifier … Canadian Junior Championships qualifier … was an Eastern Championships medalist, capturing silver in the 50 freestyle and bronze in the 4×100 freestyle relay.
Personal: Colin Samuel Vivash Smith … born Nov. 12, 2004 in Toronto … son of Catherine Vivash and Matthew Smith … has three siblings: Katie, Campbell and Connor.
Connor Thurston
Diving, Doylestown, Pa., Central Bucks East
Before Bucknell: Served as a diving captain for the East Patriots … earned All-State and All-American honors in diving … earned a runner-up finish at league championship in 2023 and placed fourth at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state meet … placed seventh at PIAAs in 2022 … helped guide the Patriots to an 11th-place finish at PIAAs in 2023 … also competed for Germantown Academy Dive Club … also lettered in in track & field and received All-League honors.
Personal: Connor Michael Thurston … born July 12, 2005 in Fairfax, Va. … son of Amy and Michael Thurston … has two siblings: Claire and Cody … mother competed in track & field at William & Mary.
Riley Twiss
Free/Fly, Westport, Conn., Staples
Before Bucknell: Team captain for the Staples Wreckers … named First Team All-Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference honors … received All-State recognition in Connecticut … was the 2023 YMCA national runner-up in the 1000 freestyle … also competed for the Westport Water Wrats.
Personal: Riley Thomas Twiss … born Dec. 20, 2004 in Norwalk, Conn. … son of Candace and Robert … has one sibling: Austin.
Riley Twiss 😈