Bucknell head coach Frank Fedorjaka expects big things from his offensive midfield, which features a talented cast of battle-tested veterans and hungry newcomers.
Everything will start with senior captain Harry Wellford. A dynamic playmaker who became Missouri’s first four-time all-state selection while at the Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School, he boasts 23 points (17g-6a) in 12 career games, all of which were starts. During the abbreviated 2021 season, he finished fourth among Bison with 10 goals. Despite battling injuries throughout the truncated 2021 campaign, he contributed 11 points (7g-4a).
Harry could eventually be an All-American midfielder,” Fedorjaka said. “He’s that dynamic of a player. When our 2020 season was cut short, he was having an All-Patriot League First Team kind of year. Last season, he was a bit limited by injuries. Now, he’s healthy, and we’re excited to see what he will do. He’s the full package: he has speed, quickness, size, strength and athleticism. That makes him very hard to cover.”
Senior captain Matthew Barkauskas will also be critical to the Bison’s success. The former attackman has posted 22 points (14g-8a) in 28 career games, eight of which were starts. Fedorjaka praised Barkauskas for his deep understanding of Bucknell’s offense, noting that he can always be counted on to make the right decision when he has the ball in his stick.
Matthew sees the field well,” Fedorjaka said. “Because of his lacrosse IQ, he’s always in the right spot and can also help direct guys on the field. He has every intangible you look for in a leader, and he’s very much our ‘glue guy.’ We expect him to be at his best as a senior.”
Fedorjaka expects to start a freshman on his top offensive midfield line. Cam Doolan, who helped Westminster High School win two Maryland 3A state championships and break the state record for consecutive victories by a public high school squad (40), impressed Fedorjaka in the fall with his quickness and ability to create scoring opportunities from the outside.
Cam will start as a freshman,” Fedorjaka said. “He’s the quickest guy on the team. He has a really good outside shot and is starting to gain confidence. Every week, you can see him grow. As a freshman that has to happen, and it is happening. We’re really excited about how Cam can help us this year and beyond.”
Junior Jack Feda will also see plenty of time on the first offensive midfield line. After spending the 2021 campaign as an attackman, he is set to return to midfield this season. His signature performance as a sophomore came at then No. 7/6 Lehigh, where he posted four points on a hat trick and a helper.
Entering the season, senior Brenden Lundy, junior C.J. Baroni and sophomore Brett Callahan are penciled in to see time in Bucknell’s rotation. Lundy, who was an attackman for the past three seasons and netted 10 goals in 2021, has flourished since making the shift to offensive midfield.
Since moving to the midfield, Brenden has picked up his aggressiveness,” Fedorjaka said. “Being able to go downhill has been good for him. He’s a dynamic, left-handed player who can finish at the highest level. He has good speed and size. He’ll definitely be a key player on that second line.”
While Baroni didn’t see much playing time during the Bison’s abbreviated 2020 and 2021 seasons, he impressed Fedorjaka with his performance this fall.
C.J. can make a lot of plays because of his lacrosse IQ,” Fedorjaka said. “He sees the field well. He has a great skill set that enables him to create space and opportunities from above the goal or behind the goal.”
Callahan, a sophomore, did not compete in 2021. At Mount Saint Joseph High School, he was averaging five points per game when the 2020 campaign was cut short due to the COVID-19 public health threat.
Brett is our wild-card midfielder,” Fedorjaka said. “He’s talented, but he didn’t play last year. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if, by the end of the year, Brett will be making plays for us. He’s super athletic, quick and dynamic.”
Returnees: Matthew Barkauskas, C.J. Baroni, Brenden Lundy, Mac MacLean, Brian Miller, Zach Tucker, Harry Wellford
Newcomers: Brett Callahan, Cam Doolan, Jack Dudas
The Bison open their campaign on February 5 with an 11 a.m. game at Mercer. Their first home game is scheduled for February 19 against St. John's. Highlights of their 2022 schedule include a home tilt with Penn State on March 15 and a full compliment of eight Patriot League games for the first time since 2019.
Fedorjaka said that Bucknell, which features a deep roster with talent across all four classes, is poised to excel in both non-conference and Patriot League competition.
I’m really excited to coach this team," Fedorjaka said. “We have a senior class that provides not only talent but great leadership. Our seniors are surrounded by many other classes that have a lot of talent and play-making ability. We have really strong team chemistry. I’m looking forward to getting back to a normal schedule and working with this particular group of student-athletes. We’ll be tested by our non-conference schedule, and we’re looking forward to getting on the road and playing some good competition so that we’re ready for our Patriot League opponents.”
Photos by Noel Gyllenhaal, Brett Hosterman, Marc Hagemeier and Sam Miller