Bucknell offers 10 men’s club sports, eight women’s club sports and four co-recreational sports. Club sports offer students an opportunity to play student run sports competitively without the commitment of varsity sports. 

Each club sport is assigned a student advisor who is in charge of scheduling practices, games, meetings and recruiting new members to join the club sport. The Club Sports page on Bucknell’s website provides the email addresses for all of the student advisors of the clubs. All club sports also attend the club fair which provides first-year students with the opportunity to meet members of the club sports in person. 

Scott Lotze oversees the club sports program at Bucknell. Students can reach out to him [email protected] with any questions about joining a club sport, or forming one. There is even one club sport that is varsity which is Men’s Rowing. Just this school year Bucknell has also had the addition of a new club sport – Club Water Polo. Club sports are a very active part of student life on campus and provide students with a fun way to continue a high school sport or pick up a new one. 

Club Water Polo

Club Water Polo competes in the Collegiate Water Polo Association and plays a competitive schedule. Founder and Coach, Zack Yardley ’25, created the club team in the fall semester of 2022. He accredits Scott Lotze with a lot of help to get the club up and running very quickly. 

“I wanted to start club water polo at Bucknell to make sure that everyone could be introduced to the sport,” Yardley said about his reasoning for starting the club. “To my surprise, there was a team in the past that had collapsed due to a lack of members and funding.” 

He revived the club and appreciates all of the help the Bucknell staff provided him, especially Lotze and Karen Landis. The water polo team contains many members who have never played before but are very passionate about the program Yardley has created.

“The enthusiasm and expertise from Coach Zack have made the Club Water Polo Team a very accepting and encouraging atmosphere for everyone. I would highly encourage anyone and everyone who likes to frolic in the waves and expand their horizons to join the team,” Troy Langton ’24, a member of the club, said. 

Another member of the team, George Savin ’23, said “Coach Zack’s exceptional leadership and unparalleled ability to navigate the ebbs and flows of the sport with finesse, has not only honed my technical skills but instilled in me the values of perseverance and teamwork, elevating me to new heights both in and out of the pool.”

Club water polo practices twice a week, and no prior training is required to join. 

Club Lacrosse

The Women’s Club Lacrosse Team competes in both the Women’s Division Intercollegiate Associates and the East Coast Women’s Lacrosse Association. The team practices on Mondays at 6 p.m. on the Graham Field. Some schools they play against include Penn State, Lehigh, Lafayette and more.

“I have been a part of the Women’s Club Lax team since I was a freshman, and have been the captain for the last two years,” Coach Lucy Saleeby ’23 said of the team. “I have met so many different girls across every grade, in which I wouldn’t have the opportunity to meet otherwise.”

“Ever since I became captain I made it my duty to make sure the team was close and the sport was fun for everyone,” Saleeby added. “I have done many team bonding activities and events to make the team’s chemistry strong off the field and on the field. I cannot believe this is my last season, but I know once I leave the program will be in amazing hands. I will miss all of the girls calling me ‘coach,’ but for now I am so excited for our games and practices that I scheduled to start.”

Students looking to join the team can contact Lucy via email: [email protected].

Club Rugby

Bucknell Men’s Rugby competes in the MARC rugby conference which is partnered with National Small College Rugby Organization and USA rugby. They compete in the fall semester and practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m.

Although they are a part of the National Small College Rugby Organization, 40 percent of all college rugby plays in this organization, making it a very competitive league to be a part of for a school the size of Bucknell. 

“Rugby is not typically played in America so many of the athletes are learning how to play in college,” Paul Monaco ’23 said. “Joining club rugby was one of the best decisions I made coming to Bucknell. Great group of guys who became some of my closest friends.” 

Many students have claimed that club sports provided them with new friendships when they were first year students. For any more information regarding Club Rugby please reach out to student advisor Jason Searles ’24 via email: [email protected].

Bucknell Club Golf

Bucknell Club Golf is one of the co-recreational club sports that Bucknell offers. They compete in the National Collegiate Club Golf Association’s Philadelphia Region. Having a course right on Bucknell’s campus makes it easy for the team to compete and practice. 

The team is open to all students at Bucknell and all skill levels are able to compete in the regional tournaments with the team. Students can get in contact with the team advisor Connor Chase ’25 ([email protected]) if they have any questions. 

For more information regarding the club sports visit the Bucknell website. With the multitude of club sports, there is a sport for every student in any grade year. For many club sports, skill level does not matter and they have been organizations that enabled students to connect and get to know each other.