SALEM, W.Va. — Salem University water polo student-athlete James Fenner received the 2024 Dr. Keith Bullion Memorial Scholarship during the institution’s Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday, October 4, at Benedum Library on the Salem campus. The scholarship is awarded to a junior biology major with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5.
The scholarship is named for the late Dr. Keith Bullion, who taught biology and chemistry at Salem and coached the Tigers’ water polo and swimming teams. He also spent seven years as Salem’s Director of Athletics. In addition to his service in the classroom and in athletics, Dr. Bullion served as Salem’s Vice President of Campus Operations. The scoreboard in the Salem University Pool is named in Dr. Bullion’s honor. He won two West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) Swimming Championships and a Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division II Championship as a coach.
Current Salem head men’s water polo coach and aquatics director Robert Bullion is the son of Dr. Keith Bullion. This year marks the eighth year the scholarship has been awarded. Past recipients are Victoria Butler, Macey Myers, Nina Isaac, Chloe Woodbine, Syriah Trujillo, Shemiyah Ross and Tahnee Gerard. This is the first male recipient of the award and the third aquatics athlete.
“I believe it is a great opportunity and a great honor to give this award out, especially to hardworking student-athletes like James,” said Coach Bullion. “I hope we will be able to continue this award every year in honor of my father.”
A member of both the men’s water polo and swimming teams, Fenner was a member of the team that won the CWPA Division II Championship in 2022 and is a distance swimmer for the swim team. The swim team just competed in the West Viriginia State Games this past weekend where the men finished in third place behind West Virginia University and Fairmont State University. He scored points in the 1,000 free and his respective relays. The men’s water polo team – now a member of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) is 7-3 record to date this year.
Donations to the scholarship fund are accepted via check to Salem University (223 W Main St, Salem, WV 26426), care of Stephanie Roberts, with Keith Bullion Memorial Scholarship indicated on the check.
Information courtesy Salem University Men’s Water Polo
