Bucknell Senior Athletes Honored at Annual Awards Dinner
April 29, 2008 LEWISBURG, Pa. - Nineteen outstanding Bucknell senior student-athletes were presented awards at the 47th Annual Department of Athletics & Recreation Senior Recognition Dinner, held Tuesday evening in Sojka Pavilion. The outstanding careers of some 135 senior athletes were honored at the dinner, and All-America rower Katherine Brewster-Duffy (Stonington, Conn./St. George's School) and two-way baseball standout Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) walked off with the evening's top honor, the Christy Mathewson Award, which goes to the outstanding male and female senior athletes. Brewster-Duffy became the first All-America selection in the history of the Bucknell women's rowing program in 2007. She was a member of the varsity eight that has won the last three Patriot League titles and Boat of the Year awards, and she is a two-time All-Patriot League selection. Two weeks ago, Brewster-Duffy helped the varsity eight win the Knecht Cup, which earned the boat an invitation to the Eastern Sprints next month. Last year, Brewster-Duffy was a First Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection, and she was part of a varsity eight that rose to a No. 2 ranking in the Mid-Atlantic Region. She was voted as the team's athlete of the year in 2007.
Buursma is nearing the end of a record-setting baseball career at Bucknell, where he has excelled as both a pitcher and a hitter. Just last week he was named one of 50 finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy, which is presented to the most outstanding player in college baseball, and he is also one of 10 national finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Through three-plus seasons with the Orange and Blue, Buursma has become one of the most decorated players in program history, earning four All-Patriot League selections and a spot on the ABCA All-East Region First Team as a relief pitcher in 2006. Formerly the team's closer, Buursma holds the school's career saves record with 15 and finished 2007 with the second lowest ERA in Patriot League history (1.65). As a starting pitcher this season, he has been the ace of the Bucknell staff, posting a 5-3 record with a 3.16 ERA. At the plate, Buursma broke the Bucknell career home run record when he smashed his 22nd against Lehigh this past weekend. In 32 games as a hitter this season, he is leading the Patriot League in batting average (.400), home runs (11) and slugging percentage (.725), and he also has 34 runs batted in. Elsewhere, women's water polo all-time scoring leader Meagan Gins (Albuquerque, N.M./Valley) and men's tennis all-time victory leader Ira Reibeisen (Armonk, N.Y./Rye Country Day) were given the Bison Club Award, presented to the senior athletes who best exemplify the winning spirit of the University's athletic program. The Alvin F. Jackson Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award, presented for outstanding academic and athletic achievement, and future promise as Bucknell alumni, went to field hockey's Kelly Hoffman (Boyertown, Pa./Oley Valley) and Patriot League pole vault champion David Mante (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley). Four-time women's soccer all-conference performer Krista Lee Gentile (North Haledon, N.J./Immaculate Heart Academy) and Honorable Mention All-America water polo player Jason Rechel (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) copped the Lee S. "Bud" Ranck Memorial Award, presented for outstanding spirit and contributions to the Bucknell athletic program. The Bradley N. Tufts Award went to Kesha Champion (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River), the MVP of the 2008 Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament and a 1,000-point scorer, along with 2007 Patriot League Men's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year Joey Kuterbach (Kingwood, Texas/Kingwood). The Tufts Award is given in recognition of exceptional athletic achievement and contribution to Bucknell athletics. The Robert A. Latour Service Award, presented for extraordinary service to Bucknell and local communities, went to women's rower Brittany Kaplan (Belmont, Mass./Belmont) and men's lacrosse defender Tommy Orr (Medford, Mass./Malden Catholic). The Bryan-Humphreys Award, presented to an individual for outstanding versatility within his/her sport, went to women's basketball shot-blocker extraordinaire Hope Foster (Washington, D.C./Dunbar) and men's soccer standout Corey Curnutte (Waterford, Mich./Detroit Country Day). The Edward W. Pangburn Award, presented for sportsmanship, fellowship and contribution to the University, went to Patriot League champion miler and all-conference cross country runner Erin Cranmer-Hart (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock Area) and popular men's basketball forward Darren Mastropaolo (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth). Track and field standouts Victoria Gilbert (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) and James Meyer (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Pacific Palisades) earned the Ronald J. "Pete" Pedrick Award, presented in recognition of demonstrated improvement and special contributions to Bucknell athletics over a four-year period. Another track and field star, Offeibea Hanson-Hall (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) was bestowed the `Ray Bucknell Diversity Award for her work with the Bucknell African Students Assocation (BASA) and other community service organizations. Senior Amy Backstrom was presented the E. Harold Biggs Memorial Award as the most outstanding student athletic trainer. In addition to the student-athlete awards, two alumni and one staff member received special awards. Wayne Bromfield, Bucknell's General Counsel, received the ECAC Appreciation Award, which is presented to students, faculty, staff or friends of Bucknell for extraordinary contribution to the Bucknell department of athletics. Elizabeth "Betsy" Levan Aderholdt '80 and Dr. Ronald Liebowitz '79 were presented Alumni Athlete Achievement Awards, given to former Bucknell athletes who have achieved success in their chosen profession. Levan Aderholdt was an outstanding field hockey and lacrosse player at Bucknell, and now she is the president and CEO of Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc, Mich. Liebowitz was a breaststroker on three East Coast Conference title-winning swimming teams. Today, he is the president of Middlebury College in Vermont. Bucknell Senior Athletic Awards Summary ECAC Appreciation Award: Wayne Bromfield, Bucknell General Counsel. |
