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Bucknell's Huffner Named Men's Lax Preseason Defensive Player of Year
Jan. 23, 2013
LEWISBURG, Pa. –Bucknell men’s lacrosse senior Mike Huffner (Elmira, N.Y./Notre Dame) was announced as the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday during a league-wide media teleconference. Huffner was joined on the 12-man Preseason All-Patriot League Team by sophomore midfielder David Dickson (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich). Huffner and Dickson were both all-conference selections last season for the 18th-ranked Bison, who were picked fourth in the preseason poll. One of the league’s top close defensemen, Huffner was a First Team All-Patriot League choice in both 2011 and 2012 on a Bucknell squad that annually ranks among the national leaders in scoring defense and forced turnovers. Last season Huffner ranked 20th nationally in caused turnovers with 27, and he also picked up 31 ground balls while starting all 16 games. Huffner, who typically matches up against the opposition’s top attackman, was also an Academic All-Patriot League selection in 2012. Dickson is coming off an outstanding rookie year, when he produced 40 points and earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors. A three-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week, he played in all 16 games, starting 15, and became the first Bison freshman to earn all-league accolades since Charlie Streep in 2009. His 40 points ranked third on the squad, coming on 14 goals and 26 assists. Dickson ranked fourth in the Patriot League and 26th nationally in assists per game, and among all Division I freshmen he ranked second in assists and sixth in points. Defending champion Lehigh was picked as a slight favorite in the preseason poll of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. The Mountain Hawks collected 69 points and nine first-place votes to edge out Colgate, which garnered 65 points and the remaining five first-place votes. Army was picked third with 48 points, while Bucknell, the 2011 Patriot League champions, is fourth with 43 points. Navy (35), Holy Cross (20) and Lafayette (14) rounded out the poll.
Colgate’s Peter Baum, the reigning Tewaaraton Trophy winner as the national player of the year, was selected as the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year. Bucknell went 9-7 overall and 3-3 in the Patriot League last season. The Bison return seven starters and 27 lettermen this spring. In addition to Huffner and Dickson, Bucknell also brings back two-time All-Patriot League goalie Kyle Feeney and last year’s leading goal-producer in Todd Heritage (35). The Bison open the 2013 season on Feb. 9 at Delaware at 1 p.m. The home opener will be Feb. 23 against Bryant at 1 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. |
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