Bucknell University Athletics
Several Bucknell Men's Soccer Players Honored at Annual Team Banquet
1/28/2003 7:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Jan. 28, 2003
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Several Bucknell men's soccer players were honored at the end of year banquet, held on Saturday, January 25, in the Terrace Room of the Elaine Langone Center on Bucknell's campus. The awards were voted on by members of the team.
After an impressive four-year career, senior Nick Taylor (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius) took home the team's David P. Rath Most Valuable Player award. Taylor completed a solid career with his second selection to the All-Patriot League second-team. A first-team selection as a sophomore, the midfielder was a starter in each of the 17 games he played in during the 2002 season. Taylor finished the year third on the team in scoring with three goals and three assists. Of his three scores, two were game-winners, including the lone score in BU's 1-0 win against Colgate. With his assist in Bucknell's 2-0 victory over Navy, the three-year starter moved into Bucknell's top-10 career assists list with 12. He leaves the school with a total of 32 points on 10 goals and 12 helpers.
On the heels of his Patriot League Rookie of the Year accolade, freshman Adam Edwards (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown) picked up the team award of the same name. Edwards capped an outstanding freshman campaign with his selection as the top rookie. Named a Freshman to Watch by collegesoccernews.com at the beginning of the season, Edwards did not disappoint, quickly earning a starting role in goal. After allowing two goals in a season-opening 3-2 overtime win against Robert Morris, he recorded three-straight shutouts to set a precedence for what would become commonplace throughout the season. Edwards allowed more than one goal on only two occasions in 2002, and tied a school record with 10 total shutouts on the year. His shutout number places him third on the Patriot League all-time top-10 season list. In addition, his 0.62 goals against average, which ranked sixth in the nation this season, is the third-best single-season average in conference history. Edwards was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week three different times, and picked up the Defensive MVP Award at the University of Buffalo's Bulls Fall Invitational, which the Orange and Blue won.
Sophomore Otto Tancraitor III (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) was selected by his teammates as the recipient of the Peter Weidenbacher Award, the Most Improved Player honor. Tancraitor spent most of his freshman year as a reserve, playing in only five of Bucknell's 18 games. In his second season, the defender started in 11 of the 13 games he played in, helping to anchor a defense that was fifth in the country with a 0.62 goals against average.
Greg Buzzell (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) earned the team's Craig A. Reynolds Award. Named for former Bucknell head coach Craig Reynolds, the Bison mentor for 31 years, this award is given to the player who displays sportsmanship and class. Buzzell is a two-year letterwinner for the squad who has started at least one game in both of his first two years. Never one to question his role on the team, Buzzell has been a spot player for the squad, accumulating one goal and four assists in two seasons. This year, he scored his first career goal in Bucknell's 2-1 win over Saint Francis (Pa.). Both of his assists this season came in a 5-1 decision over Niagara, including the helper on the game-winning goal.
In addition to the team awards, Buzzell and classmate Jonathan Hemmert (Westerville, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) were recognized for posting a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the fall semester. The teammates were just two of seven team members to make the University's Dean's List.
A starter in 12 of 16 games this season, Hemmert has made a name for himself as Bucknell's setup man. After recording no assists in his first year of play, the midfielder racked up 10 helpers this year, good enough for third on the Bucknell all-time single-season list and just two assists shy of the school single-season record. Hemmert finished the season ranked tenth in the nation in assists per game with 0.59. In addition to his assists, Hemmert also tallied two goals in 2002 for a team-high 14 points. One of his scores was a game-winning penalty kick to lift the Bison past then nationally-ranked Pittsburgh, 1-0.
The 2002 Bucknell men's soccer team had a record setting year, breaking the school record for wins in a season in their final game of the campaign. At 13-5-1 overall, the Orange and Blue broke the old mark of 12 wins which had been set in 1974, and equaled in 1982 and 1990. In addition, the squad completed an undefeated home season, going 7-0-1 in Lewisburg. The Bison were 3-4-0 in Patriot League play.
