Bucknell University Athletics
Award Winners Announced at Bucknell Men's Water Polo End-of-Year Banquet
5/12/2004 8:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
May 12, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell men's water polo team held its end-of-year banquet in early May, announcing several award winners for the 2003 season. Junior Jay Danforth (Los Altos, Calif./Los Altos) took home the team's Defensive Most Valuable Player Award, sophomore Bradley Roslyn (Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter) was tabbed the Offensive MVP, and junior Aaron Platshon (Menlo Park, Calif./Menlo School) earned the 2003 Scott Schulte Award.
Additionally, sophomore Lars Weborg (Erie, Pa./McDowell) was named the Most Improved Player, freshman Michael McManigal (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara) received the Coaches Award, and sophomore newcomer Mark Stevenosky (Seltzer, Pa./Pottsville) was tabbed the Rookie of the Year.
In addition to the announcement of the award winners, head coach John Zeigler named Platshon and classmate Elliot Benoist captains for the 2004 season.
 Junior Jay Danforth was named the Defensive MVP for the second-straight year in 2003.  |
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Danforth picks up his second-straight Defensive MVP honor after leading the team with a career-high 79 steals which included an eight-steal game against Slippery Rock on September 13. In three seasons with the Orange and Blue, he has accumulated 204 steals and never finished lower than second on the squad in a single-season. This past year, Danfoth's steal total was 30 more than that of the closest teammate, and he also got involved offensively, scoring 47 goals and handing out 14 assists for the second-highest point total on the team. Danforth proved he was a well-rounded player, serving as the team's primary sprinter and winning 61.5% of the time (67-109).
 Sophomore Bradley Roslyn was the Offensive MVP for the 2003 season. |
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Roslyn earned the Offensive MVP award after leading the team with 48 scores in 2003. The utility player increased his first-year goal production by eight, including a five-goal performance against Johns Hopkins on October 31. In just two seasons, Roslyn has scored 88 times to enter his junior campaign just 12 goals shy of the century mark for scores. A starter in all 30 games for the Bison, Roslyn registered a team-best 32 ejections drawn, and finished third on the squad with 60 points (48 goals, 12 assists).
A first-time recipient of the Scott Schulte Award, given to "the individual who contributes the most to Bucknell water polo", Platshon becomes the first non-senior to receive the honor since 1998 graduate Alex Lunding was a two-time winner in 1996 and 1997. In the 23 year history of the award, only two other juniors have won it, Garrin Kapecki in 1987 and Sean Tierney in 1993. Platshon returned from a one-year hiatus from the sport to lead the Bucknell squad in 2003 with 67 points on 37 goals and a team-best 30 assists, all career-highs. Known more as a defensive specialist, Platshon also brought that skill to the pool, finishing second on the team in steals with 49, while proving his overall ability with 24 ejections drawn.
Weborg was an obvious candidate for most improved accolades. The driver played in all 30 of Bucknell's games this season, starting a career-best seven of those. After scoring just four goals and two assists as a freshman, Weborg increased those totals to 14 scores and 16 helpers for 30 points in his second season. He also improved his steal total from seven as a rookie to 11 in his sophomore year.
A reserve goalkeeper in his first season, McManigal received the 2003 Coaches Award. Active in eight games, and earning the start in six of those, the netminder recorded 42 saves while allowing 63 goals for a .400 save percentage.
Stevenosky joined the team this year as a sophomore, earning the squad's Rookie of the Year
 Elliot Benoist will join Aaron Platshon as a co-captain in 2004. |
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Benoist will join Platshon as captain of the Bison next year. Benoist has been an offensive threat for the Orange and Blue through his first three seasons, accumulating 97 career goals and 87 assists for 184 points. This past season, the utility player scored 31 times and handed out 24 assists for the fourth-best point total on the team with 55.
The Bucknell men's water polo team posted a 10-20 record in 2003, earning a third place finish at the Southern Division Championship after going 2-6 through regular-season league play. The squad turned in a seventh-place performance at the Eastern Championship to close out the season.
