Bucknell University Athletics
Dante Ross Named Bucknell Football MVP
12/8/2005 7:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 8, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Senior Dante Ross (Groton, Conn./Robert E. Fitch), who made headlines for his mid-season switch from defensive back to quarterback, walked off with team Most Valuable Player honors, and more than a dozen of his teammates also received awards at the 44th Annual Lewisburg Touchdown Club-Bison Club Awards Banquet, held Sunday afternoon in the Terrace Room on campus.
Ross, who led the team in rushing this season with 845 yards and nine touchdowns, earned the Lewisburg Touchdown Club Award as the team's MVP, as voted on by the Bison players. Ross began the season as an all-conference candidate at cornerback and was ranked among the team's leading tacklers through three games. But when each of Bucknell's top three quarterbacks went down with injuries in the early going, the Bison coaching staff decided to take advantage of Ross' exceptional athleticism and made him the starting quarterback, even though he had never played the position at any level of football.
In only his second game at quarterback, Ross rushed for 268 yards - a Bucknell and Patriot League record for a quarterback - and scored three touchdowns in a 27-7 win over Marist. On the field for nearly every play in the game, Ross also recorded an interception on defense and returned punts and kicks.
Ross was the 2004 Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Year, and this season he broke the school record for career punt return yards, finishing with with 730, eclipsing the previous record of 626 set by current CFL star Kevin Eiben from 1997-2000.
He seemingly played every position on the field at some point, and in 2005 Ross ran the ball, threw a pass, caught a pass, intercepted a pass, returned a punt, returned a kickoff, made a tackle, blocked a field goal, forced a fumble and punted.
Senior defensive lineman Sean Conover (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson) and senior offensive lineman Stephen Watts (LaGrange, Ga./Troup) shared the 2005 Captains Award. The twosome was elected co-captains prior to the start of the season. Conover, an All-American in 2004, earned First Team All-Patriot League honors in 2005 for the second year in a row. He is only the fourth Bucknell defensive player to earn first-team all-league accolades two straight years.
The league's Preseason Player of the Year, he finished his senior season with 44 tackles, including nine for loss and three sacks. He also played some tight end and even caught a big touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the Lafayette game.
Despite playing tight end his entire freshman season, Conover finished his career with 17.5 sacks, tied for fifth-most in Bucknell history. He also had nine career forced fumbles. Conover moved to defensive end prior to his sophomore year and started all 34 games there over the last three seasons. He was a Second Team All-America selection after a junior year in which he had 10.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.
Watts was a talented and versatile offensive lineman who played virtually every position along the line at some point in his career. He made 30 career starts, the most of any of Bucknell's offensive players this season.
Conover also won the George Rieu Award as the team's most outstanding defensive lineman for the second straight year.
The one award that is selected solely by the Bucknell coaching staff is the Tom Gadd Coaches' Award. This year's recipients were Watts and senior defensive lineman Jeff Orazi (Irwin, Pa./Nowrin Senior). Orazi joined the team as a walk-on as a freshman and carved out a niche as the team's long-snapper, a job he handled almost flawlessly for four seasons. Orazi also earned some time as a backup defensive end this season and finished with 11 tackles.
Junior linebacker Dorian Petersen (Rahway, N.J./Rahway) won the Clarke Hinkle Award, given to Bucknell's most outstanding linebacker or defensive back. Petersen had an outstanding 2005 season, despite missing the final game of the year with a knee injury. In 10 games he finished second on the team in tackles with 78, including six for loss. He logged a career-high three interceptions, the last of which he returned for a touchdown on the first play of the game at Colgate. Petersen led the team with seven pass deflections.
Junior offensive guard Stefan Niemczyk (Broomall, Pa./Malvern Prep) earned the John Campana Award and Bucknell's most outstanding offensive lineman. Niemczyk was the starter in every game at left guard this season, and he helped lead the Bison to their third straight Patriot League rushing title.
Junior cornerback David Frisbey (Newark, Del./Charter School) was named Bucknell's Special Teams Player of the Year for his excellence in covering kicks. Special teams coach Jim Reid noted that Bucknell generally directed all of its kicks to Frisbey's side of the field because he was the team's best cover man. Frisbey also started every game at corner and was the team's fifth-leading tackler with 54 stops. He also led the squad with a career-high four interceptions, and tied with Petersen for the team lead with seven breakups.
The Stuart M. Smith Award, presented to the team's most outstanding newcomer, went to freshman running back Kadero Watson (Richmond, Va./Monacan). Watson's playing time increased late in the season as he started the final four games of the campaign. He carried 47 times for 299 yards, or an average of 6.4 yards per carry. In the final game of the season against Holy Cross, Watson rushed for a career-high 140 yards. He also caught a touchdown pass in the Lafayette game.
Two other Bison freshmen were honored with awards. Wide receiver Daniel Zvara (Jacksonville, Fla./Bolles School) won the Big Blue Award as the team's most outstanding back or receiver. A regular starter since opening day, Zvara became only the second freshman ever to lead the team in receptions, as he totaled 15 catches for 292 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season.
Rookie Kevin Mullen (Export, Pa./Penn-Trafford) garnered the ROTC Leadership Award. Mullen, one of the team's most vocal players, moved from linebacker to fullback early in the season, and he started the final game of the season at fullback against Holy Cross and rushed for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns. On the season, Mullen carried 22 times for 109 yards and three scores.
The Bobby Pangburn Memorial Award, which recognizes commitment, dedication and unqualified friendship to the program, was presented to senior Zach Richards (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby). Richards played in 22 of a possible 23 games as a defensive lineman during his first two seasons at Bucknell, but unfortunately his career was cut short by an injury. He remained with the team as a student assistant coach, however, working at all practices and games.
The 2005 recipient of the C. Dale Wolfe award, given to the team's most inspirational player, was senior defensive lineman Jacob Burney (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Country Day). A hard-nosed tackle, Burney started every game this season and made 19 career starts. He enjoyed a solid senior season, finishing with 29 tackles, four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Each year one player from both the offense and defense are selected as the Scout Team Players of the Year. This year's honorees were freshmen offensive lineman Chris Wancowicz (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) and sophomore defensive lineman Brandon Friday (Cinnaminson, N.J./St. Joseph's Prep).
Two of the awards handed out on Sunday went to the top players from specific games. The George McGaughey Award for the most outstanding player in the Lafayette game went to Kadero Watson, who caught a 43-yard touchdown pass and also rushed 11 times for 56 yards in a 33-20 loss to the Leopards. The Keating-Rieu Award for the most outstanding player in the Colgate game went to sophomore linebacker Ryan Slater (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia), who had a team-high nine tackles and broke up a pair of passes in the game. In his first year as a starter, Slater led the team with 84 tackles.
