Bucknell University Athletics
Best Upset ESPY is Bucknell Bound!
7/14/2005 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
July 14, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Close followers of the Bucknell basketball program have a keen sense of the historic nature of the Bison's NCAA Tournament victory over Kansas last March. Apparently, the voting public does, too.
Wednesday night at the 13th Annual ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, Bucknell won the ESPY for "Best Upset" for its 64-63 win over the Jayhawks, which was the first NCAA Tournament win in school and Patriot League history.
The ESPY Awards broadcast will air on ESPN at 9 p.m. Eastern this Sunday, July 17. The ESPY Awards were created by ESPN in 1993 and are presented for "Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly."
All ESPY winners were selected by the fans via online voting. Among the other winners were Lance Armstrong and Annika Sorenstam for Male and Female Athlete of the Year, respectively. Peyton Manning, Curt Schilling, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods and Steve Nash also headlined the star-studded awards list.
Bison head coach Pat Flannery and his wife, Patti, were invited guests to the ESPYs and received red-carpet treatment while mingling with a wide array of stars from the world of sports and entertainment. Actor Matthew Perry hosted the event.
Bucknell's competition in the "Best Upset" category was Vermont's NCAA Tournament victory over Syracuse; Puerto Rico's men's basketball victory over the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens; and Giacomo's Kentucky Derby win against 50-1 odds.
The ESPYs are also distinguished by its charitable contribution. A portion of the proceeds each year is donated to The V Foundation, established by ESPN with the late Jim Valvano, and presented at the inaugural ESPYs. Valvano was head coach at Bucknell from 1972-75. The V Foundation has raised over $45 million for cancer research since its inception in 1993.
Bucknell's victory over third-seeded Kansas was the crowning moment in a terrific 23-10 season. Center Chris McNaughton's jump hook in the paint with 10.5 seconds remaining proved to be the winning shot. While Bucknell was playing its third NCAA Tournament game, and its first since 1989, Kansas was in its 107th tourney contest, fourth-most in NCAA history. The Jayhawks' senior class had appeared in two Final Fours and an Elite Eight in the previous three years. The Bison halted Kansas' streak of 21 straight first-round victories.
