Bucknell University Athletics
Dorian Petersen Garners Bucknell Football Team MVP Honors
12/5/2006 7:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 5, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Senior linebacker Dorian Petersen (Rahway, N.J./Rahway) copped team most valuable player honors, highlighting the 45th Annual Lewisburg Touchdown Club-Bison Club Football Awards Banquet, which was held Saturday evening in Larison Hall on campus.
Spirits were high at the awards dinner, which came after a 6-5 season that tied Bucknell for the nation's biggest one-year turnaround. The five-game improvement over the 2005 season was also tied for the best in school history.
A total of 16 Bucknell players earned special awards, while 48 Bison were awarded varsity letters.
Petersen, the team's lone First Team All-Patriot League selection, had a terrific senior campaign at inside linebacker and was selected by his teammates as the winner of the Lewisburg Touchdown Club Award, presented to the team's most valuable player. Petersen registered a career-high 102 tackles this season, the most on the team and fifth-most in the Patriot League. He was also second in the league with three forced fumbles.
Petersen, who was a two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week in 2006, also won his second straight Clarke Hinkle Award as the team's most outstanding defensive back or linebacker. He is the first player to win that award twice since it debuted in 1990.
The team MVP honor has now gone to a defensive player in 11 of the last 12 years.
One of the highlights of the evening is the presentation of the Captains Awards, followed by speeches from the captains. This year's team captains were Petersen and senior offensive lineman Stefan Niemczyk (Broomall, Pa./Malvern Prep). Niemczyk also won the John Campana Award as the team's most outstanding offensive lineman. Like Petersen, Niemczyk earned that honor for the second year in a row. He started all 11 games this fall at left guard and earned Second Team All-Patriot League accolades. Niemczyk finished his career with 32 straight starts, the longest on the team.
Bucknell's other three All-Patriot League players walked off with awards as well. Second-team honorees Joel Hoffer (Schaeffertown, Pa./Eastern Lebanon County) and Matt Palermo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) joined fellow seniors Richard Simpson (Havre de Grace, Md./Havre de Grace) and David Frisbey (Newark, Del./Charter School) as winners of the Tom Gadd Coaches' Award, which is the only award on the docket not selected exclusively by the players.
Hoffer had an outstanding senior year, starting every game at center. He helped the Bison lead the Patriot League and rank fifth in the nation in rushing offense at 235.2 yards per game. Palermo moved from safety to cornerback prior to the third game of the season and really helped solidify the team's defensive secondary. Palermo finished with a career-high 62 tackles in 11 games, and he led the team with eight pass breakups while intercepting two passes and forcing a pair of fumbles.
Simpson was saddled by injury for much of the last two seasons, but he worked hard to get back in the lineup by the end of his senior year and was very productive. He made his season debut in week six against Penn and ended up starting the final four games of the season. Simpson caught touchdown passes against Lehigh and Colgate, and despite the abbreviated season he tied for third on the team in receptions with seven for 103 yards. The two TD catches were most on the team.
Frisbey, who along with Petersen were the only two players on the squad to earn a fourth varsity letter in 2006, just wrapped up an outstanding career for the Orange & Blue. He started every game at cornerback for the second year in a row and finished with 51 tackles, seven pass breakups and an interception. His five career pickoffs tied for the team lead.
Sophomore Nolan Applegate (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) captured Special Teams MVP honors. Applegate took over as the team's lead punt returner in 2006 and had an exceptional season in that capacity. In 23 attempts he gathered 281 return yards for an average of 12.2 yards per return. That figure ranked second in the Patriot League and 15th nationally. Applegate also made 10 tackles on special teams and as a reserve cornerback this year. His touchdown-saving tackle on a Fordham kickoff return was one of the keys to Bucknell's victory in that game.
Junior fullback Josh DeStefano (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle), who led the team in rushing with a career-high 643 yards en route to All-Patriot League honors, earned the Big Blue Award as the team's most outstanding back or receiver. Interestingly, even though Bucknell runs a ground-oriented spread option offense, DeStefano's selection ends a run of five straight years in which this award was won by a wide receiver. Jabu Powell in 2000 was the last running back to win it before DeStefano.
DeStefano overcame a number of injuries to play in 10 games and earn his third straight varsity letter. He scored three touchdowns in a season that was highlighted by his career-high 180-yard performance in a home victory over Fordham.
DeStefano is a former winner of the Stuart M. Smith Award, presented to the team's most outstanding newcomer. This year, that honor went to freshman linebacker Sam Nana-Sinkam (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township). The promising rookie started every game at outside linebacker and finished second on the team and seventh in the Patriot League in total tackles with 85. Nana-Sinkam, who had 15 tackles against Duquesne in his very first collegiate game, also had a pair of sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss.
Nana-Sinkam was one of a dozen Bison freshmen to earn a varsity letter and one of eight to start at least one game this season, and he wasn't the only newcomer to win an award on Saturday. Freshman Josh Eden (State College, Pa./State College) earned the George Rieu Award, given to Bucknell's most outstanding defensive lineman. Eden, like Nana-Sinkam, started every game this fall and finished with 37 tackles. He led the team in both tackles for loss (7) and sacks (4) while ranking fifth in the Patriot League in sacks. Eden, who had two sacks each against Marist and Colgate, recovered one fumble and recorded his first career interception against Holy Cross late in the year.
Freshman quarterback Marcello Trigg (Tampa, Fla./Robinson) was thrust into the starting lineup for the final six games of the season due to injuries to the top two signal callers. Trigg improved dramatically as the year went along, particularly in the big win over Colgate to end the season, when he completed 9 of 10 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown and ran 24 times for 73 yards and a score. For his efforts in that contest, Trigg earned the Keating-Rieu Memorial Award, presented to the outstanding player in the Colgate game.
For the season, Trigg was Bucknell's third-leading rusher with 299 yards and two touchdowns, and he passed for 617 yards and four scores.
The other game-specific award is the George L. McGaughey Memorial Award, presented to the outstanding player in the Lafayette game. Petersen won that one after tying his career high with 16 tackles in Bucknell's loss to the Leopards.
Two other freshmen earned Scout Team Player of the Year honors, one on offense and one on defense. Running back Josh Lee (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) won on the offensive side of the ball, while linebacker Greg Jones (Springfield, Va./Lee) earned the honor on defense. Lee and Jones both played in four varsity games and both junior varsity contests this fall. Jones came to Bucknell as a quarterback but moved to linebacker in preseason camp and led the JV squad with 16 tackles in two games. Lee was the leading JV rusher with 72 yards.
In addition to the Captains Awards, two other important leadership honors went to senior offensive lineman Nick DeFeo (Manlius, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) and sophomore fullback Kevin Mullen (Export, Pa./Penn-Trafford). DeFeo won the C. Dale Wolfe Recognition Award, presented to the team's most inspirational player. He overcame a serious knee injury early in his career to become a contributing member of the offensive line this season. He played in all 11 games, primarily on the field goal/PAT unit but also as a backup at both tackle and guard.
Mullen, only a sophomore, won the ROTC Leadership Award for the second straight year. An active member of the ROTC - a coincidence, since the award is voted upon by the team and not by ROTC leadership - Mullen has been one of the team's vocal leaders since he arrived at Bucknell last year. He was the team's fourth-leading rusher in 2006 with 294 yards, and he scored a pair of touchdowns. His best game came at Georgetown, when he replaced the injured DeStefano in the starting lineup and ran for a career-high 110 yards and a touchdown in the team's 17-7 win.
Senior Cyril Pickering (Staten Island, N.Y./Stuyvesant), a very popular player in the locker room but a guy who played exclusively in the junior varsity games, was selected for two awards. He earned the Bobby Pangburn Memorial Award, which recognizes commitment, dedication and unqualified friendship to the program, as well as the Moxie Award, which is presented by equipment manager Kenny Hare for special contributions to the program.
Below are the Bucknell football players who earned varsity letters in 2006 (total number of letters in parentheses).
Sophomore WR Zach Allen (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia) (2)
Senior OL Michael Anthony (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) (1)
Sophomore DB Nolan Applegate (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) (1)
Sophomore P Phil Azarik (Hilltown, Pa./Germantown Academy) (2)
Senior OL Michael Boccella (Dunmore, Pa./Dunmore) (3)
Freshman RB Rashod Bumpers (Mobile, Ala./UMS-Wright) (1)
Freshman WR Cale Cadman (Clarks Summitt, Pa./Abington Heights) (1)
Sophomore K Will Carney (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) (2)
Junior DB Stephen Collage (McKeesport, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) (3)
Junior OL Greg Conti (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) (1)
Senior P Peter Cotter (Springville, N.Y./Springville Griffith) (1)
Freshman DB Jason Davis (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods) (1)
Junior RB Roosevelt Davis (College Park, Md./Milton Hershey (Pa.)) (1)
Senior OL Nick DeFeo (Manlius, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) (2)
Senior P/K Matt DeMartino (McLean, Va./Langley) (2)
Junior RB Josh DeStefano (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) (3)
Freshman DL Josh Eden (State College, Pa./State College) (1)
Sophomore TE Stephen Edwards (Falmouth, Mass./Taft School) (2)
Junior RB Corin Erby (Long Island City, N.Y./Salisbury School (Conn.)) (2)
Freshman DB Brigham Farrand (Green Pond, N.J./Morris Knolls) (1)
Junior DL Brandon Friday (Cinnaminson, N.J./St. Joseph's Prep) (1)
Senior DB David Frisbey (Newark, Del./Charter School) (4)
Junior OL Chad Glasser (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) (3)
Junior OL Jonathan Grainger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) (2)
Senior DL Mike Hardman (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) (3)
Junior OL Joel Hoffer (Schaeffertown, Pa./Eastern Lebanon County) (3)
Sophomore LB Julius Hopson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) (2)
Senior RB Peter Kaufman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) (3)
Freshman RB A.J. Kizekai (Pawtucket, R.I./Blair Academy (N.J.)) (1)
Freshman LB Jason Kolodziej (Pleasant Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) (1)
Sophomore QB Andrew Lair (Metairie, La./Brother Martin) (1)
Junior TE Nick Mozal (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) (2)
Sophomore RB Kevin Mullen (Export, Pa./Penn-Trafford) (2)
Freshman LB Sam Nana-Sinkam (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township) (1)
Senior OL Stefan Niemczyk (Broomall, Pa./Malvern Prep) (3)
Sophomore WR Alex Odenbach (Webster, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) (1)
Senior LB Matt Palermo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) (3)
Senior LB Dorian Petersen (Rahway, N.J./Rahway) (4)
Senior LB Cyril Pickering (Staten Island, N.J./Stuyvesant) (1)
Sophomore DL Todd Rinaldo (Spring Lake Heights, N.J./Hun School) (1)
Senior WR Richard Simpson (Havre de Grace, Md./Havre de Grace) (3)
Junior LB Ryan Slater (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia) (3)
Freshman QB Marcello Trigg (Tampa, Fla./Robinson) (1)
Junior DL Ryan Walsh (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Township) (3)
Freshman DB Casey Williams (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) (1)
Junior QB Terrance Wilson (Trenton, N.J./Hamilton West) (1)
Freshman DL David Young (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) (1)
Sophomore WR Daniel Zvara (Jacksonville, Fla./Bolles School) (2)
