Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Senior Athletes Honored at 45th Annual Awards Dinner
5/2/2006 8:00:00 AM | General
May 2, 2006
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - In one of the highlights of the athletics season at Bucknell University, 18 outstanding senior athletes were given awards at the 45th Annual Department of Athletics & Recreation Senior Recognition Dinner, held Tuesday evening in Sojka Pavilion.
The remarkable careers of some 102 senior athletes were honored at the dinner, which is sponsored by the Bison Club.
Swimming standout Lectie Altman (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) and men's basketball star Charles Lee (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) walked off with the evening's top honor, the Christy Mathewson Award, which goes to the outstanding male and female senior athletes.
A co-captain for the women's swimming squad, Altman received the Patriot League's female High Point Award for registering the most career points in league championship competition in the Class of 2006. A four-time First Team All-Patriot League selection, she won the 200-yard backstroke at this year's conference championships. In her impressive career, she captured five different Patriot League titles as she led the Bison to the team championship all four years.
Altman went undefeated in the 200 back in 2005-06 and had five wins and two runner-up finishes in the 100 back. The school record holder in three different events, she took home the bronze in the 100 back at this year's league meet and broke her own school record in the 200 freestyle to finish fourth in the event at the 2006 Patriot League Championships.
A member of the headline-producing men's basketball team, Lee capped his stellar career by leading the Bison to their second consecutive first round NCAA Tournament victory in March. A two-year co-captain, Lee was the 2006 Patriot League Player of the Year and a First Team All-Patriot League choice for the second year in a row. The first player in league history to win Patriot League Tournament MVP honors twice, Lee's 24-point game against Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament helped him finish as the team's scoring leader at 13.2 points per game. He also led the team in rebounding (6.0) and steals (70).
Lee last season became the 15th player in Bucknell history to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. On Bucknell's career lists, he will graduate ranked fifth in steals (167), 18th in rebounds (568) and 21st in scoring (1,147).
Elsewhere, three-time Second Team All-Patriot League choice Kevin Bettencourt (Peabody, Mass./Peabody) of the men's basketball team and Danielle Todman (Plainfield, N.J./Bishop George Ahr) of the women's track and field squad were given the Bison Club Award, presented to the senior athletes who best exemplify the winning spirit of the University's athletic program.
Christy Mathewson Award winner Lectie Altman.  |
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The lone double-winner of the evening, Todman was also the second-ever recipient of the `Ray Bucknell Diversity Award.
The Alvin F. Jackson, Jr. Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award, presented for outstanding academic and athletic achievement, and future promise as Bucknell alumni, went to softball's Lauren Wible (Dover, Pa./Dover), a two-time Academic All-District selection as well as the 110th Academic All-American in Bucknell history, and Adam Freeman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) who is a two-time Patriot League Men's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
A recent addition to the Bison baseball team's 200-hit club, Kyle Walter (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg), and two-time First Team All-Patriot League choice Veronica Brown (Derwood, Md./Colonel Zadok Magruder) of the women's tennis squad copped the Lee S. "Bud" Ranck Memorial Award, presented for outstanding spirit and contributions to the Bucknell athletic program.
The Bradley N. Tufts Award went to 2005 Patriot League Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Year Liz Jordan (Towson, Md./St. Paul's) and Brad Roslyn (Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter), a three-time all-conference selection in men's water polo. The Tufts Award is given in recognition of exceptional athletic achievement and contribution to Bucknell athletics.
The Robert A. Latour Service Award, presented for extraordinary service to Bucknell and local communities, went to football's Ryan Bower (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) and field hockey's Kelly O'Brien (Rye, N.Y./Rye).
Kayla Halloran (Norwell, Mass./Norwell), a member of seven Patriot League track and field and cross country championship teams, captured the Margaret L. Bryan Award, presented to a female athlete for outstanding achievement in more than one varsity sport. Kevin Brown (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) won the Albert E. Humphreys Award, presented to a male athlete for outstanding achievement in more than one sport. Brown earned Second Team All-Patriot League plaudits at the 2005 Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The Edward W. Pangburn Award, presented for sportsmanship, fellowship and contribution to the University, went to the men's swimming school-record holder in the 500-yard freestyle Todd Bauer (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) and Second Team All-Patriot League selection Mary Krakowski (Erie, Pa./McDowell) of the women's swimming and diving team.
Football All-American and recent signee with the NFL's Tennessee Titans Sean Conover (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson) and Second Team All-Patriot League women's tennis player Chelsea Mills (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley) earned the Ronald J. "Pete" Pedrick Award, presented in recognition of demonstrated improvement and special contributions to Bucknell athletics over a four-year period.
In addition to the student-athlete awards, two alumni and one campus office received special awards. The Reservation, Information and Conference Servives (RICS) Office received the ECAC Appreciation Award, which is presented to students, faculty, staff or friends of Bucknell for extraordinary contribution to the Bucknell department of athletics.
Christine Peterjohn Richards '76 and Gerald Purnell '78 were presented Alumni Athlete Achievement Awards, given to former Bucknell athletes who have achieved success in their chosen profession. Peterjohn Richards helped lead the Bison to that National Swimming Championships four times and was on the school's first varsity swimming squad. She is now executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of FedEx Corporation. Purnell was an ECAC All-East Honorable Mention and All-East Coast Conference honoree in 1975 and led the Bison in scoring twice. He is currently a District Court Judge in Worcester County, Md. He was the first African-American judge on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Bucknell Senior Athletic Awards Summary
ECAC Appreciation Award: RICS Office
Alumni Athlete Achievement Award: Christine Peterjohn Richards (swimming and diving), Gerald Purnell (men's basketball)
`Ray Bucknell Diversity Award: Danielle Todman (track and field)
Ronald J. "Pete" Pedrick Award: Sean Conover (football), Chelsea Mills (tennis)
Edward W. Pangburn Award: Todd Bauer (swimming and diving), Mary Krakowski (swimming and diving)
Margaret L. Bryan Award: Kayla Halloran (cross country/track and field)
Albert E. Humphreys Award: Kevin Brown (cross country/track and field)
Robert A. Latour Service Award: Ryan Bower (football), Kelly O'Brien (field hockey)
Bradley N. Tufts Award: Brad Roslyn (water polo), Liz Jordan (field hockey)
Lee S. "Bud" Ranck Memorial Award: Kyle Walter (baseball), Veronica Brown (tennis)
Alvin F. Jackson, Jr. Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award: Adam Freeman (swimming and diving), Lauren Wible (softball)
Bison Club Award: Kevin Bettencourt (basketball), Danielle Todman (track and field)
Christy Mathewson Award: Charles Lee (basketball), Lectie Altman (swimming and diving)
