Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Senior Athletes Honored at Annual Awards Dinner
5/1/2007 8:00:00 AM | General
May 1, 2007
LEWISBURG, Pa. - In one of the highlights of the athletics season at Bucknell University, 18 outstanding senior athletes were given awards at the 46th Annual Department of Athletics & Recreation Senior Recognition Dinner, held Tuesday evening in Sojka Pavilion.
The outstanding careers of some 130 senior athletes were honored at the dinner, which is sponsored by the Bison Club.
Record-setting pole vaulter/hurdler Melanie Buczko (Butler, Pa./Butler Area) and men's basketball standout Chris McNaughton (Leutershausen, Germany/Dientzenhofer Gymnasium) walked off with the evening's top honor, the Christy Mathewson Award, which goes to the outstanding male and female senior athletes.
Entering this weekend's Patriot League Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Buczko has won five career conference titles in the pole vault and one in the 60-meter hurdles. She is a two-time Eastern champion in the pole vault and an NCAA indoor qualifier in 2005, when she placed 14th. Buczko owns school and league records in both the pole vault (indoors and outdoors) and 60-meter hurdles, winning both events in a rare double at the 2004 PL Indoor Championships. An ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District selection as a civil engineering major, she is the only woman in school history to clear 13 feet in the pole vault.
McNaughton will be remembered as one of the finest big men in Bucknell and Patriot League annals. A three-time First Team All-Patriot League selection, he scored 1,529 career points, sixth-most in school history and second-most among centers. He broke the school record for games played with 125, never missing one in four years, and ranks second all-time in field-goal percentage (.598) and field goals made (609), seventh in blocked shots (80) and 12th in rebounds (646).
McNaughton hit what is considered the biggest shot in school history, a jump-hook in the lane with 10.5 seconds remaining in Bucknell's 64-63 NCAA Tournament win over Kansas in 2005. It was the first NCAA victory in Bucknell and Patriot League history. An electrical engineering major, McNaughton also became the first player in league history to win Patriot League Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors three times.
Elsewhere, eight-time Patriot League champion thrower Marjorie Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) and four-time All-Patriot League golfer Charlie Waddell (Wilmette, Ill./Lake Forest Academy) were given the Bison Club Award, presented to the senior athletes who best exemplify the winning spirit of the University's athletic program.
The Alvin F. Jackson Award, presented for outstanding academic and athletic achievement, and future promise as Bucknell alumni, went to women's soccer's Shannon Curd (Westtown, N.Y./Minisink Valley), an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American, and baseball standout Ryan Gryskevicz (Dallas, Pa./Dallas).
Men's water polo All-American Mark Masterson (Kihei, Hawaii/Marin) and school-record hurdler and 2006 Patriot League Outdoor Track Athlete of the Meet Catherine Trentacoste (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) 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 All-Patriot League linebacker Dorian Petersen (Rahway, N.J./Rahway) and 11-time Patriot League champion, seven-time All-East and five-time school record-holder Christa Sawko (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville). 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 offensive lineman Stefan Niemczyk (Broomall, Pa./Malvern Prep) and women's rowing standout Christine Drasba (Lake Grove, N.Y./Sachem).
The Bryan-Humphreys Award, presented to an individual for outstanding achievement in more than one sport went to Lauren Bricker (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield Area), a versatile, All-East athlete who ran cross country, won two Patriot League 800-meter titles and also competed in the triple jump.
The Edward W. Pangburn Award, presented for sportsmanship, fellowship and contribution to the University, went to four-time All-Patriot League swimmer Nikki Woodward (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) and men's basketball point guard Abe Badmus (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame H.S. for Boys).
Field hockey star Katie Urosevich (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) and men's cross country national qualifier Matt Forys (Howell, N.J./Howell) earned the Ronald J. "Pete" Pedrick Award, presented in recognition of demonstrated improvement and special contributions to Bucknell athletics over a four-year period.
Softball outfielder Monica Grinage (Rankin, Pa./Shady Side Academy) was bestowed the `Ray Bucknell Diversity Award for her work with Brothers and Sisters Empowered (BASE), a student organization that educates the community on African-American issues and heritage and provides a support group for minority students on campus.
Bucknell head athletic trainer Mark Keppler presented the E. Harold Biggs Memorial Award to student athletic trainers Abby Miller and Mandy Hart.
In addition to the student-athlete awards, two alumni and one staff member received special awards. Professor Mitch Chernin, Bucknell's NCAA Faculty Athletics Resprentative and a longtime supporter of Bison Athletics, 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.
Dr. Joel Boyd '79 and Margaret Lewis `68 were presented Alumni Athlete Achievement Awards, given to former Bucknell athletes who have achieved success in their chosen profession. Boyd is a former Bison football player who is now in his seventh year as orthopaedic surgeon for the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild. In addition to his role with the Wild, he serves as a Physician at TRIA Orthopaedic Center in Bloomington, Minn., and he is a United States Olympic Team Physician who represented his country with the U.S. ice hockey entry in the 2002 World Championships in Sweden and with the 2001 World Championships team in Germany. Lewis was a national championship qualifier in golf and swimming at Bucknell. She is nowp resident of Healthy Systems in Pittsford, N.Y. and has also previously worked for Johnson & Johnson and Eastman Kodak.
Bucknell Senior Athletic Awards Summary
ECAC Appreciation Award: Prof. Mitch Chernin, Department of Biology.
Alumni Athlete Achievement Award: Margaret Lewis (swimming & diving, golf), Dr. Joel Boyd (football).
`Ray Bucknell Diversity Award: Monica Grinage (softball).
Ronald J. "Pete" Pedrick Award: Matt Forys (cross country/track & field), Katie Urosevich (field hockey).
Edward W. Pangburn Award: Abe Badmus (basketball), Nikki Woodward (swimming & diving).
Margaret L. Bryan-Albert E. Humpreys Award: Lauren Bricker (cross country, track & field).
Robert A. Latour Service Award: Stefan Niemczyk (football), Christine Drasba (rowing).
Bradley N. Tufts Award: Dorian Petersen (football), Christa Sawko (track & field).
Lee S. "Bud" Ranck Memorial Award: Mark Masterson (water polo), Catherine Trentacoste (track & field).
Alvin F. Jackson Jr. Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award: Ryan Gryskevicz (baseball), Shannon Curd (soccer).
Bison Club Award: Charlie Waddell (golf), Marjorie Grap (track & field).
Christy Mathewson Award: Chris McNaughton (basketball), Melanie Buczko (track & field).
