Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Soccer Postseason Awards Handed Out, 2009 Captains Named
12/9/2008 7:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Dec. 9, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Senior Jennifer Dervarics (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus) and sophomore Amanda Citron (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) earned the Bucknell women's soccer offensive and defensive most valuable player awards for 2008, head coach Ben Landis announced at the team's recent postseason dinner. In addition, Citron, junior Molly Linhart (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) and junior Lauren Stoller (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) were named as team captains for the 2009 season.
Four other awards were also handed out. Senior Nicole Marotta (Bridgewater, N.J./Mount St. Mary Academy) captured the Coaches' Award. Senior Kelly Boswell (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) earned the Gibbons-Crane Award, which is given to the player who, in the opinion of her teammates and coaches, epitomizes the highest standard of character, commitment, determination, integrity, skill, and work ethic required to be a "complete soccer player."
Freshman Casey Crowley (Hamilton Square, N.J./The Peddie School) was named the team's 2008 Rookie of the Year, while Bucknell professors Peter Brooksbank and George Exner were given the Friends of Bucknell Soccer Award.
Dervarics had a brilliant senior year for the Bison, leading the Patriot League in both goals (12) and points (30). The only other player in the league within 10 points of her total was her own teammate, Christa Matlack, who had 20 points. Dervarics earned her third straight All-Patriot League certificate, her second straight Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year award and her first NSCAA/adidas All-Mid-Atlantic Team recognition this season.
"Jen had another masterful year and has shown consistently that she can finish goal-scoring opportunities, play under immense pressure, and lead all while truly enjoying the game," said Landis. "To earn the league's Offensive Player of the Year two consecutive years is an amazing feat, and she ranks among the very best in the storied history of our program."
Citron anchored a Bucknell defense that broke the program record with eight shutouts this season. In 20 games the team allowed only 24 goals, its second-lowest mark in the last decade. The defense yielded only five goals in seven games against Patriot League opponents. Citron was terrific in Bucknell's scoreless duel with Army in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals and was later named to the All-Tournament Team. She started all 20 games this season and 37 of a possible 40 over the last two years.
"We had many major contributors to our defensive success this year, and I believe that Amanda was selected for her consistency, continued development throughout the entire year and poise under pressure," said Landis.
The Bison will return its entire defense next season, led by Citron, First Team All-Patriot Leaguer Caitlin Holtz, backs Stoller and Kelsey Johnson, and goalkeeper Kathryn Sutton.
Marotta in 2008 became only the second Bucknell women's soccer player to earn First Team All-Patriot League honors three times (the other was Hall of Famer Lisa Gibbons). After spending her first three seasons as a force on Bucknell's back line - she was the PL Defensive Player of the Year and a Regional All-American in 2006 - Marotta was moved up to the midfield this season and continued to be a star.
A two-year team captain, Marotta recorded a career-high five goals, including two in a home win over Mount St. Mary's, while patrolling the midfield with ease.
"It seems strange to say this even though she is one of only two student-athletes in our program's history to earn first team all-league honors three times and will graduate as one of the very best athletes Bucknell University has ever produced, but in many ways, we underestimate the tremendous athlete and person that Nicole represents," said Landis. "Nobody worked harder and developed more with the incredibly deep amount of talent that Nicole had over four years. She got better and better, did everything we ever asked out of her, and yet still has so much room to continue to grow in this game if she chooses to continue to play. Her size, speed, strength and technical and tactical abilities all allow her to be successful at the next level, and it has been an honor to coach her for the past four years."
The third member of Bucknell's senior class - the winningest class in program history - is Boswell, who was a steady presence as an outside midfielder for the Bison. She played in all 20 games this season with four starts, and she was usually the team's first substitution. The electrical engineering major and three-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll member was a team captain this season, and she will graduate with eight career points.
"This award personifies what it truly means to be the model representative of our program, and nobody did that better the entire year than Kelly," Landis said. "Our team's personality took on her personality, and she is a great student who worked very hard, became the best athlete she could during her senior year, all while having an incredible amount of fun with a boundless amount of spirit. I am so proud of her and the impact she had on this team and program."
Crowley came to Bucknell as a two-time all-state selection at The Peddie School in New Jersey, and she contributed immediately with the Bison both on defense and as a midfielder. Crowley played in 18 games with six appearances as a starter, and she ranked fourth on the team with three assists. The 18 games played were the most among the Bison freshman class.
"Casey demonstrated her consistency and competitiveness right from the start of our season through the end and was a dependable on-field personality for us all year, whether in midfield or in the back," said Landis.
Brooksbank and Exner, both from the department of mathematics, were mainstays on the Bison sideline this season. Brooksbank serves as the team's academic advisor, while Exner served as a Faculty Sideline Coach at numerous games.
"Both Pete and George have been tremendous supporters for our student-athletes all year and their work as teachers, advisors and friends to us all means a great deal to us," said Landis. "We feel fortunate to have them and many other great supporters around us on a daily basis throughout our soccer family."
Citron, Linhart and Stoller will all be first-year captains in 2009. Stoller is a two-time All-Patriot League pick and a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection. She will join Citron as the leaders of the defense next season. Linhart missed almost half of the 2008 season with an injury, but she flashed her offensive prowess in her first two seasons at Bucknell when she amassed six goals and five assists. One of those goals was an overtime game-winner against Army in the 2007 Patriot League Tournament semifinals.
"I am very pleased and extremely proud to announce that for the 2009 year, our team captains leading the way will be Amanda Citron, Molly Linhart and Lauren Stoller," said Landis. "I believe that these three will be tremendous captains for our team and will lead in their own unique way. I'm counting on them each to highlight their own personal strengths while complementing each other very strongly and always best representing the team as a whole. The dynamic of our captain group will be a positive new experience for us all as they will best represent the new challenges and opportunities related to our team as we collectively move forward to continue to grow, learn, compete and succeed."
