Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Collett, Klipstein Earn Patriot League Sportsmanship Award
6/8/2010 8:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
June 8, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell juniors John Collett (Randolph, N.J./Delbarton School) and Ryan Klipstein (Califon, N.J./Rutgers Prep) have earned the 2010 Patriot League Sportsmanship Award for their work in supporting former college lacrosse players now serving overseas in the armed forces. Collett and Klipstein, along with Colgate women's tennis student-athlete Susan Fortkiewicz, were chosen as Sportsmanship Award winners by the Patriot League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Two of the key players on Bucknell's highly regarded men's lacrosse team, this spring Collett and Klipstein brainstormed and launched “A Bison Never Forgets,” an initiative designed to collect donations to send supplies and support to lacrosse alumni now in harm's way in the military.
At every Bucknell home men's lacrosse game this season, a table was set up at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, where fans made cash donations that went toward the assembly of care packages with the military's commonly asked-for items. Contributors received bracelets printed with "A Bison Never Forgets."
Collett's brother, Mike, is a 2009 U.S. Naval Academy graduate and was a member of the lacrosse team. Bucknell's annual Patriot League showdowns with Army and Navy inspired Collett and Klipstein to help their formal military rivals once they have moved on from the lacrosse fields. The Bison duo have also sent letters encouraging other college lacrosse teams, and other sports teams at Bucknell, to help out in a similar manner.
This is not the first time Bucknell Athletics has been cited for positive sportsmanship. In 2007, Bucknell was one of four Division I institutions in the nation to be named an "All-American Sportsmanship School" by the Institute for International Sport. The award was established to honor schools that have implemented exceptional sportsmanship programs, such as the "Bison Good Sports!" initiative that was launched at Bucknell in October 2006. Bucknell, Auburn, Clemson and Indiana were the four Division I honorees for 2007-08.
Bucknell has participated in the Institute for International Sport's "National Sportsmanship Day" every year since 2007.
"Bison Good Sports!" is a sportsmanship awareness program intended to promote appropriate fan conduct at all Bucknell sporting events. According to director of athletics and recreation John Hardt, the objective of the campaign "is to thank our fans for the tremendous energy and enthusiasm that they bring to each of our Bucknell athletics contests, while also empowering them as caretakers of the collegiate gameday experience."
Collett and Klipstein were both starters on the Bison lacrosse team this season. Collett was a close defenseman who helped Bucknell rank first in the Patriot League and third in the nation in goals-against average (7.86). Klipstein was a first-line midfielder who led the team with 34 goals and ranked second with 41 points. His 34 goals not only ranked third in the Patriot League and 15th nationally, but it was a new single-season record for a Bucknell midfielder.
