Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Lax Standout Mike Huffner One of 10 National Finalists for Senior CLASS Award
4/3/2013 8:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
April 3, 2013
Vote for Huffner for the Senior CLASS Award
LEWISBURG, Pa. –Bucknell senior Mike Huffner (Elmira, N.Y./Notre Dame), one of the top defensemen in the country as well as one of the top student-athletes in his class, has been selected as one of 10 national finalists for the 2013 Senior CLASS Award in the sport of men's lacrosse. Huffner is a two-time First Team All-Patriot League choice and the league's 2013 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and off the field he is a standout in biology with plans to attend medical school next year.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 20 candidates announced in February. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website or on the Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through May 13. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2013 NCAA Lacrosse Championships in Philadelphia May 25-27.
Huffner is one of three Patriot League student-athletes among the final 10, joining Colgate's Peter Baum and Army's Brendan Buckley. Other finalists include Maryland's Jesse Bernhardt, Brown's Clay Del Prince, Harvard's Jason Gonos, Yale's Peter Johnson, Notre Dame's Matt Miller, Cornell's Jason Noble and Loyola's Scott Ratliff.
Huffner is a Dean's List student in biology, and last season he was named to the 11-man Patriot League Men's Lacrosse All-Academic Team as well as the Capital One Academic All-District At-Large Team. He has tutored other Bucknell students in biology and organic chemistry, and last summer he interned with Bucknell professor Dr. Matthew McTammany. Huffner has also volunteered at Lewisburg's Evangelical Community Hospital and at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in his hometown of Elmira, N.Y.
One of four co-captains on this year's team that is currently 9-2 and ranked 11th and 13th in the two major national polls, Huffner represents the Bison men's lacrosse squad in the Bucknell Bison Leadership Academy. He has also played a leadership role in the team's Bison Pals program, where student-athletes mentor adults with special needs. Huffner served as treasurer of Bison Pals during his sophomore year and was elected president as a junior. He is also a member of Colleges vs. Cancer.
On the lacrosse field, Huffner has been a starting defenseman for the last three seasons after missing most of his freshman campaign with an injury. He earned First Team All-Patriot League honors in both 2011 and 2012, recognizing his leadership role on one of the top-ranked defenses in the country. The Bison ranked fifth nationally in scoring defense in 2011, when they went undefeated in Patriot League play, captured the league tournament title and went on to play in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history.
Huffner is enjoying another outstanding season in 2013. He ranks among the team leaders in ground balls and caused turnovers, and Bucknell ranks No. 9 nationally in goals allowed. The Bison have been ranked as high as No. 6 in the nation this season, their highest ranking in program history.
Huffner is Bucknell's second Senior CLASS Award finalist of the 2012-13 academic year. Mike Muscala is currently one of 10 finalists in the sport of men's basketball.
Bucknell has a big Patriot League road game coming up on Saturday when it visits Army at noon at Michie Stadium.
