Bucknell University Athletics
Leonard Joseph to Receive 2013 ECAC Award of Valor
9/11/2013 4:17:00 PM | Men's Track and Field
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Leonard Joseph (Whitesboro, N.Y./Clinton), a 2013 Bucknell graduate who was a successful and inspirational member of the men's track and field team, has been announced as one of five recipients of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Award of Valor. The award is given annually and was established in 1985 to honor student-athletes whose courage, motivation and relentless determination serves as an inspiration to all. The recipients of the Award of Valor exemplify strength of character and perseverance deserving recognition as being truly triumphant.
Joseph and his co-recipients will be honored at the 2013 ECAC Honors Dinner sponsored by Jostens, held in conjunction with the 25th Annual ECAC Convention and Trade Show that will be held Sept. 29 - Oct. 1 at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth, Mass. The Honors Dinner will be held on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m.
Last spring, Joseph earned Second Team All-America honors in the hammer throw, finishing 11th at the NCAA Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The senior posted a throw of 208-1 in his final collegiate meet and became the first Bison to be named an All-American multiple times since Thomas McLean from 1975-77. Joseph graduated with the Bucknell record in the hammer (209-11). He also became Bucknell's first-ever IC4A champion in the hammer last May.
One week earlier, Joseph was voted the Patriot League Field Athlete of the Meet after winning the league title in the hammer throw for the third consecutive season. He is just the third athlete in conference history to win three straight titles in the event, and he helped the Bison men win their fourth straight Patriot League outdoor championship.
Joseph's success in the circle was only one part of Joseph's inspiring story. His unlikely path to Bucknell involved him leaving his childhood home at the age of 10. He stayed in his aunt's basement for a time, and then later moved in with his high school principal.
Through focused determination, Joseph not only became an All-American, but he graduated with a 3.53 grade-point average in psychology. Joseph earned a spot on the Patriot League All-Academic Team and the Capital One Academic All-District Team last year. Joseph's studies at Bucknell included independent research within the Department of Psychology on psychological burnout."Lenny may have been one of the most focused and invested student-athletes that I have ever known," head coach Kevin Donner told the ECAC. "He came from a very tough family background and was not your stereotypical Bucknell student. He really invested into the Bucknell athletic and academic scene in full force. His number one goal was to be an All-American in which he succeeded and of course he led us to numerous Patriot League Team Championships."
Other 2103 ECAC Award of Valor recipients are University of New Hampshire's Cameron Lyle (track and field), Plymouth State University's Ali Keith (softball), Clark University's Reed Powell (basketball) and Emmanuel College's Craig Schoaf (cross country). To register and attend the ECAC Honors Dinner, please visit ecac.org/convention.
