2022 Bucknell Athletics Senior Award Recipients Announced; Hartigan, Hartman Earn Christy Mathewson Awards

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Each year, the Bucknell Department of Athletics & Recreation bestows 11 different awards to outstanding student-athletes in the senior class. These senior awards recognize a wide range of accomplishments, from on-field success to academics, community service, commitment to diversity, and other contributions to the department and to the University.

Congratulations to all of this year's awards recipients!

List of All-Time Senior Awards Winners

RONALD J. "PETE" PEDRICK AWARD:  Presented in recognition of demonstrated improvement and special contributions to Bucknell athletics over a four-year period. (RECIPIENTS: Claire Mensi, Liam Pitt)
EDWARD W. PANGBURN AWARD: Presented for sportsmanship, fellowship, and contribution to the University. (RECIPIENTS: Abby Neff, Patrick O'Hara)
BRYAN-HUMPHREYS AWARD:  Presented to a student-athlete who has exhibited exceptional versatility within his/her sport, displaying outstanding achievement and the selfless determination to help the team succeed by contributing in a variety of ways. (RECIPIENTS: Michaela Bracken, Sean Quinn)
ROBERT A. LATOUR SERVICE AWARD:  Presented for extraordinary service to Bucknell and local communities. (RECIPIENTS: Erin Zielinski, Matthew Barkauskas)
LEE S. "BUD" RANCK MEMORIAL AWARD:  Presented for outstanding spirit and contributions to the Bucknell athletics program. (RECIPIENTS: Erin Sullivan, Nick Crovatto)
BRADLEY N. TUFTS AWARD:  Presented in recognition of exceptional athletic achievement and contribution to Bucknell athletics. (RECIPIENTS: Taylor O'Brien, Chris Cannizzaro)
JOHN F. ZELLER AWARD: Presented for outstanding contributions to Bison Athletics, while exemplifying the best of Bucknell in the manner that John Zeller did in his 68 years of service to the University. (RECIPIENTS: Daniela Bellini, Tarrin Earle)
'RAY BUCKNELL AWARD: Presented to the senior student-athlete who through his/her actions has worked to eliminate attitudes and actions that have separated, excluded or marginalized people in the past and has facilitated true understanding and recognition among multiple campus and Lewisburg community constituencies. (RECIPIENTS: Nicole Rivait, Dominic Lyles)
BISON CLUB AWARD:  Presented to the senior athletes who best exemplify the winning spirit of the University's athletic program. (RECIPIENTS: Ashlyn Ramos, Andrew Funk)
ALVIN F. JACKSON, JR. MEMORIAL SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD:  Presented for outstanding academic and athletic achievement, and future promise as Bucknell alumni. (RECIPIENTS: Karly Forker, Zach Hartman)
CHRISTY MATHEWSON AWARD:  Presented to the outstanding senior athletes. (RECIPIENTS: Maddie Hartigan, Zach Hartman)

CHRISTY MATHEWSON AWARD

MADDIE HARTIGAN, Women's Swimming & Diving
Maddie Hartigan was a critical piece of the Bucknell women's swimming & diving team's historic success over the past four years and raised the bar for its next generation. The three-time All-Patriot League First Team member helped the Bison place second at two Patriot League Championships and compile a sterling 30-3 overall record in dual meet competition. Bolstered by winning eight individual medals, she scored 153.5 career points at the Patriot League Championships. Three of those medals were gold: in the 2022 and 2019 1,650 freestyle and in the 2022 500 freestyle. As a senior captain, Maddie became the first Bison since 2016 to earn two individual gold medals at a single Patriot League championship meet. With 54 1/2 points at that event, she finished tied for second among all competitors. Maddie will graduate with school records in four individual events: the 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 freestyle races. She also clocked an additional four program top-10 times. In total, Maddie won a staggering 66 individual races, including 22 as a senior and 21 as a sophomore. Over the course of her career, she was also key to Bucknell's relay success. She was a member of four Patriot League medal-winning relay teams and the 2020 ECAC title-winning 400 freestyle relay squad. She was a member of 19 relay teams that cracked the Bison's all-time top-10, three of which set school records. The psychology major also shined in the classroom, making two Academic All-Patriot League Teams.

ZACH HARTMAN, Wrestling
Sixth NCAA Wrestling All-American. Fourth EIWA champion. First EIWA Wrestler of the Year. Second EIWA Coaches' Trophy Recipient as the EIWA Championships' MVP. To say Zach Hartman raised the bar for the Bucknell wrestling program would be an understatement. Over the course of his decorated career, he posted a 96-26 record with 20 victories over nationally ranked opponents, 28 pins, 16 major decisions, and seven technical falls. He went 45-6 in duals, including 28-2 against EIWA opponents. He became the sixth Bison to earn a podium spot at four EIWA Championships, winning the 2021 165-pound title, finishing as the runner-up at 165 pounds in 2020 and at 157 pounds in 2019, and taking third in the 165-pound weight class in 2022. He qualified for the NCAA Wrestling Championships in each of his four campaigns in Lewisburg, placing sixth at 165 pounds in 2021. That season, he became Bucknell's second NCAA semifinalist and secured the program's third-highest finish at the NCAA's premier event. As pivotal as his individual success was to his team's performance, his leadership and lifestyle approach to the sport were equally impactful in the wrestling room. Zach served as captain for three seasons, a rare feat in today's collegiate athletic landscape. In addition, he became just the second Bison male to earn both the Christy Mathewson Award, which is presented to the outstanding senior athlete, AND the Alvin F. Jackson Jr. Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award, which is given for outstanding academic and athletic achievement and future promise as an alumnus.

ALVIN F. JACKSON MEMORIAL SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD

KARLY FORKER, Women's Track & Field
Karly Forker's academic achievements during her time at Bucknell have been nothing short of spectacular, and she's coupled those achievements with record-setting performances on the track to make for a truly outstanding student-athlete career. A rare two-year team captain, Karly has helped lead her teammates through unpredictable and ever-changing circumstances, all the while excelling in the classroom and in her races. Karly possesses a near-perfect 3.95 GPA as a biochemistry and cell biology major and was voted to the Academic All-Patriot League Team during the 2021-22 indoor season. She's served the campus as a biochemistry research assistant, a study group leader, and a teaching assistant. Karly holds six spots on Bucknell's all-time top 10 performance lists and is the school-record holder in the outdoor mile. She also ranks second all-time in the indoor mile and ran on the second-fastest indoor 4x800 relay in school history. In 2019, Karly scored in three different events during the Patriot League indoor championships and was the Patriot League runner-up in the 1500 last spring.

ZACH HARTMAN, Wrestling
Zach Hartman redefined what it means to be a Bucknell wrestler. Beyond being a star on the mat, who won 96 career bouts, earned two All-America awards, and secured four EIWA podium spots, he also shined in the classroom. As a junior, the biology major became the second Bison wrestler to make a CoSIDA Academic All-America Team, joining Bucknell Athletics Hall of Famer Ed Curran, a 1988 graduate. In 2022, he became the first Bison to make the NWCA All-Academic Team and earn an EIWA Academic Achievement Award following all four of his campaigns in Lewisburg. The three-year team captain completed the pre-medicine track at Bucknell with a cumulative grade point average north of 3.90, making the Dean's List every semester. Zach will attend medical school beginning in the fall of 2022.

BISON CLUB AWARD

ASHLYN RAMOS, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Few Bison athletes carry the number of accolades and achievements that Ashlyn Ramos has piled up during her career with the women's track & field team. Ashlyn is the only Bucknell runner ever to qualify individually for the NCAA cross country championships twice in her career. She automatically qualified as the Patriot League champion in the 2021 spring season, and she advanced once again this past fall with a 10th-place finish at the Mid-Atlantic Regional. She took sixth in the league championships as a sophomore as well, making it three times that she received First Team All-Patriot League honors in cross country. Ashlyn has also proven to be one of Bucknell's best track distance runners ever, as she holds numerous spots in the school record books. She set Bucknell's outdoor record in the 10,000 meters as well as the indoor 5K record while ranking second all-time in the outdoor 5K and the indoor 3,000. Last spring, Ashlyn was crowned Patriot League champion in the 10K and received a silver medal in the 5000. She also scored in two different events during the 2020 Indoor Patriot League Championships and went on to place sixth in the 5000 later that season at the ECAC championship meet.

ANDREW FUNK, Men's Basketball
Andrew Funk was an outstanding guard for the Bison men's basketball team over the last four years, and he saved the best for last with a sensational senior campaign. As the only senior on the roster, Andrew served a key leadership role for a young team both on and off the court. He carried the team on his back at times, recording 13 20-point games and three 30-point games this season, highlighted by an incredible 38-point performance at Illinois State. Andrew was the Patriot League's second-leading scorer at better than 17 points per game, and he broke the school record for most minutes played in a season. He eclipsed the 1200-point mark for his career and will graduate ranked 21st on Bucknell's all-time scoring list. Andrew also got it done in the classroom. As a finance major, he was the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2022 and became just the ninth player in league history to be named to the Academic All-Patriot League Team three times.

'RAY BUCKNELL DIVERSITY AWARD

NICOLE RIVAIT, Softball
Nicole Rivait, a standout infielder for the Bucknell softball program over the last four years, has proven just how powerful the voices and actions of student-athletes can be on the University's campus. Last fall, Nicole helped form the Bucknell Athlete Ally chapter, which aims to create a community where LGBTQIA+ individuals feel supported and connected while working to pursue an inclusive environment in sport. Under Nicole's leadership, Bucknell's first-ever Pride Games came to fruition, where fans, athletes, coaches, and administrators have been able to display their support for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The organization also used the opportunity to collect clothing donations to support the Fran's House collective initiative. Nicole has also spent time serving on the Bucknell Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. On the field, Nicole has led the Bison in hits and batting average over the last two seasons and ranks in Bucknell's top 10 for career home runs. She was selected to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team prior to the current season.

DOMINIC LYLES, Football
Dominic Lyles's impact extended far beyond the confines of Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Throughout his time as a Bison, he was heavily involved in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion on Bucknell University's campus and beyond. He was the co-founder of the Bison Athletes of Color student-run affinity group, which strives to build a community among student-athletes of color. As a SAAC representative, he was a member of the social responsibility branch. In addition, he was a member of the Minority Undergraduate Law Society and served as a Black Lives Matter Student-Athlete representative. On the football field, Dom was equally impactful from his freshman year to his season as a senior captain. In 30 career games, 19 of which were starts at wide receiver, he caught 91 passes for 1,149 yards and six touchdowns. The 2021 Spring All-Patriot League Second Team member will graduate with school records in single-game receptions and single-game touchdown catches. His stellar performance on the field and in the classroom as an international relations major earned him spots on the 2021 Academic All-Patriot League and FCS Academic All-Star Teams. Dom aspires to become a lawyer, and he served as an intern investigator for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia and as an extern for the Anne Arundel County Public Law Library.

JOHN F. ZELLER AWARD

DANIELA BELLINI, Women's Tennis
Daniela Bellini has been a difference-maker for the Bucknell women's tennis team since her first year on campus. After earning the top spot in the Bison's singles lineup, she made the All-Patriot League First Team after finishing 18-7 overall, including a 5-0 mark in Patriot League regular-season dual matches. Over the next two abbreviated seasons, she continued to excel, compiling a 16-8 record on the top court and making the 2021 All-Patriot League and All-Academic Teams. She was at her best as a senior captain, continuing to rack up wins at first singles and at first doubles with first-year partner Whitney King. As vital as her on-court success has been to her team, her leadership in 2021-22 was even more important. As the only senior OR junior on the roster, she has been a key mentor to her young teammates and helped set the tone for the program as a whole. Off the court, the computer engineering major excelled in the classroom and served as a research assistant in the environmental engineering department and a grader in the mathematics department. She also was a treasurer for the Bucknell Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and an executive board member for the Biomedical Engineering Society.

TARRIN EARLE, Football
Tarrin Earle's commitment to the Bucknell football program was unmatched. Expected to be the Bison's starting quarterback as a senior, he lost his season to an injury suffered in the very first game. While his peers had already recognized him as a leader by voting him as a captain, what Tarrin did in the days after suffering this injury cemented his legacy and earned him the C. Dale Wolfe Recognition Award as the team's most inspirational player. He remained fully invested in the program, even holding one-on-one meetings with younger teammates to encourage them and develop them as football players and as men. He personified the team's values of attitude, character, and toughness and, according to his coaches, created the blueprint of what they will look for in future Bison for years to come. Outside of football, Tarrin was heavily involved on Bucknell's campus. He served on the Bison Athlete of Color student-run affinity group's executive board and on the Bucknell Athletic Leadership Institute's Roundtable, he was the co-chair of the Bison Athletics Senior Gift Drive, and he spoke at freshman orientation. Tarrin also excelled in the classroom, achieving a cumulative GPA north of 3.90 in Bucknell's Freeman College of Management.

BRADLEY N. TUFTS AWARD

TAYLOR O'BRIEN, Women's Basketball
Taylor O'Brien will go down as not only one of the best scorers, but also one of the best all-around athletes the Bucknell women's basketball program has ever seen. A two-time First Team All-Patriot League selection, Taylor could seemingly "turn it on" at will and pile up 15 points before opposing teams knew what hit them. In fact, she scored in double figures 57 times in her career and finished 21st on Bucknell's all-time scoring list. The 567 points she scored as a senior rank fifth in the Bucknell record books for a single season. Taylor was at her best when the season was on the line, averaging 17.6 points in eight postseason games over the last three years and making the Patriot League All-Tournament Team as a junior. Her 35 points in this year's WNIT win over Fordham were the most a Bucknell player had scored in a game in nearly 20 years. Not to be overlooked as a defender, Taylor grabbed 75 steals during her senior season, which rank 10th in school history for a single season. Bucknell was an outstanding 49-14 when Taylor was in the starting lineup, and her success was not limited to the basketball court. In just her second collegiate track & field meet as a freshman, Taylor broke the school's outdoor high jump record, and she later took silver in the event at the Patriot League track & field championships.

CHRIS CANNIZZARO, Baseball
Chris Cannizzaro's impact on the Bucknell baseball program is irrefutable. Over his decorated career marked by overcoming adversity and excellence both on the field and in the classroom, Chris has developed into one of the Patriot League's top players. Bucknell's opening day starter at right field as a first-year, Chris has been a mainstay in the Bison lineup ever since. Despite missing the year with an injury just 14 games into his freshman season and having his sophomore season cut short in 2020, the Staten Island native bounced back stronger each time, going on to become the Patriot League batting champion in an excellent junior campaign. A team captain as a senior, Chris has earned the respect of his colleagues in the Patriot League by being named the 2022 Preseason Player of the Year after earning All-Patriot League First Team honors in his junior season. The senior has already helped the Bison to their best start in a league campaign since 2014, and he is just as involved off the field. Chris serves as a student-athlete ambassador for the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, where he honors his late father, a New York City firefighter who died on 9/11.

LEE S. "BUD" RANCK MEMORIAL AWARD

ERIN SULLIVAN, Rowing
Erin Sullivan has been an impact student-athlete since joining the Bucknell rowing program four years ago. Erin has been a member of the Bison Varsity Eight and the team's leadership group all four years. In both of her Patriot League Championship appearances to date, Erin earned First Team All-Patriot League honors while helping to power the Varsity Eight to silver medals. She was a Pocock All-America nominee in 2020, and last year she helped the Varsity Eight to an unbeaten regular season. Erin has also been an all-star off the water. As a biomedical engineering major, she has been involved in numerous research and academic projects.

NICK CROVATTO, Men's Lacrosse
It's rare for a faceoff specialist to emerge as a team leader. And that's what made Nick Crovatto so special. While he certainly made a difference at the faceoff X during his time in the Bucknell men's lacrosse program, his vocal leadership, energy, and love of the game were what set him apart. In the faceoff X, he earned a reputation for being a warrior. Despite having two of his three campaigns as the Bison's primary faceoff specialist truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic, he still managed to achieve career milestones few have accomplished within the program. He will graduate as the fifth Bison to eclipse 200 career faceoff wins and the eighth to collect at least 150 career ground balls. In addition, he matched the program's single-game ground ball record and earned a spot in Bucknell's single-season top 10 in this statistical category. Off the lacrosse field, the political science major was an investment banking summer analyst for TerraNova Capital, an investment management extern for Millennium, and a marketing and business development intern for the New Canaan Nature Center.

ROBERT A. LATOUR SERVICE AWARD

ERIN ZIELINSKI, Field Hockey
Erin Zielinski, a decorated All-Patriot League defender for the Bucknell field hockey team, has excelled in just about every aspect of student-athlete life. Her hard work on the field has been accompanied by her contributions to the engineering department, campus life, and beyond. Erin has spent countless hours working with faculty on major research projects within the chemical engineering department, she is a member of the Bucknell Society of Women Engineers, and she is a member of the Mortar Board national honor society. In her leadership roles, Erin was a 2021 team captain and currently serves as co-vice president for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Her academic success has been recognized both league-wide as a 2021 Academic All-Patriot League honoree and throughout the National Field Hockey Coaches Association as a four-time National Academic Squad member. Erin started every game for the Bison over the last three seasons and played nearly every minute of those games. She was instrumental in Bucknell's Patriot League title run last spring, assisting on the game-tying goal in the championship victory and earning All-Tournament status. As a senior, Erin earned First Team All-Patriot League honors for a second straight season after registering eight assists and a goal.

MATTHEW BARKAUSKAS, Men's Lacrosse
Matthew Barkauskas has been so much more than just a productive midfielder for the Bison men's lacrosse team over the last four years, he has also been one of the most-involved student-athletes when it comes to supporting local causes. Matt has been actively involved with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and numerous community service initiatives. He has volunteered at the Bucknell Farm, the Lewisburg Garden, and the local food bank during his time at Bucknell. He has inspired the men's lacrosse team to go above and beyond with the Giving Tree and Turkey & Trimmings initiatives around the holidays. He has been involved with Yards for Yardley and One Love, as well as Team IMPACT and the Headstrong Foundation. On the field, Matt is a team captain who has recorded 20 goals and 10 assists in 36 career games. He has also excelled academically as an Honor Roll student in accounting and financial management.

BRYAN-HUMPHREYS AWARD

MICHAELA BRACKEN, Women's Track & Field
As an excellent sprinter, hurdler and jumper, it's difficult to determine which events women's track & field's Michaela Bracken has impressed in the most during her career with the Orange & Blue. It's no wonder she broke the Bucknell pentathlon record twice as a senior, eclipsing a mark that hadn't been touched in 14 years. Michaela's name can be found all over Bucknell's all-time performer's list, ranking top 10 in the 500, the 400 hurdles, and in the 4x100 relay. She also tied the school high jump record at the 2022 Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Championships, clearing five feet, eight inches. Michaela has scored in six different events at Patriot League championship meets, and she placed second in the 400 hurdles at the 2021 ECAC outdoor championships. She has also excelled academically as a Dean's List student as a chemistry major with a minor in art entrepreneurship.

SEAN QUINN, Men's Swimming & Diving
As a freshman, Sean Quinn scored a pair of 15th-place performances at the Patriot League Championships. As a senior captain, he made the All-Patriot League Second Team after registering 29 points at the league's premier event. Boasting the versatility required to excel in all four strokes as an IMer, Sean's development into an All-Patriot League performer saw him lower his 200 IM time from his freshman personal best of 1:51.84 to a school-record 1:47.16, clocked during his strong showing at the 2022 Patriot League Championships. Sean will graduate with an additional three program top-10 times in individual events, all of which were posted as a senior. Overall, the economics major scored 47 career points at the Patriot League Championships, won eight individual races, and swam on two relay teams that produced program top-10 times during his time as a Bison.

EDWARD W. PANGBURN AWARD

ABBY NEFF, Women's Lacrosse
Abby Neff is a four-year starting defender for the Bison women's lacrosse team. She has made a name for herself as a tough and reliable stopper, and this spring she ranks among the Patriot League leaders in caused turnovers and ground balls. Abby is a two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week this season on a team that has its sights set on returning to postseason play. Off the field, Abby is the president and a performer in the 'Nell Party Comedy Club, she has served as an Outdoor Education instructor, and she is a Dean's List student with a double major in history and English/creative writing.

PATRICK O'HARA, Men's Lacrosse
Over the last four years, Patrick O'Hara made a name for himself as a hard-working attacking player for the Bison men's soccer team as well as one of Bucknell's top scholar-athletes. In 49 career games, Patrick recorded seven goals and five assists. As a biology major with a 3.97 cumulative grade-point average, he was a three-time member of both the Academic All-Patriot League Team and the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team. Patrick served on the SAAC community service and social justice committees and has been a peer tutor in biology and chemistry.

RONALD J. "PETE" PEDRICK AWARD

CLAIRE MENSI, Women's Soccer
Claire Mensi is living proof of the rewards of a positive attitude and determination in the face of adversity. As a freshman, Claire earned a starting position as a center back on the Bison women's soccer team and was enjoying a strong season until suffering a season-ending ACL tear. She came back a year later, but only 13 minutes into her first game back against Pittsburgh, she tore the same ACL and missed the rest of the season. Fast-forward to the fall of 2021, after hours and hours of grueling rehab, Claire not only regained her starting center back spot, but she played all but five minutes over the entire season, earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors, and captained the Bison to the fifth league championship in program history, despite being picked ninth in the preseason poll. It was a remarkable postseason run for the Bucknell defense, which posted three straight shutouts over high-scoring Lehigh, Navy, and Boston University on the way to the title. In addition to her outstanding defense, Claire also chipped in four goals this season, and she was named to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team following Bucknell's 1-0 victory at Boston in the title game.

LIAM PITT, Men's Swimming & Diving
Liam Pitt grew into a leader during his time in the Bucknell men's swimming & diving program. He was at his best as a senior captain, scoring 30 of his 40 career points at the Patriot League Championships and clocking three program top-10 times in individual races. He earned spots on the All-Patriot League Second Team and Academic All-Patriot League Team that season, bolstered by swimming to sixth-place showings in both the 50 and 100 freestyle races at the Patriot League Championships. Liam won 21 career individual races, and he was also a fixture on Bucknell's relay teams throughout his career. He swam on 10 relay teams that clocked a program top-10 time, including the school-record-holding 200 medley, 400 medley, and 200 freestyle relay teams. In addition, Liam was a member of four relay squads that captured a Patriot League bronze medal. The accounting & financial management major excelled in the classroom. He was a fixture on both the Bucknell Dean's List and the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

2022 Bucknell Athletics Senior Award Recipients Announced; Hartigan, Hartman Earn Christy Mathewson Awards

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