By Harrison Leone
Assistant Sports Editor
This past year following St. Bonaventure sports has given the SBU faithful a lot to ponder. To aid in the retrospection, the Bona Venture presents its inaugural Sports Razzberries. Without further ado:
The “Beast Mode” Award for Best Single Game Performance:
Eric Mosley. The senior guard put the team on his back on Feb. 20 when he scored 39 against UMass in a 99-94 victory. Mosley set a St. Bonaventure record for the most points scored in a conference game during this historic performance.
The “Welcome to the Show” Award for Best Freshman Season:
Josh Stauffer. Stauffer regularly found himself at the top of the golf team’s score card during his inaugural campaign, leading the team at six tournaments. The Bradford, Pa. native also tallied 10 top-15 finishes and was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of The Week twice.
The “Unsung Heroes” Award for Most Underappreciated Accomplishment:
The Men’s Swimming and Diving Team. You may not know it, but A-10 Coach of the Year Sean McNamee’s squad captured the A-10 title this year. For such an impressive victory, the team received little attention on campus. To make amends for this injustice, the BV presents them with this award to give praise and credit to St. Bonaventure’s most successful 2012-‘13 team.
The “Nerds” Award for Academic Success:
The 83 St. Bonaventure student-athletes named to the A-10 Honor Roll. In order to be named to this prestigious club, a student-athlete must achieve a GPA of at least 3.5. Here’s to all these brilliant Bonnies who appear to have mastered the art of time management.
The “Revenge of the Nerds” Award for Academic Success, Part II:
The Softball Team. While they may not have been met with much success on the diamond, the women of softball team excelled in the classroom, posting a team GPA of 3.6, the highest of any Bonaventure team.
The “Circle the Wagons” Award for Best Snapping of a Disquieting Losing Streak:
The Women’s Soccer Team. After opening the season with an 0-6-1 record with a -14 goal differential, the team found its groove and rattled off three consecutive wins. After their frigid start, the women finished the season 8-5 before being bumped by Butler in the A-10 quarterfinals.
The “Into the Sunset” Award for Best Senior Season:
Demitrius Conger. Conger began his farewell tour strong in the season opener against Bethune-Cookman and things only got better from there. The indefatigable, multi-talented Brooklyn product led his team in points, rebound, assists and minutes played, averaging 36.4 per game, a statistic that is exhausting to even look at.
The “Legacy Declined” Award for Most Disappointing Season:
The Men’s Basketball Team. A year removed from ascending to the summit of the A-10 and basking in NCAA tournament glory, the men failed to even make the postseason in 2012-‘13. A senior night loss to perpetual bottom-feeder Fordham was the bitter cherry on this sour sundae of a season.
The “Movin’ On Up” Award for Most Ambitious Athletic Building Project:
The Athletic Strategic Plan. Announced this past October, the Athletic Strategic Plan laid out St. Bonaventure’s renovation facilities for the women’s basketball team’s locker room and the new-look soccer, lacrosse and softball field complex. Here’s hoping the plan comes to fruition.
The “Players? We Don’t Need No Stinking Players!” Award for Longest Time Taken to Sign a Recruit:
Mark Schmidt. The Men’s Basketball team took its sweet time to sign a new recruit, waiting until April 22, a full 43 days after the season ended, before scoring a letter of intent from 6’7″ forward Denzel Gregg.
The “Outlaws No More” Award for Most School Spirited Name Change:
The Men’s and Women’s Rugby Team. Two of Bonaventure’s most successful club sports officially adopted the “Bonnies” name this year, as the men were previously known as the slightly more intimidating “Outlaws”, while the women played as the epic moniker “The Legends.”
The “Home Is Where The Heart Is” Award for Most Time Away From SBU to Begin A Season:
The Baseball Team. Due to a combination of inclement weather and diabolical scheduling machinations, the baseball team played 28 of its first 31 games away from the friendly confines of Fred Handler Park.
The “So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen” Award for Teams Leaving the A-10:
Butler and Xavier. The Bulldogs and Musketeers are in the twilight of their A-10 tenures, as both teams are off to join the new Big East next season. Their teams will be missed; the losses they handed the Bonnies, not so much.
The “Hello, Hola, Wilkommen” Award for Team Joining the A-10:
George Mason (and possibly Davidson). Seven years removed from their magical Final Four in the NCAA Tournament, the Patriots will be leaving the Colonial Athletic Association for our very own A-10. Davidson, the reigning Southern Conference champions, is currently in talks to join as well.
