May 15, 2008
Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University Department of Athletics announced its annual senior awards prior to graduation ceremonies this weekend. Senior football player Kyle Van Fleet (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock) was tabbed as the recipient of the Robert A. Duffey Scholar-Athlete Award, senior men's lacrosse player Matt McBride (Ridgewood, N.J./Delbarton) was selected as the recipient of the Thomas Graham Scholar-Athlete Award (Georgetown College) and senior football player Matt Bassuener (Port Edwards, Wis./Ft. Edwards) was named the recipient of the School of Foreign Service's Stephanie Waterman Scholar-Athlete Award. Senior women's lacrosse player Patty Piotrowicz (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) was selected as the Georgetown nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
The Robert A. Duffey Scholar-Athlete Award is presented to a student-athlete who best embodies academic and athletic excellence. It is presented in honor or Duffey, a former football and basketball player at Georgetown from 1941-3 who was killed in combat in Germany during World War II.
Van Fleet, a captain on the Georgetown football team, was named the 2007 Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year in November. Van Fleet graduates with a 3.648 GPA, earning his bachelor of science in business administration, majoring in management and finance. He posted a 3.555 GPA during the spring and was named to the Dean's List. He recently accepted a full-time position working in the derivatives group for Goldman Sachs Investment Banking Division in New York City.
In 2007, Van Fleet was a semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy, better known as football's "Academic Heisman." He was also selected to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District first-team. In addition, Van Fleet was named to the Patriot League's Academic Honor Roll in all three of his seasons from 2004-06. On campus, Van Fleet has been a university leader for "Hoya Dreams," a program that partners Georgetown student-athletes with children in the pediatric wing of the Georgetown University Hospital.
Van Fleet had an excellent season on the field to earn second team all-league honors at fullback/halfback. He had team-highs with 44 receptions, 478 yards and four receiving touchdowns, and also carried 54 times for 198 yards and another touchdown. He finished the season with 61.5 all-purpose yards per game. He put up a big performance against Patriot League champion Fordham with seven receptions for 72 yards. The Williamsport, Pa. native started his career at linebacker, played wide receiver in 2005 and 2006 and moved to fullback this year.
The Thomas Francis Graham Award, presented at the discretion of the Dean of the College, was founded by the Graham Family in memory of their father, Thomas Francis Graham, CAS 1949. The honor of this award is bestowed upon a graduating senior from the College who has demonstrated throughout his/her college career concern for others, academic achievement, sportsmanship as a member of an intercollegiate team and dedication to the educational and spiritual goals of Georgetown University.
McBride, a government major and theology minor with 3.346 GPA, was selected as a captain by his teammates on the No. 11-ranked men's lacrosse team prior to the start of the season. An attackman who scored 16 goals in his first two seasons on the Hilltop, McBride was sidelined after one game of the 2007 season due to a concussion and did not play at all during the 2008 campaign. Despite not being able to play for the team, McBride attended every practice and joined the team for every game, assisting in a variety of ways.
Bassuener earned the Stephanie Waterman Scholar-Athlete Award, presented annually to a graduating senior student-athlete in the GU School of Foreign Service for their outstanding achievement. The award is given in Waterman's name after she captained the Hoyas' varsity tennis team before passing away in Senegal in 1985.
Bassuener earned the starting quarterback role four games into his junior season in 2006, flourishing after the promotion. Starting the final 10 games of his junior season, he completed 144-of-209 attempts for 1,359 yards and 15 touchdowns. As a senior in 2007, Bassuener improved on those numbers, throwing for 1,874 yards, completing 66.8 percent of his passes (211-of-316). He added 308 yards on the ground, while accounting for 12 touchdowns.
During his four-year career on the Hilltop, Bassuener played on both sides of the ball, beginning as a defensive back his freshman season, before moving to quarterback during his junior season. Bassuener, who signed a professional contract with the Louisville Fire of Arena Football League 2 and has thrown for 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven games, holds the school record for single season completion percentage (68.9%), all-time completion percentage (67.6%) and is sixth all-time in passing yards (3,233).
A culture & politics major who graduates with a 3.209 GPA, Bassuener interned with the National Football Foundation in 2007 and was able to serve as a radio analyst for the Dallas Cowboys Spanish Radio Broadcast team the last two years during trips to Washington, D.C.
Piotrowicz was selected as the Georgetown nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The NCAA Woman of the Year Award honors senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
Since coming to the Hilltop in 2005, Piotrowicz has been a standout midfielder for the Hoya women's lacrosse team. A second-team All-BIG EAST selection as a junior in 2007, she led the team with 31 ground balls and was seventh on the squad with 10 goals and 14 points.
