July 2, 2015

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - The Patriot League has selected one male and one female to receive the Award of Outstanding Leadership and Character for the 2014-2015 academic year, following a vote of the League's senior woman administrators. A pair of Bucknell student-athletes, Ryan Frazier and Andrea Seifert, were chosen for their contributions to the school, community and athletic teams.

The Patriot League has established an Award of Leadership and Character to recognize and honor those who demonstrate excellence in leadership and service while participating in Patriot League athletics. All Patriot League student-athletes and a team as a whole associated with a member institution's intercollegiate athletic program are eligible for the honor, which was first awarded in 2012. Seifert, a two-time member of the All-Patriot League Women's Rowing team, graduated in May with a degree in Accounting & Financial Management. Frazier helped captain the Bison Men's Basketball team to a regular season championship as a junior.

While participating in a physically demanding sport such as rowing, Seifert did it all while managing a debilitating autoimmune condition known as ITP. The Shaker Heights, Ohio native was diagnosed as a high school sophomore and has endured a rollercoaster of health concerns during her time at Bucknell. She won a gold medal in the Varsity Four boat as a sophomore, one day after completing chemo-like treatments and had a seat in the Varsity Eight boat in each of the past two years.

Despite the issues with her health, Seifert still found time to participate in community service at Bucknell, most notably volunteering at the Lewisburg Food Bank and making handmade blankets for a foundation known as Project Leo. Almost always one of the older patients receiving treatment in a pediatric unit, Seifert would often play or just sit and chat -- lending a comforting voice to small children who were battling their own disease.

Head coach Steve Kish said that Seifert is an inspiration to her teammates even without them knowing she was dealing with a health issue. Kish said she is always the first to volunteer to do any extra work that needs to be done, whether it is with regards to the facility, equipment, community service, speaking/presentation opportunities, etc. It wasn't until her senior year that Seifert felt comfortable sharing her story with her teammates. Now employed by McGladrey in Washington, D.C., she is preparing to take the CPA exam after carrying an extra course load during her final semester at Bucknell.

Frazier took a major step forward as a leader both on the Bucknell campus and within his team during the 2014-15 school year. A rare co-captain as a junior, he brought energy, enthusiasm and a positive outlook to a young team -- even when his playing time was reduced a bit with the insertion of four freshman into the on-court rotation. Primarily known for his defense, Frazier adjusted and delivered five double-digit scoring efforts during the final month of the season when the team struggled offensively.

He made an even bigger impact off of the court in April through his passionate and public response following a racial incident that occurred impacting the Bucknell community. Three students were expelled after uttering racial slurs on the campus radio station which triggered many emotions from the student-body and beyond. Frazier was one of several students who stepped forward to speak about their experience with discrimination and its impact. His nearly 11-minute speech encouraged everyone to work together to make Bucknell "the most inclusive and comfortable social environment for all of our students."

An accounting and financial management major with a 3.51 cumulative grade-point average, Ryan was selected as an Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar last year. Last summer he interned in New York City with Optimum Sports, a sports media buying agency.

Frazier and Seifert were chosen from an impressive list of 14 candidates which also included Lafayette's Brittany Blass (Field Hockey), Army West Point's Winston Boldt (Men's Soccer), Colgate's Jim DeCicco (Men's Soccer), Holy Cross' Sarah Dahlstrom (Women's Track & Field), Lehigh's Jimmy Miller (Men's Track & Field), Army West Point's Olivia Schetzman (Women's Basketball), Lehigh's Kelly Scott (Women's Lacrosse), Lafayette's Cory Spera (Baseball), Loyola Maryland's Taryn VanThof (Women's Lacrosse), Boston University's Eline Vermeulen (Women's Rowing), American's Jake Weinreb (Men's Soccer) and American's Grace Wilson (Field Hockey).