May 8, 2001

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stephanie Poetzsch and Leon Brisport were honored as Female and Male Athlete of the Year at the annual Stony Brook University Athletic Awards Banquet on Monday.

Poetzsch, a junior on the softball team, has scattered her name in the Stony Brook record books after just two seasons. This season alone, she set new marks for most strikeouts in a game, season and career, most shutouts in a season and career, and most wins in a season. In addition, she recorded the first no-hitter in Seawolves history against Rider and followed with another later int he season. She finished 14-10 with an ERA of 1.95 and 217 strikeouts.

Brisport, a senior, helped resurrect the men's basketball team in just one season with the program. In 28 games, he scored in double figures 24 times and recorded 13 double-doubles. On two occasions, he scored 30 or more points in one game, the first time any player has done that since 1992. Against Columbia he poured in 35 points while tying a school record by connecting on 23 of 25 free throws. He went on to hit 25 straight later in the season to set a new Stony Brook record against some of the best competition in the nation. Brisport became only the second player in school history to record over 450 points and 240 rebounds in a season. His 57 percent field goal shooting was 23rd best in the nation. At season's end, he earned first-team All-Independent honors and was recently named to the All-Metropolitan Basketball Writers second team.

Earning Male and Female Coach of the Year awards were head softball coach Megan Bryant and head men's soccer coach Scott Dean. Bryant and Dean both orchestrated two of the biggest turnarounds in Seawolves athletics. Bryant turned a 4-31 record from last year into a 21-21 mark, setting a new record for most victories in a season and recording the best inaugural year by a Stony Brook softball coach. She will also lead the team to its first-ever appearance at the ECAC Championships this weekend. Dean led a team of 16 newcomers to the most wins in school history as the Seawolves finished 12-4-2 overall. The Seawolves earned the first-ever Top 25 Division I national ranking for a Stony Brook team and remained one of the top teams in the country in goals-against average, shutout percentage and winning percentage. Dean, who also received NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year and Atlantic Soccer Conference Coach of the Year honors, had two players named to the ASC first team, two named to the NSCAA Northeast Region first team, and one named to the SoccerAmerica All-Freshman Team.

Softball and men's soccer were also honored with the Quantum Leap Award, which recognizes a men's and women's team that has made the greatest improvement in won-loss percentage as well as excellence in academics, conference and tournament championships.

In addition, Esther Forrester (tennis) and Devin Bougie (swimming) received the Alumni Association Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards. The award acknowledges athletes with the highest GPA throughout their years at Stony Brook while making a significant contribution to their teams. Receiving academic achievement awards were Damien McCreath (diving), Andy Moskowitz (track and field), Katie McCabe (volleyball) and Delquin Gong (tennis).

Other awards included the Most Improved and Most Valuable Players in each sport and outstanding senior athletes.