Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/30/13
From Press Release
At the conclusion of its third annual Alumni, Family & Friends Weekend the Penn State men’s lacrosse team doled out its 2013 season awards at a banquet on Sunday. Three 2013 graduates, two current seniors and a long-ago graduate/longtime supporter of the program were honored with individual honors.
The 2013 recipient of the Pittenger Award, which honors a member of the senior class who led selflessly, while inspiring his classmates and teammates through his actions, was presented to Jack Forster (La Salle). An attackman who completed his sixth year at Penn State in 2012-13, was a co-captain last season while leading the offense.
Forster, who overcame numerous injuries and surgeries, was named a USILA Honorable Mention All-American in 2013 when he led the team with 41 goals and 16 assists. He is now second All-Time in Penn State in goals (104) and sixth in points (148).
Forster’s captain counterpart, Travis Crane, was awarded the Thiel Family Nittany Lion Lacrosse Award. The honor is given to a member of the team whose actions, investments and selfless contributions set the standard of “The Penn State Lacrosse Way.”
Midfielder Drew Roper was the recipient of the Citizenship Award, which recognizes a member of the team who best combines the qualities of character, classroom and community service. Roper, along with his teammates, led a swab drive of thousands at Penn State to help find a match for a non-Hodgkins lymphoma patient. More specifically, the drive was done in honor of his mother, who is in need of a bone marrow transplant.
Tom LaCrosse (Canandaigua, N.Y.) was presented with the Hard Hat Award given to a member of the team whose persistence, work ethic and courage set a “blue collar” standard for the program. Known as a hard-nosed player, LaCrosse was the top scoring midfielder for the Nittany Lions last year.
A 1964 graduate, Vin Tedesco was recognized with the Friends of Penn State Lacrosse Award for his outstanding work with the 100 years of lacrosse celebration. The award is presented to a person who has gone above and beyond the program and its current members.
Lastly, the versatile Gavin Ahern (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) was given the inaugural Tom Hayes Nittany Lion Teammate Award. Ahern displayed great leadership during this past season and is one of Penn State’s top scoring threats off the bench and in man-up situations.
