Kabongo Bukasa became just the second player in Lycoming football history to be named the Middle Atlantic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday. Bukasa was one of 16 Warriors named to the all-conference team comprising 18 spots on the list, which is a school record.
Bukasa, the War-riors' middle linebacker, joins An-thony Mara-scio in 2011 as the only players to earn the league's top defensive honor. Bukasa finished seventh in the league averaging 7.8 tackles per game. Bukasa finished in the top seven in the league in tackles, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles.
"Kabongo is a freak of an athlete," Widener quarterback Chris Haupt said earlier this season.
Bukasa, who led the Warriors with 70 tackles, is the first Lycoming linebacker to be named first-team all-conference since Luke Sterling in 2005.
Other Lycoming first-team honorees were right guard Cody Moyer, who became the first Warrior offensive lineman to pick up back-to-back first-team honors. Nate Oropollo earned his first all-conference honor after leading the MAC with 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Zack Czap earned his third all-conference honor as a punter after averaging 35.1 yards per punt and putting 18 of his 44 punts inside the 20-yard line.
For the full list of MAC award winners see page, C-4.
