Dec. 10, 2001
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette senior tight end Stewart Kupfer (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh) was selected as the 2001 Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the Patriot League's sports information directors.
Kupfer, a business and economics major with a 3.36 cumulative grade point average, has been named to Lafayette's Dean's List three times. He is a three-time member of the Verizon Academic All-District II team and the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
He is a recipient of the 2001-02 National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Lehigh Valley Chapter Scholar-Athlete Award and is a nominee for the 2001 Division I-AA Athletic Directors Association academic all-star team. Kupfer is also involved in numerous community service activities through Lafayette's Community Outreach Center.
Kupfer is the second Lafayette player to be named Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Offensive lineman Jeff Denning, who earned the honor in 1995, is the only other Leopard to win the award since its inception in 1989.
On the gridiron, Kupfer started 32 consecutive games and was named a second-team Patriot League all-star this season. He had 42 receptions for 441 yards and four touchdowns, which ranked second on the Leopards and was first among Patriot League tight ends. He also contributed on special teams, registering 10 tackles and one fumble recovery. His 2001 season highlights included serving as team captain this season against Georgetown, scoring three touchdowns in a 31-14 victory over Columbia and catching seven passes for 84 yards against Harvard.
Kupfer finished his career first among Lafayette tight ends in receptions (81), receiving yards (951) and touchdowns (9) and ranks 11th all-time among all Leopards' receivers in receptions.
Lafayette concluded its 120th season of college football and second under head coach Frank Tavani. The Leopards held a lead in each Patriot League game this season, losing four contests by 10 points or less.
