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BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo football team announced its 2000 team awards at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet, held at Samuel's Grande Manor on Tuesday, May 1. Senior Brandon Shaughnessy (Stafford, NY/LeRoy) was named the team's Most Valuable Player, and redshirt freshman Marquis Dwarte (Baltimore, MD/Perry Hall) was tabbed as Newcomer of the Year. Junior Duane Williams (Detroit, MI/Denby) was named Most Improved Player, and senior Chris Gray (Frewsburg, NY/Frewsburg) earned the team's Coach's Award. Additionally, senior David Pruce (Chardon, OH/Chardon) earned the Dominic J. Grossi Award, given annually to a UB football player who has displayed athletic prowess, academic excellence and sportsmanship.

Shaughnessy was an All-Mid-American Conference second-team selection at tight end as well as being named a captain by his teammates at the end of the 2000 season. Shaughnessy ranked fourth on the team with 21 receptions, 13 of which were for first downs, for 240 yards (11.4 per catch). He was also a finalist for the Vern Smith Award, honoring the MVP of the MAC

Dwarte became the first freshman to lead the Bulls in rushing since 1994 with his strong late-season finish in 2000. Dwarte stepped into a starting role in the fifth week of the season and finished with two 100-yard games and one of the most memorable runs of the last decade, a 27-yard carry for a touchdown with 1:27 remaining in the game against Bowling Green on September 23 to give the Bulls their first major college win since 1970. He finished the season with 611 yards rushing on 129 carries (4.7 average) and also caught 12 passes for 81 yards. His 611 yards rushing are second all -time in UB's modern Division I era for a freshman.

Williams was an All-MAC honorable mention selection at linebacker after registering nine sacks on the year, tying him for the fourth- best single-season total in school history. He set a school record for sacks in a game with four against Bowling Green and finished the season with 53 tackles (40 solos), including an impressive 15 tackles for loss, the third-best total in the MAC. He also had three interceptions, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Gray, an inside linebacker, registered a team-best 99 tackles, including 63 solo stops, and he also finished second on the team with 13 tackles for loss and added 3.5 quarterback sacks on the year. Gray's play helped the Bulls average 196.1 yards rushing per game in the final six games of the season, including a season-best 290 yards against Miami in the season finale.

Pruce earned football's award named after Dominic J. Grossi, a native of Lockport and a 1943 graduate of UB, who lost his life in action on March 8, 1945 while serving with the U.S. Marine Corps during the assault on the island of Iwo Jima. Grossi received a Presidential Unit Citation for the extraordinary heroism he displayed while serving his country. Pruce, an offensive tackle, was a three-year starter for the Bulls, making 35 consecutive starts to close his UB career. He was recently signed by the Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens.

The Bulls finished the 2000 season with a 2-9 overall record, claiming victories against conference-rivals Bowling Green and Kent State to finish in fourth place in the MAC's East Division with a 2-4 conference record.