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BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo men's soccer team announced its award winners for the 2003 season at UB's annual Athletic Awards Banquet, which was held at the Four Points Sheraton on Tuesday. Head coach John Astudillo and his staff recognized four individuals with awards.

Dave Pidgeon

Midfielder Dave Pidgeon (Dorval, Quebec/Bishop Whelan) was named the team's Most Valuable Player, while fellow senior and goalkeeper Chris Vavrina (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland) was given the Coaches' Award. Junior defender Andrew Butler (Yorkshire, England/Mirfield) was named the team's Top Newcomer and sophomore midfielder Ross Tauchert (Rochester, NY/Pittsford Sutherland) was named the Most Improved Player.

Pidgeon, who was one of five Bulls to start all 16 games, recorded one assist on the season. It came on Mike Geller's (Gardiner, NY/New Paltz) game-winning goal versus Central Connecticut State on September 5th. Pidgeon was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Duquesne Classic and the UB Fall Classic, as well as to the Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team.

Chris Vavrina

In addition to earning team MVP honors, Pidgeon received the male Intercollegiate Athletics Board (IAB) Student-Athlete Leader Award. It honors a senior male athlete who demonstrated leadership beyond his own team to the Division of Athletics and/or the campus, and whose character, actions, excellence and concern for other student-athletes made him a strong ambassador for the Division of Athletics and the University at Buffalo.

Andrew Butler

Vavrina, who was honored with the Coaches' Award, finished the season with a 2.18 goals against average and a .708 save percentage. He was also named to the Academic All-MAC Team.

Butler, who was recognized as the Top Newcomer, started all 16 games for the Bulls. He anchored a UB defense that allowed 1.8 goals per game on the season.

Ross Tauchert

Tauchert, who along with Pidgeon and Butler was one of five UB players to start all 16 games, was honored as the team's Most Improved Player. He was named to the All-Tournament Team at both the UB Fall Classic and the Army Classic, while also earning a spot on the Academic All-MAC Team.

As a team, the Bulls went 1-12-3 on the season. UB notably led the MAC with three selections to the Academic All-MAC Team, which was voted on by faculty-athletic representatives at MAC institutions.