PICUCCI NAMED WINNER OF “WILLIE BOUYER LEADERSHIP AWARD”

FSU Cross Country and Track & Field Four-Year Letterwinner Receives Noteworthy Honor

The award is named in memory of FSU’s first All-America football student-athlete Willie Bouyer, who was tragically killed in his hometown of Detroit in 1977. Candidates for the award, which was reinstated this season after a seven-year absence, are judged on their strong inspirational leadership and dedication to fellow Ferris State student-athletes. They also should be involved outside of athletics in other college and community activities and be a participant on a varsity athletics team for at least two years.

Picucci, who holds the distinction of being the first four-year letterwinner in both men’s cross country and track at Ferris State since each program’s reinstatement in 1999-00, earned All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Men's Cross Country Second-Team accolades in 2002. He registered conference all-academic team accolades a combined 11 times during his career in men's cross country along with indoor and outdoor track and field. The three-time (1999-00 and 2002) FSU Men’s Cross Country team’s Most Valuable Runner Award winner notched five top-15 finishes during the 2002 campaign, including a 14th-place showing at the GLIAC Championships (10/26).

Steve Picucci, who recorded GLIAC All-Academic honors a combined 11 times in his Ferris State cross country and track career, was named the recipient of the 2002-03 Willie Bouyer Leadership Award.

In track and field, Picucci compiled a personal career-best nine top-eight track and field performances during his senior year in 2003. He was selected the Ferris Track and Field squad's 2002-03 Bulldog Award recipient after previously earning the distinction in 2000-01. The two-time (2001-03) track and field team captain placed among the top 10 competitors in the distance events 16 times during his FSU career.

A 2002-03 Verizon Academic All-District IV College Division Men's Track & Field/Cross Country First-Team pick, Picucci twice (9/6 and 9/27) was named the GLIAC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week in 2002 by virtue of claiming his first two individual championships – the Northwood Invitational (9/6) and FSU’s Bulldog Invitational (9/27). The four-year (1999-03) team captain received 2001 NCAA Division II Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team recognition and was Ferris State' s top finisher in 20 of his 29 collegiate cross country races.

Behind the scenes, Picucci served as a member of FSU Athletics’ Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and coordinated the team’s elementary school reading program.

Past Willie Bouyer Leadership Award Recipients
1995-96 – Benny Roe (Football)
1994-95 – Tim Christian (Men’s Ice Hockey)
1993-94 – Jere Getzinger (Wrestling and Football)
1992-93 – Dave Morin (Baseball)
1991-92 – Erica Thomas (Women’s Basketball)
1990-91 – Mark Kamppinen (Baseball)
1989-90 – Doug Mooney (Wrestling) and Jody Johnson (Softball)
1988-89 – Jim Beson (Football and Wrestling)
1987-88 – Sam Sweet (Men’s Track and Field)
1986-87 – Paul Surmont (Cheerleading – Bulldog Mascot)
1985-86 – Kurt Stevens (Men’s Basketball)
1984-85 – Steve Piotraczk (Football), Katy Kelley (Women’s Basketball)