'Brickford' closes out career as All-American
Tom Duch
Issue date: 5/30/08 Section: Sports
Bickford saved the best for last in his senior season. Once again he was on the Tewaaraton Trophy watch list to start the season and this year he proved even more so that he was one of the top players in the nation. He finished in the top 10 in the nation in both save percentage and goals-against average. His CAA leading .629 save percentage ranked fifth and his 6.99 GAA was good for ninth. After posting these amazing numbers, Bickford was voted first team All-CAA as well as CAA Player of the Year. With the award, he was the first goalie to win the award outright.
"It's a great honor," Bickford said. "I wasn't considering it because it's usually for a big goal scorer."
Bickford's 25 wins over his final two seasons were the most in a two-year stint by any goalie in Drexel history. His tremendous senior season helped Drexel set an all-time record for wins with 13. Bickford ranks this as one of his greatest career accomplishments right next to winning CAA Player of the Year. The 13 wins gave Drexel a share of the regular season CAA Title.
Bickford shows great leadership both on and off the field. He credits some of that leadership to his coach, Chris Bates.
"He taught and pressured me to be a leader on the field," Bickford said.
Bickford has done just that, leading by example on the playing field.
Bickford also leads by example off the field and in the locker room. Before games, it is Bickford who leads the team out of the locker room and onto the field. He says that being captain was his first goal of the season, but leading the team out is his goal every game.
Because of Bickford's great skills as a netminder, he has been tagged with the nickname "Brickford." Bickford says that sometimes people call him this mistakingly, but the mispronunciation isn't all that incorrect. "Brickford" is a brick wall in the net. He has been in the top 15 in the nation in save percentage for the past three seasons, including his fifth-place rank this season. He also has been in the top 10 in goals-against average the past two seasons. Bickford has a vast list of physical skills in goal, but he believes that his patience is his greatest skill. He says that he sometimes gets jumpy and reacts too early. When he is patient, his reactions are better and he plays at his best.
Since Drexel's heartbreaking loss in the CAA final, there has been plenty of good news to cheer up Bickford. First, he was selected to play in the 67th annual USILA North/South Senior All-Star game at Harvard Stadium May 23. Following that, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) announced that Bickford was named as an honorable mention on the All-America team.
His college career may be over, but it doesn't look as if his playing career will be coming to an end just yet. Insidelacrosse.com has Bickford listed as a sleeper in the upcoming MLL draft.
When asked if he thought he could make it professionally Bickford replied, "I hope so. It's another goal in my life to play professionally. Its something I've always dreamed of doing." Bickford's dream may be even closer to a reality after an impressive showing at the North/South Game.
"It's a great honor," Bickford said. "I wasn't considering it because it's usually for a big goal scorer."
Bickford's 25 wins over his final two seasons were the most in a two-year stint by any goalie in Drexel history. His tremendous senior season helped Drexel set an all-time record for wins with 13. Bickford ranks this as one of his greatest career accomplishments right next to winning CAA Player of the Year. The 13 wins gave Drexel a share of the regular season CAA Title.
Bickford shows great leadership both on and off the field. He credits some of that leadership to his coach, Chris Bates.
"He taught and pressured me to be a leader on the field," Bickford said.
Bickford has done just that, leading by example on the playing field.
Bickford also leads by example off the field and in the locker room. Before games, it is Bickford who leads the team out of the locker room and onto the field. He says that being captain was his first goal of the season, but leading the team out is his goal every game.
Because of Bickford's great skills as a netminder, he has been tagged with the nickname "Brickford." Bickford says that sometimes people call him this mistakingly, but the mispronunciation isn't all that incorrect. "Brickford" is a brick wall in the net. He has been in the top 15 in the nation in save percentage for the past three seasons, including his fifth-place rank this season. He also has been in the top 10 in goals-against average the past two seasons. Bickford has a vast list of physical skills in goal, but he believes that his patience is his greatest skill. He says that he sometimes gets jumpy and reacts too early. When he is patient, his reactions are better and he plays at his best.
Since Drexel's heartbreaking loss in the CAA final, there has been plenty of good news to cheer up Bickford. First, he was selected to play in the 67th annual USILA North/South Senior All-Star game at Harvard Stadium May 23. Following that, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) announced that Bickford was named as an honorable mention on the All-America team.
His college career may be over, but it doesn't look as if his playing career will be coming to an end just yet. Insidelacrosse.com has Bickford listed as a sleeper in the upcoming MLL draft.
When asked if he thought he could make it professionally Bickford replied, "I hope so. It's another goal in my life to play professionally. Its something I've always dreamed of doing." Bickford's dream may be even closer to a reality after an impressive showing at the North/South Game.
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