Football team names defensive end Brad Bagdis as new captain, 13 players awarded All-Ivy honors

Junior defensive end Brad Bagdis was named the 2007 captain of Harvard football at the team’s annual year-end football awards dinner last night at the Harvard Club of Boston. Thirteen Crimson players also received All-Ivy League honors, including six first-teamers.

Bagdis, Harvard’s third straight defensive captain, succeeds senior linebacker Ryan Tully at the helm for Crimson football.

“This is such an unbelievable honor,” Bagdis said after the announcement.

Harvard also handed out five team awards during the banquet. Senior tailback Clifton Dawson received the team’s Frederick Greeley Crocker “Most Valuable Player” award for the second consecutive year, while senior defensive tackle Mike Berg was awarded the Joseph E. Wolf Award for most outstanding interior lineman. Senior center Frank Fernandez came away with the William Paine LaCroix Trophy given for enthusiasm, sportsmanship, loyalty, and team spirit, and the Robert F. Kennedy Award for desire, determination, and willingness to work went to Tully. Tight end Mark Higgins won the Henry N. Lamar Award, given to the senior deemed most dedicated to the program.

Senior tight end Matt Farbotko and junior offensive lineman David Paine received an All-Ivy honorable mention, while senior offensive lineman Nik Sobic, sophomore defensive tackle Matt Curtis, sophomore linebacker Eric Schultz and junior cornerback Steve Williams were named to the All-Ivy Second Team.

The First Team honors went to sophomore cornerback Andrew Berry, Fernandez, senior wide receiver Corey Mazza, Tully, Berg and Dawson (Berg and Dawson were unanimous choices).

—MALCOM A. GLENN