Feb. 11, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - For the first time in two years a member of the Bucknell women's water polo team copped honors as the Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week on Monday when sophomore Valentina Rozas (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) picked up the award thanks to her team-high 17 points over the weekend when she led Bucknell to the title at the Hilton Hotels Colorado State Invitational. She was also named the Collegiate Water Polo Association Southern Division Player of the Week for her performance.

Rozas posted five multiple-goal games to help the Bison to the best start in program history (5-0). She finished the weekend with 12 goals, five assists and 15 steals. Her goal and steal totals tied for the team high, while her seven ejections drawn tied for second on the team.

Rozas opened the season with two goals and two assists to tie classmate Shana Palencia for team-high honors with four points in a 12-6 win over Marist Saturday. She also posted a team-high three steals. After a two-goal, one-assist performance against UC Santa Cruz, Rozas came back with three goals and a career-high five steals in Bucknell's third game of the day, a 12-9 victory over host Colorado State.

In a 12-8 championship game win over Marist on Sunday, Rozas equaled her career high with five points (3g, 2a) and led the team with four steals.

A First Team All-CWPA and All-ECAC selection as a freshman in 2007, Rozas now has 61 goals and 26 assists in her career. She is among the program's all-time leaders with 71 ejections drawn in her 37 career games.

Rozas and the rest of her teammates will travel to Princeton, N.J., for the Princeton Invitational this weekend. The Bison will face Siena and Indiana as well as nationally ranked San Diego State and Michigan.