SPORTS BRIEF: Curtis named captain as football team celebrates championship season

Junior defensive tackle Matt Curtis was named the captain of the 2008 Harvard football team last night at the Crimson’s annual awards dinner, marking the fourth straight defensive player to assume the captain’s role. He succeeds senior defensive end Brad Bagdis as Harvard’s captain.

“I can’t begin to explain how overcome by emotion I feel right now,” Curtis said after being announced.

A number of other awards were also given out at the dinner. Senior cornerback John Hopkins won the Robert F. Kennedy Award given to the team’s most hard-working member. Bagdis nabbed the Joseph E. Wolf Award given to the team’s best lineman.

Senior offensive lineman Andrew Brecher won the Henry N. Lamar award given to the program’s most dedicated player, and senior center David Paine was honored with the William Paine LaCroix Trophy, given to the most enthusiastic and loyal Crimson football player.

Senior quarterback Chris Pizzotti won the team’s Frederick Greeley Crocker Award, which has in recent years been deemed the Most Valuable Player award for the team.

In a speech early in the evening, Bagdis read a prepared statement thanking his family, teammates and coaches for their support during his four years as a Harvard football player.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,” a visibly emotional Bagdis said to his parents, who were in the audience.

The Crimson concluded its season with a 37-6 win over Yale on Saturday that gave the team its third Ivy league championship in seven seasons.

—MALCOM A. GLENN