CRANBERRY TWP — From bench player to award winner.

It's been quite a year of transition for North Catholic graduate and Penn State Behrend junior guard Kenny Fukon.

The Cranberry Township resident was the Lions' sixth man as a sophomore, helping the team post a 23-5 record and grab the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championship.

“There were five seniors playing in front of him,” Behrend coach Dave Niland said. “Kenny was the only experienced player we had coming back.

“He knew he had to be a leader. He's become that and so much more.”

Fukon became such a leader that he's been named winner of the university's Herb Lauffer Leadership/Scholarship Award this year. That honor goes to the athlete who best exemplifies the qualities the former longtime Behrend athletic director strove for — to be a leader, excellent student and a sincere, genuine person.

There are approximately 400 student-athetes at Behrend.

“This is one of the most prestigious awards the university offers and for Kenny to win that as a junior says a lot about who he is,” Niland said.

What he's been this year is productive.

Fukon led the Lions with 16.7 points per game and was named first team All-AMCC. He was fifth in the league in scoring this season.

He also averaged 6.5 rebounds per game, led the conference with 35.2 minutes per contest, was third with 165 field goals, seventh with 80 assists and 36 steals.

The Lions finished 20-9 this year with a completely new starting lineup. Behrend lost the AMCC title game to La Roche, 62-61, the Lions' final shot rolling around the rim and out at the buzzer.

Fukon took that shot.

“I was able to penetrate the lane and the clock was down to the final second,” he said. “I had to throw something up there. It was from three or four feet out ... had a chance, just didn't go.

“I think about it a lot, but I also think about how close we came to winning the conference. Now we'll have an experienced team coming back.”

Fukon scored 21 points and had three assists in that game. He scored 19 points in Behrend's ECAC tournament game, this one a 95-94 triple-overtime loss to Westminster.

“We went a long way — farther than expected when you consider what we lost from the previous year,” Niland said.

Fukon carries a 3.33 grade point average as a business economics major and was the men's basketball team's representative on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

“Every sport is represented and we meet every two weeks to discuss any problems anyone has,” Fukon said. “We then relay them to the athletic director. It's a good communications thing.”

Fukon prepared for this season — and will do the same for next year — by working out a lot on his own.

“I like going into a gym or outside on a court and just start shooting,” he said. “It helps me to stay in rhythm.”

Niland said Fukon is always doing something on his own to improve his game.

“Whether he's in the weight room lifting, on the court shooting, performing in the classroom ... he stays busy,” the coach said. “He's developed an outstanding shot.

“Kenny is well-respected on campus. He is a high character kid. I'm not surprised at all he won this award.”

The award was something Fukon wasn't expecting. He didn't even know what it was.

“Since we haven't been in school, I didn't even know what was going on,” Fukon admitted. “I didn't know that (Lauffer) award existed.”

Every head coach of a Behrend team is permitted to nominate as many athletes as desired.

“The coaches and athletic director get together, review the nominations and choose the winner,” Niland said.

“I appreciate that people in higher-up positions at the university recognize me like that,” Fukon said. “It means a lot.

“Next step is to come back for my senior year and help us win the conference. My goal is to win. Nothing more.”