Michael S. Deckert (2020) - Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame

Michael S. Deckert

Induction:
2020
Class:
1984

Mike Deckert was part of one of the most successful teams in any sport in Bucknell history, the 1982 men's cross country team that finished 12th at the NCAA Championships. Deckert ran on Hall-of-Fame coach Art Gulden's cross country squads that went 39-0 in dual meets during his four years, which was part of an incredible 167-meet winning streak that spanned 16 years. In 1982, the Bison won the East Coast Conference and District II championships, made a fifth straight NCAA appearance as a team, and finished a best-ever 12th at the national meet. Deckert was an All-East honoree that season, and he placed 94th at the NCAA Championship, which was third on the team behind Hall-of-Famers Bill Reifsnyder and Mark Hulme.

Deckert was just as successful on the track, where he captured the 1982 and 1984 ECC steeplechase titles, as well as an ECC indoor gold medal with the distance medley relay in 1984. He was also an All-East selection in the 10,000 meters in 1984, when he finished fifth at the IC4A Championships, one place behind Reifsnyder. Deckert graduated with the second-fastest steeplechase time in school history (8:56.24), trailing only Hall-of-Famer Rick Sayre, and he etched his name on top-10 lists in the outdoor 5,000 and 10,000, and the indoor 5,000.

A native of Lebanon, Pa., and a graduate of Cedar Crest High School, Deckert was also a standout in the classroom, where he earned six ECC Scholar-Athlete awards, two each in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field. He was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.