Bucknell University Athletics
Golf Digest Lauds Bucknell Golf Teams in Collegiate Rankings Issue
8/9/2005 8:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Aug. 9, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - On the heels of one of the finest golf seasons ever at Bucknell, Golf Digest, one of the preeminent publications covering the sport of golf, has included the Bucknell men's and women's programs among the best for institutions that stress academics first, according to its college rankings in the September issue of the magazine.
In compiling a collegiate ranking system intended to be used as a guide for junior players, Golf Digest rated each school in four categories: academics, climate, coach/facilities and golf performance. The editors used each institution's Admissions Selectivity Rating from Princeton Review's 2006 edition of its best-selling guidebook, The Best 361 Colleges. To assist prep golfers who may have different educational priorities, the magazine created three categories of rankings: "Golf First," "Academics First," and "Balanced." In each category, Golf Digest weighted the values of the four ratings to correspond with what student-golfers are looking for.
Both of Bucknell's teams received top-25 rankings in the "Academics First" category. The Bison women's squad, a member of the Big South Conference under head coach Kevin Jamieson, was ranked 10th nationally. Coach Jim Cotner's men's team, the 2005 Patriot League runner-up, was ranked 25th.
The Bucknell women placed fifth in the competitive Big South this spring, their highest finish ever. Freshman Amy Loughney was fifth individually and became the first Bison to earn All-Big South honors. Just this week it was announced that Bucknell placed the most student-athletes - nine - on the Big South Presidential Honor Roll. Capitalizing on its outstanding spring season, Bucknell will play in a number of prestigious events this coming fall, including the Notre Dame Invitational, the Penn State Invitational and the Pat Bradley Invitational, played at the famed Doral Resort and Spa in Florida. Bucknell will also host a fall tournament and play in two other events at Princeton and Yale, which were the top two programs listed in Golf Digest's "Academics First" rankings.
Bucknell's men's squad is also coming off an outstanding 2004-05 season. The Bison won three events and placed second at two others, including the Patriot League Championship in late April at the Bucknell Golf Club. Charlie Waddell became the first Bucknell player to win the PL individual crown, edging teammate Ben Pellicani by just a single stroke. The Bison men also fared very well academically, placing seven of its 10 student-athletes on the 2005 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, tying for the most in the conference in that sport.
In addition to its rankings, the Golf Digest college golf guide also provides college selection tips, advice from the coaches and teachers and listings of the best collegiate golf courses.
Bucknell's women open the 2005 fall campaign on Sept. 10 at the Notre Dame Invitational, while the men open up the same day at the Colgate Invitational.
Bucknell sponsors 27 intercollegiate sports, including 14 for women, at the Division I level (I-AA football). It is a charter member of the Patriot League and has won the league's all-sports championship in 11 of the 15 years it has been contested. Bucknell led the nation with a 100 percent graduation rate in the 2003 survey and ranks third in Division I in producing Academic All-Americans.
