Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Jason Buursma Named to ABCA East Region First Team
6/27/2006 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 27, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell relief pitcher Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-East Region first team, the organization announced recently.
Buursma is the first Bison player to earn a first team All-East Region selection since Bucknell joined the Patriot League. He is one of four members of the Orange and Blue to have received all-region honors during that stretch as Pete Gorski was named to the second team squad as a shortstop in 1995, Dave Apollon was selected in 1997 as a second baseman and, most recently, Mike McCarthy was a second team all-region outfielder in 1999.
After a successful sophomore campaign in 2006, Buursma was honored as a first team all-league reliever and second team all-league first baseman. He became just the sixth player in the history of the Patriot League to receive multiple league honors in the same season and the fifth player in league history to be an all-league selection at three different positions after being named to the second team as a designated hitter his freshman year.
Serving as Bucknell's closer, Buursma posted a 0.80 ERA over 33.2 innings this season with a record of 1-1 and nine saves. He totaled 31 strikeouts for an average of 8.29 per nine innings and led the team in appearances with 20.
In the field, Buursma started all but one of the squad's 48 games at first base. He hit .268 with 26 runs scored, 23 RBI, eight doubles, four triples and a team-best four home runs.
The Bison finished the 2006 season as Patriot League Regular Season Co-Champions with a PL record of 13-7. Bucknell went 24-24 overall and was the runner-up to Lehigh in the Patriot League postseason tournament.
