Bucknell University Athletics
Golf Digest Again Lauds Bucknell Golf Programs in Collegiate Rankings Issue
8/10/2007 8:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Aug. 10, 2007
Click HERE for complete Golf Digest collegiate rankings article.
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Golf Digest, one of the preeminent publications covering the sport of golf, has for the third straight year included the Bucknell men's and women's programs among the best for institutions that stress academics first, according to its informative 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 five categories: academics, climate, coach/facilities, team scoring average and player growth. The editors used academic statistics from U.S. News & World Report's 2007 guidebook, America's Best Colleges, and golf scoring data from golfstat.com.
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 five ratings to correspond with what student-golfers are looking for.
Both of Bucknell's teams received top-40 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 31st nationally, the highest in the conference. Coach Jim Cotner's men's team, the Patriot League champion in both 2006 and 2007, was ranked 36th, also tops in the league. Both teams' rankings improved from 2006.
In the "Balanced" category, both Bucknell teams also fared well in the rankings. The Bison women were listed 59th, while the men were 63rd.
The Bucknell women's squad has performed well against the difficult Southern competition since joining the Big South in 2002-03. The Bison have finished as high as fifth in the conference in 2005 and 2006, while senior Amy Loughney has made the All-Big South Team twice. Eight of the 10 players on the roster made the Big South Presidential Honor Roll in the spring of 2007, including Kathryn Batchelor with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. This coming fall, Bucknell's development as a program is being recognized with invitations to a number of prestigious tournaments, highlighted by the Ross Resorts Invitational at Pine Needles Resort (site of the 2007 U.S. Women's Open) in late October. The Bison will compete in the Firestone Grill Invitational at Cypress Ridge, which is one of the top-rated courses in California.
 Two-time All-Big South honoree Amy Loughney.  |
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Bucknell's men's squad has captured each of the last two Patriot League titles after finishing a close second in 2005. The Bison went on to compete in the NCAA Regionals in 2006 and 2007, their first NCAA team appearances since 1961. The team placed a league-high eight student-athletes on the 2007 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, including four-time all-leaguer Charlie Waddell and freshman Jeff Pike with 4.0 GPAs. The Bison men open the 2007-08 season at the Colgate Invitational on Sept. 8-9.
In addition to its rankings, the Golf Digest college golf guide also provides college selection tips and advice from coaches and teachers for prospective student-athletes.
Bucknell sponsors 27 intercollegiate sports, including 14 for women, at the Division I level. It is a charter member of the Patriot League and has won the league's all-sports championship in 13 of the 17 years it has been contested. Bucknell has led the nation in graduation rates on numerous occasions and ranks fifth in Division I in producing Academic All-Americans.
