Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's A.J. Kizekai Showered with Weekly Awards
11/10/2008 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 10, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Following a record-setting kickoff return performance this past Saturday against Lafayette, Bucknell's A.J. Kizekai (Pawtucket, R.I./Blair Academy (N.J.)) was flooded with three weekly awards. The junior on the Bison football squad was named The Sports Network National Special Teams Player of the Week, Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week and the Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week.
Kizekai broke the Bucknell single-game record with 210 kickoff return yards on six returns in a 38-21 home loss to the Leopards. The highlight of Kizekai's day came the first time he touched the ball as he returned a kickoff a Bison-record 100 yards for a touchdown. It was his second career kickoff return touchdown, equaling the Bucknell and Patriot League records. It was also his fifth career touchdown of longer than 79 yards.
In addition to the single-game and single-return records, Kizekai surpassed the Bucknell career kickoff return record on Saturday. He entered the game 14 yards behind Dan Scocca's nearly 20-year-old standard and now has 2,039 career yards.
Kizekai's name shows up throughout the Bucknell record book as he holds six of the top 10 single-game kickoff return marks in program history and is now listed in the top two spots on the single-season ledger. Last year he totaled a program-record 1,113 yards and this year he has 922. Just a junior, Kizekai lists 15th nationally in kickoff return yards per game (26.34). He has averaged nearly 150 kickoff returns yards per game over the last five weeks.
While Kizekai is rewriting the Bison kickoff return record book, he is also among the best in Bucknell history in all-purpose yards. Against Lafayette he posted 285 all-purpose yards, the seventh-best single-game mark in program annals. He has now had more than 250 all-purpose yards in three straight games and ranks fourth on the Bison career all-purpose yards list with 4,268.
Bucknell and Kizekai will head back on the road this Saturday when they travel to Lehigh for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. The Bison are 3-1 on the road in 2008.
Kickoff Return Records Set by A.J. Kizekai vs. Lafayette
Single Return: 100 yards Old Record: 99 (Justin Brumbaugh - 1929, Terence Parham - 1996)
Single Game: 210 yards Old Record: 198 (Dante Ross - 2004)
Career: 2,039 yards Old Record: 1,843 (Dan Scocca - 1987-90)
