Bucknell University Athletics
Three Bison Earn Spots on All-Patriot League Football Team
11/25/2008 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 25, 2008
Complete\ All\-Patriot\ League\ Team
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Three Bucknell football players earned All-Patriot League recognition on Tuesday. A.J. Kizekai (Pawtucket, R.I./Blair Academy (N.J.)) headlined the trio as he was named to the first team as a return specialist and the second team as a running back. Wide receiver Shaun Pasternak (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) and punter Phil Azarik (Hilltown, Pa./Germantown Academy) were also second-team selections.
Kizekai earned his second consecutive first-team honor as a return specialist. His selection to the first team makes it five consecutive years that at least one Bucknell player has landed on the first team. Pasternak and Azarik were both honored for the first time.
Kizekai joined Lafayette's Shaun Adair, who was a second-team all-league return specialist and wide receiver, to become the first Patriot League players to be honored at two positions since Fordham's Matt Fordyce was named the first-team punter and kicker in 2002.
Just a junior, Kizekai excelled again in returning kicks as he averaged 26.3 yards per return this year, good for second in the Patriot League and 15th nationally. He had a chance to break his own program single-season record of 1,113 return yards, but missed last Saturday's overtime win over Fordham and ended the season with 973 yards, good for second place. Against Lafayette, the Pawtucket, R.I., native returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown, marking the longest return in Bison history. His 2,090 career kickoff return yards is a Bucknell record, while his 81 career kickoff returns are three shy of Dan Scocca's program standard.
In addition to kick returns, Kizekai had his best year running the football as he recorded a career-high 484 yards on 104 carries and scored one touchdown. He now has more than 1,300 rushing yards in his career, putting him on pace to join Bucknell's top-10 list by the time his senior season concludes.
A versatile player, Kizekai ranked second on the team with 27 catches for 383 yards and one touchdown. He finished the year fifth nationally with 184.0 all-purpose yards per game. His 1,840 all-purpose yards were just 68 shy of his own single-season standard he recorded in 2007, while his 4,366 career all-purpose yards place him within striking distance of Rich Lemon's program record.
Pasternak produced one of the best seasons ever by a Bison wide receiver and became the first Bucknell wide receiver to earn all-league honors since Jim Horan in 2001. The sophomore caught 72 passes for 1,083 yards and 12 touchdowns to break the Bison single-season record for both yards and touchdowns receptions in a season. He came one catch shy of the program record.
Pasternak recorded five 100-yard receiving games, tying Tom Mitchell for the most in a single season. With three performances of at least 150 yards, Pasternak now holds three of the top-10 single-game receiving marks in Bucknell history. He posted 166 yards against Duquesne, 156 against Fordham and 150 opposite Colgate.
A sophomore, Pasternak ended the season catching at least one touchdown in six consecutive games and he failed to haul in a score just twice. His 14 career touchdown receptions are four shy of Bucknell's record, while he is 44 yards shy of joining the Bison top-10 list for career receiving yards.
Pasternak finished the season atop the Patriot League in both receptions per game (6.55) and receiving yards per game (98.45). He was 10th nationally in receiving yards per game and 14th in receptions.
A four-year starter, Azarik will go down as the best punter in Bucknell history. He was second in the Patriot League with a 40.5 average this season, marking his third consecutive year over 40.0. Additionally, he finished his career with a 40.1 punt average, easily the best in Bison annals, nearly two full yards per punt ahead of second-place Ken Durr.
The only Bucknell punter to ever average better than 40 yards per punt more than once, Azarik posted eight touchbacks and had 14 punts land inside the 20-yard line this year. He also had six punts of at least 50 yards, including a career-long 61-yard boot at Holy Cross. It marked the third time in the last three years he had recorded a punt of 61 yards.
Bucknell finished the 2008 campaign with a 5-6 record and a 2-4 mark in Patriot League play. The Bison improved on their win total from 2007 by two full games and ended the season with a thrilling 24-21 overtime victory against defending Patriot League champion Fordham.
Bucknell's All-Patriot League Selections
First Team
A.J. Kizekai - Return Specialist
Second Team
Phil Azarik - Punter
A.J. Kizekai - Running Back
Shaun Pasternak - Wide Receiver
