Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football's A.J. Kizekai and Shaun Pasternak Named Preseason All-America by College Sporting News
8/22/2009 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 22, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell football record-setting veterans A.J. Kizekai (Pawtucket, R.I./Blair Academy) and Shaun Pasternak (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) were named Honorable Mention Preseason All-Americans by College Sporting News, it was announced earlier this week. Kizekai was honored as a return specialist, while Pasternak was one of nine total wide receivers recognized.
Both Kizekai and Pasternak were All-Patriot League selections in 2008. Kizekai was a first-team choice at return specialist and a second-team running back, while Pasternak was a second-team wide receiver. They were two of the 173 players cited for All-America status by College Sporting News. A total of 12 Patriot League players showed up on the first, second or third teams or on the honorable mention list.
A two-time First Team All-Patriot League choice, Kizekai, a senior, enters the 2009 campaign with the school record for career kickoff return yards (2,107) and he owns five of the 38 longest touchdowns in the 123 years of Bucknell football. Last year against Lafayette Kizekai returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and piled up 210 return yards, setting the Bison single-game record. He holds six of the top 10, and three of the top four, single-game kickoff return marks.
Kizekai led the Patriot League and ranked fourth nationally with 184.0 all-purpose yards per game in 2008, while his 26.3 yards per kickoff return listed him 13th nationally. He posted 285 all-purpose yards against Lafayette, the seventh-best figure in program history.
Kizekai enters his senior campaign with Bucknell records for all-purpose yards in a season (1,908), kickoff returns in a game (7), kickoff returns in a season (43), most kickoff return yards in a game (210), most kickoff return yards in a season (1,113), most career kickoff return yards (2,107), longest kickoff return (100) and most kickoff return touchdowns in a career (2). He is also just three kickoff returns shy of equaling Dan Scocca's career record of 84.
Not just a return specialist, Kizekai has led the Bison in rushing each of the last two years and posted a career-high 484 yards last fall. He has rushed for 1,357 career yards and caught 50 passes for 902 yards in his first three seasons.
Pasternak, a junior, was elected Bucknell's team MVP following the 2008 campaign. The 6-3 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. He 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 also recorded five 100-yard receiving games, tying Tom Mitchell for the most in a single season.
Pasternak, who also earned Preseason All-America honors from The Sports Network earlier this summer, ended the season catching at least one touchdown in six consecutive games and he failed to haul in a score just twice all year. 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.
The Bison, who have a 3 p.m. intrasquad scrimmage Saturday afternoon, are just two weeks from their season opener Sept. 5 at Duquesne. The home opener is the following week (Sept. 12) against Robert Morris at 6 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
