Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Bolte, Nissley Named to Academic All-District II Football Team
11/4/2010 8:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 4, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. – For the 10th time in the last 11 years at least one Bucknell football player has been named to the ESPN Academic All-District II Team. Junior linebacker Tim Bolte (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) and senior linebacker Travis Nissley (Mount Joy, Pa./Manheim Central) were named to the team, it was announced Thursday. It is the seventh time in the last nine years at least two Bison have earned spots on the team.
In order to be considered for Academic All-District honors, a candidate must be at least a sophomore with a minimum 3.30 cumulative GPA and be a starter or significant reserve on his/her team. Bolte and Nissley will now move to the national ballot and have a chance at earning Academic All-America honors. Bucknell ranks fifth among all Division I institutions with 118 national Academic All-Americans.
This honor is the latest in a long line of academic-based awards for Nissley, who was recently named a National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete and one of 16 finalists nationwide for the Campbell Trophy. A mechanical engineering major with a 3.96 cumulative grade-point average, Nissley was also the 2009 Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Nissley posted three perfect 4.0 GPAs in his first six semesters and has been a regular member of Bucknell's Dean's List and the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. He was also elected to Tau Beta Pi, a National Engineering Honor Society, was a recipient of the Charles F. White Memorial Prize for scholar-athletes and is a member of the Bucknell Classics Club. Additionally, Nissley has volunteered with Toys for Tots and the National Marrow Donor Program.
On the football field Nissley leads Bucknell with 44 tackles this season and his 237 career stops is the most among all current Bison. A three-year starter, Nissley recorded a career-high 93 tackles last fall to rank sixth in the Patriot League.
A team co-captain, Nissley has started 16 consecutive games and is coming off his best statistical outing of the season with 11 tackles against Lafayette. He now has 5.5 tackles for loss, one interception and four pass breakups in his four-year career.
Bolte is in his first year as a starter for the Bison and ranks fourth on the team with a career-high 38 tackles. He also has one tackle for loss, two pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
In the classroom, Bolte owns a 3.89 cumulative grade-point average while double majoring in political science and East Asian Studies with a Chinese concentration. He has been on the Dean's List every semester at Bucknell, is a two-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll member and has twice posted a 4.0 GPA.
Bolte earned the NFF and College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Award from the Greater Baltimore Chapter and earned the Dr. Ford Locker Medal at high school graduation in recognition of earning a varsity letter with academic excellence.
Bolte spends much of his time volunteering at the Donald Heiter Community Center in Lewisburg, refereeing elementary school basketball and at the Carroll Manor Lacrosse Clinic. He also spent a week in Philadelphia helping underprivileged children and the homeless.
In the summer of 2010, Bolte spent a month working for BDP International in Shanghai, China.
Academic All-District balloting for four sports (men's soccer, women's soccer, volleyball, football) is now complete and Bucknell has had seven total honorees.
Bolte and Nissley will be back out on the football field this weekend when the Bison host Fordham at 1 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
Recent Bucknell Football Academic All-District II Selections
2000: David Evans
2001: Kyle Harris
2002: Dave Gibson, Will Smith, Billy Windle
2003: Justin Gibson, Shawn Tidwell, David Ulmer
2004: Mike Cangelosi, Justin Gibson
2005: Michael Boccella, Ryan Bower, David Frisbey
2006: Michael Boccella, David Frisbey
2007: Ryan Walsh
2008: Kevin Mullen, Sam Nana-Sinkam
2010: Tim Bolte, Travis Nissley
Recent Bucknell Football Academic All-America Selections
2000: David Evans
2004: Justin Gibson
2006: David Frisbey
