Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Track & Field Places Four on Academic All-District Teams
6/2/2011 8:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
June 2, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Just weeks after graduating, Bucknell track and field's John Picardo (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton Central), Kristin Bretscher (Farmingville, N.Y./Centereach) and Sarah Moniz (Topsfield, Mass./Masconmet Regional) added to their resumes by being named Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District II First Team on Thursday. Rising junior Caroline Tolli (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) was also a first-team selection. The four Bison are now in the running for Academic All-America honors.
Picardo, who has maintained a 3.80 cumulative grade-point average as a double-major in art studio and education, has copped several honors both on and off the track throughout his career. His academic accolades include the Oristaglio Family Arts and Society for Photographic Education scholarships, the Brooks Fellowship to study at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass, Colo., and the Director's Selection at the Center for Fine Art Photography. Much of Picardo's artwork has been exhibited across the country and published in several magazines. His work experience includes a position as gallery assistant at the Samek Art Gallery on campus as well as intern at the Rochester Museum and Science Center and the Rochester Contemporary Art Center.
On the track, Picardo earned First Team All-Patriot League honors after helping the 4x400 relay to a first-place finish at the 2011 outdoor league championships. Also a member of the third-place 4x800 relay at the championships, Picardo was fourth in the 400 meters with a season-best time of 49.18 seconds. His first all-league honors of the year came during indoor track season, however, where he and the 4x400 unit placed second. The squad's time of 3:17.73 ranks fifth all-time at Bucknell.
Picardo, who also earned all-league honors both indoors and outdoors during the 2009-10 campaign, played an integral part in Bucknell's recent success. The Bison have been crowned the Patriot League Outdoor Track & Field Champions in each of the last two seasons, ending a drought that saw them go without a title since 1991.
Bretscher's success came thanks to a 3.78 GPA as a chemical engineering major and economics minor. The native of Farmingville, N.Y., is a member of the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society for outstanding achievement in engineering and her work experience in the field includes a position as a process engineer at Air Products and Chemical Inc. as well as a teaching and research assistant in Bucknell's engineering department.
Athletically, Bretscher placed fourth in the heptathlon at the Patriot League's outdoor championship as well as in the pentathlon at the indoor championship. During the winter season, the co-captain recorded a career-best 3,114 points in the pentathlon, which ranks ninth all-time at Bucknell. Her 4,258 points in the heptathlon is also good for sixth in program annals.
A neuroscience major with a 3.46 GPA, Moniz has collected several awards during her career. Toward the end of her time at Bucknell, she received the Ronald J. "Pete" Pedrick Award at the Bucknell Athletics Senior Recognition Dinner "in recognition of demonstrated improvement and special contributions to the University." Within the community, Moniz has helped organize events such s the annual Running of the Bison 5K, which benefits the Special Olympics, and the Arbor Day service project with Bucknell track and field. A member of Scholars in Service AmeriCorps from 2008-10, she has also worked for CONCERN foster care agency in Lewisburg.
After missing the indoor track season due to injury, Moniz came back in the spring stronger than ever to earn second-place finishes in the 4x800 and 5,000 meters at the Patriot League Championships. A third medal came in the 1,500 meters where she placed third. After her impressive league meet, the two-year team captain set the school record in the 5,000 meters, running16:56.23 at the ECAC Championships. In addition to her record, Moniz is also second all-time at Bucknell in the 1,500 (4:29.63) and outdoor 3,000 (4:41.15) as well as third in the indoor 3,000 (9:50.33).
Few students have equaled Tolli's academic performance. The rising junior maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA through her first three semesters at Bucknell while majoring in both education and Spanish. Among her academic accolades is a spot in the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. She is also a member of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.
Most recently on the track, Tolli helped the 4x800 relay to a second-place finish at the Patriot League's outdoor meet and an ECAC Championships berth. At ECACs, the relay received All-East honors when she anchored the squad that included freshmen Hana Casalnova, Emily Waksmunski and Erin Holbrook to a fourth-place finish. That quartet put up the seventh- and eight-fastest times in Bucknell history at the meet. Tolli was also a member of the indoor 4x800 relay that placed fourth in the Patriot League with a time of 9:05.27, which ranks 10th all-time at Bucknell.
Thanks in part to Bucknell's three honorees, the Bison women's squad won its third consecutive Patriot League outdoor title. Moniz and Bretscher graduated having had a hand in seven Patriot League titles in cross country as well and indoor and outdoor track.
All four honored Bison are multi-term selections to the Bucknell Dean's List and Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. Picardo and Bretscher were named to the league's inaugural All-Academic Team during both the indoor and outdoor track seasons this year, while Tolli (indoor) and Moniz (outdoor) each have one track selection. Moniz was also recognized during cross country season.
Bucknell's has now placed at least one athlete on both the men's and women's Academic All-District First Team in each of the last six years. Picardo was one of three men's Patriot League athletes to earn Academic All-District honors, joining Cody Rome of Navy and Evans Kosgei of Lehigh. Only one other Patriot League athlete on the women's side received honors as Colgate's Elise DeRoo joined Bretscher, Moniz and Tolli.
In order to be eligible for Academic All-America recognition, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore, maintain a minimum 3.30 cumulative GPA and be a starter or key reserve on his/her team. Bucknell has had 119 national Academic All-Americans since 1970, the fifth-highest total among all Division I institutions.
