Bucknell University Athletics
Muscala Named to College Insider Preseason All-America Team
11/5/2012 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 5, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell senior center Mike Muscala (Roseville, Minn./Roseville) added to his long list of honors on Monday when he was named to the CollegeInsider.com Preseason All-America Team. Muscala was one of 25 players selected from all Division I programs, and this preseason recognition puts him in consideration for the Lute Olson Award, given to the national player of the year.
A year ago, when he averaged 17.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, Muscala was one of 25 candidates for the CollegeInsider.com's Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. Now the Bison center is listed among the best players in America. Consensus preseason All-Americans Cody Zeller of Indiana and Doug McDermott of Creighton are on the list, as is fellow Patriot Leaguer C.J. McCollum of Lehigh.
Last week Muscala was named a candidate for the Senior Class Award, and he is a member of the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. He received preseason Mid-Major All-America recognition from NBCSports.com, and he was ranked 80th among the top 100 players in the nation by CBSSports.com.
Muscala has earned All-Patriot League honors in each of his first three seasons and was the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2010-11. One of the nation's top-returning centers this season, Muscala enters his senior year ranked ninth in school history in career points (1,399), 10th in rebounds (715) and second in blocked shots (191). Last year he tied a school record with 16 double-doubles.
CollegeInsider.com also announced its Preseason Mid-Major Top-25 rankings on Monday, and Bucknell is listed 16th.
Bucknell is coming off back-to-back 25-win seasons. The Bison won the Patriot League regular-season title in both 2011 and 2012. They went to the NCAA Tournament in 2011 and to the NIT last year, where they defeated top-seeded Arizona in the first round.
Bucknell opens the 2012-13 campaign on Friday night at Purdue as part of the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Wounded Warrior Project.
2012-13 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Kenny Boynton 6-2 Sr. Florida
Trey Burke 6-0 So. Michigan
Isaiah Canaan 6-0 Jr. Murray State
D.J. Cooper 5-11 Jr. Ohio
Aaron Craft 6-2 Jr. Ohio State
Brandon Davies 6-9 Sr. BYU
Matthew Dellavedova 6-4 Sr. St. Mary's
Michael Dixon 6-1 Sr. Missouri
Jamaal Franklin 6-5 Jr. San Diego State
Pierre Jackson 5-10 Sr. Baylor
C.J. Leslie 6-9 Jr. NC State
Trevor Mbakwe 6-8 Sr. Minnesota
James McADoo 6-9 So. North Carolina
Ray McCallum 6-3 Jr. Detroit
Doug McDermott 6-8 Jr. Creighton
C.J. McCollum 6-3 Sr. Lehigh
Tony Mitchell 6-8 So. North Texas
Mike Moser 6-8 Jr. UNLV
Mike Muscala 6-11 Sr. Bucknell
Phil Pressey 5-11 Jr. Missouri
Michael Snaer 6-5 Sr. Florida State
Deshaun Thomas 6-7 Jr. Ohio State
Jeff Withey 7-0 Sr. Kansas
Nate Wolters 6-4 Sr. South Dakota State
Cody Zeller 7-0 S0. Indiana
