Bucknell University Athletics
Football's Kyle Sullivan Earns Weekly Honor From Patriot League
9/23/2013 8:49:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell football's versatile Kyle Sullivan (Wilmington, Del./St. Mark's) was the Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday, just two days after he became the first Bison in 10 years to return a punt for a touchdown. Additionally, the senior punted three times, caught one pass and was the holder for kicks against Cornell.
Sullivan gave Bucknell (1-1) the early lead against the Big Red as he returned a first-quarter punt 59 yards for the first score of the game. It was the first punt returned for a touchdown by a Bucknell player since Dante Ross in 2003, also against Cornell, and it was the longest Bison punt return since 1993.
The only FCS player to return a punt for a touchdown in 2013, Sullivan returned two other punts and finished with a career-high 60 all-purpose yards. He also punted three times for an average of 37.0 yards per boot, including a career-best 49-yarder late in the first half.
Sullivan's second reception of the season came early in the second quarter when QB Brandon Wesley found him for 12 yards and a first down.
Sullivan is in his first year as the starting punter at Bucknell. He has punted nine times for an average of 39.2 yards per kick. This is his second year as the team's primary punt returner. He averaged 7.3 yards per return last fall and is at 13.3 this year, which ranks 13th nationally.
An All-Big East punter at Rutgers as a freshman, Sullivan transferred to Bucknell prior to the 2011 campaign. He is the first Bison to be honored with a weekly award by the Patriot League this fall, and he is the first to earn Special Teams Player of the Week since Drew Orth Nov. 21, 2011.
Sullivan and the Bison will try to rebound from their 45-13 loss at Cornell this Saturday when they host Sacred Heart at 6 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
