Bucknell University Athletics
Evan Byers Adds Associated Press All-America Honor
12/17/2014 4:53:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell senior linebacker Evan Byers (Raleigh, N.C./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.)/Trinity Pawling (N.Y.)) on Wednesday earned his second All-America honor this week. Bucknell's all-time leading tackler was named to the Associated Press (AP) All-America Second Team just two days after earning First Team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
Byers is Bucknell's first AP All-American since Bryce Robertson in 2011, and just the fifth Bison to be recognized this century, joining Kevin Eiben (2000), Adam Lord (20020, Sean Conover (2004) and Robertson (2011).
A three-time All-Patriot League selection, Byers finished his career with 382 stops. He posted a third consecutive 100-tackle campaign in 2014 as he led the Bison with 119 stops this fall. He also recorded 13.5 tackles for loss and six sacks and recently won three awards at the team's postseason banquet.
One of three Patriot League players on the AP All-America team along with Fordham's third-team selections Chase Edmonds and Mason Halter, Byers finished his Bison career as one of only three members of the senior class to play in all 44 games over the last four years. He finished with 40 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, nine pass breakups, six fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and four interceptions to go along with his record-breaking tackle figure.
Bucknell's first Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year since 2004, Byers was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection as a sophomore and followed that with back-to-back first-team honors. He led the Patriot League in tackles this year and was in the top five in both tackles for loss and sacks. Byers currently stands second nationally in solo tackles per game (7.2), while his 10.8 tackles per game place him eighth nationally.
The owner of 17 career double-figure tackle outings, including a 23-stop performance in the 2014 season opener vs. VMI, Byers had at least six tackles in 32 of his final 33 games played as a Bison.
Byers this fall helped Bucknell to its best season in nearly two decades as the Bison posted an 8-3 overall record and finished in second place in the Patriot League standings with a 4-2 mark. It was just the fifth season with at least eight wins in program history as Bucknell recorded its third above-.500 finish in the last four years.
