Bucknell's Pechin Named AP Second Team All-American
12/11/2018 2:35:00 PM | Football
A three-time All-Patriot League First Team honoree and two-time Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Pechin becomes Bucknell's 58th AP All-American in program history. He is the first Bison specialist to receive AP All-America accolades.
With Pechin's recognition, the Bison have boasted an AP All-American five seasons in a row. Linebacker Evan Byers (2014, 2nd), safety Clayton Ewell (2015, 3rd), offensive lineman Julién Davenport (2016, 1st) and defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson (2017, 2nd) were previously honored by the AP.
Pechin and Colgate's Nick Wheeler, James Holland Jr. and Abu Daramy-Swaray represented the Patriot League on the 2018 AP All-America squad. Wheeler joined Pechin on the second team while Holland Jr. and Daramy-Swaray were recognized on the third team.
One of the finest punters in Bucknell history, Pechin stood first in the FCS in punts (81) and punting yards (3,606) and fourth in punting average (44.5) at the end of the 2018 regular season. The only punter in the FCS's top five with at least 65 punts at that time, he broke the school record in punts while posting the second-best punting average in the Bucknell annals. Of his 81 punts, a career-best 29 sailed for at least 50 yards while 28 landed inside the 20.
Pechin owns the school record in career punting average (43.7) and the program's top-three single-season averages of 45.1 (2017), 44.5 (2018) and 42.1 (2015); he also booted the third- (71) and fifth- (70) longest punts in school history over the course of the 2018 campaign. After capturing STATS Third Team All-America accolades in 2017, he was named to 2018 Preseason All-America First Teams by STATS, Phil Steele, Hero Sports, College Sports Madness and FreeAgentFootball.com.
Pechin has also excelled in the classroom, becoming the fifth repeat Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year in conference history earlier this year. He is a two-time Academic All-Patriot League honoree, a 2017 FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team selection and a 2017Â All-ECAC First Team member. In 2017, he broke his own school record with a 45.1 punting average, which ranked third in the FCS; of his 72 punts, a total tied for third in school history, 34 landed inside the 20 and 26 sailed at last 50 yards.
A senior Biomedical Engineering/Management for Engineers major, Pechin boasts a 3.93 grade point average. This fall, he conducted gene therapy research for a start-up company he worked at over the summer. As part of his intensive five-year degree program at Bucknell, he has completed multiple projects; his senior design project involves creating ultrasound simulation for surgical training. He is also a regular volunteer at Riverwoods, a senior living community in Lewisburg, and a football team peer tutor.
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Easton Stick, senior, North Dakota State
Running backs — Joe Protheroe, senior, Cal Poly; Ryan Fulse, senior, Wagner
Linemen — Tanner Volson, senior, North Dakota State; Matt Pyke, senior, East Tennessee State; Micah Shaw, senior, North Carolina A&T; B.J. Autry, senior, Jacksonville State; Garrett Bowery, senior, Lamar
Tight end — Donald Parham, senior, Stetson
Wide receivers — Josh Pearson, junior, Jacksonville State; Michael Bandy, junior, San Diego
All-purpose player — Shane Simpson, junior, Towson
Kicker — Roldan Alcobendas, senior, Eastern Washington
DEFENSE
Linemen — Isaiah Mack, senior, Chattanooga; Derick Roberson, senior, Sam Houston State; Ahmad Gooden, senior, Samford; Darryl Johnson, junior, North Carolina A&T
Linebackers — Zach Hall, junior, Southeast Missouri State; Dante Olson, junior, Montana; B.J. Blunt, senior, McNeese State
Backs — Isiah Swann, junior, Dartmouth; Robbie Grimsley, senior, North Dakota State; Jimmy Moreland, senior, James Madison; Will Warner, junior, Drake
Punter — Chris Faddoul, sophomore, Florida A&M
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Devlin Hodges, senior, Samford
Running backs — A.J. Hines, junior, Duquesne; Marquis Terry, senior, Southeast Missouri State
Linemen — Iosua Operta, senior, Weber State; Spencer Blackburn, senior, Eastern Washington; Drew Forbes, senior, Southeast Missouri State; C.J. Collins, senior, Kennesaw State; Dan Cooney, senior, San Diego
Tight end — Matthew Gonzalez, junior, Robert Morris
Wide receivers — Kelvin McKnight, senior, Samford; Keelan Doss, senior, UC Davis
All-purpose player — D'Angelo Amos, sophomore, James Madison
Kicker — Grayson Atkins, sophomore, Furman
DEFENSE
Linemen — Khalen Saunders, senior, Western Illinois; Greg Menard, senior, North Dakota State; Jay-Tee Tiuli, senior, Eastern Washington; Nick Wheeler, junior, Colgate
Linebackers — Jabril Cox, sophomore, North Dakota State; Sterling Sheffield, senior, Maine; Adrian Hope, freshman, Furman
Backs — James Allen, senior, Charleston Southern; Tyree Robinson, sophomore, East Tennessee State; Nassir Adderly, senior, Delaware; Marlon Bridges, senior, Jacksonville State
Punter — Alex Pechin, senior, Bucknell
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Chandler Burks, senior, Kennesaw State
Running backs — James Holland, senior, Colgate; James Robinson, junior, Illinois State.
Linemen — Matt Kaskey, senior, Dartmouth; Justus Basinger, junior, Wofford; C.J. Toogood, senior, Elon; Zack Johnson, junior, North Dakota State; Tiano Pupungatoa, senior, South Dakota State.
Tight end — Owen Cosenke, sophomore, Western Carolina
Wide receivers — Reggie White Jr., senior, Monmouth; Jazz Ferguson, junior, Northwestern State
All-purpose player — Kentel Williams, junior, Austin Peay
Kicker — Aidian O'Neill, junior, Towson
DEFENSE
Linemen — Nathan Clayberg, senior, Drake; Maurice Jackson, junior, Richmond; Filipe Sitake, senior, Weber State; Solomon Brown, senior, Charleston Southern.
Linebackers — Pete Swenson, senior, Western Illinois; De'Arius Christmas, senior, Grambling State; Cameron Gill, junior, Wagner.
Backs — Abu Daramy-Swaray, junior, Colgate; Dominic Frasch, senior, Cal Poly; Davon Jernigan, senior, Lamar; Jordan Brown, senior, South Dakota State
Punter — Garret Wegner, sophomore, North Dakota State
