Bucknell's Pechin Tabbed as Preseason First Team All-American by Phil Steele

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell's Alex Pechin was tabbed as a Phil Steele Preseason First Team All-American, the publication announced Friday.

This is the senior punter's third Preseason All-America nod. He was previously honored on the STATS and Hero Sports Preseason All-America First Teams.

In addition, Pechin was joined on the Phil Steele Preseason All-Patriot League Team by eight of his Bison teammates. Pechin and OL Pat Finn, Bucknell's Preseason All-Patriot League selections as voted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, were named to the First Team. TE Marcus Ademilola, LB Simeon Page and OL Noah Stephenson were selected to the Second Team while OL P.J. Barr, WR Alan Butler, RB Chad Freshnock and CB Bryan Marine were recognized on the Third Team.

Pechin, a 2017 STATS Third Team All-American and two-time All-Patriot League First Team honoree, enters his senior year as Bucknell's record holder with a 43.3 career punting average. In 2017 as a junior, he posted a punting average of 45.1, which was good for third in the NCAA FCS ranks and shattered his previous single-season school record by three yards.

Of Pechin's 72 punts, tied for the second-highest total in school history, 26 sailed for at least 50 yards, 34 fell inside the 20 and 22 went for fair catches. In the 2017 finale at Fordham, he averaged a career-high 50.9 yards per punt. That average was bolstered by three punts of at least 60 yards, including the sixth- (67) and ninth- (64) longest punts in school history.

At the conclusion of the 2017 campaign, Pechin was also recognized for his excellent work in the classroom. The Biomedical Engineering/Management for Engineers major was honored as the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year, was a finalist for STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award and was named to the Academic All-Patriot League and FCS ADA Academic All-Star Teams.

The Bison open their 2018 campaign on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. by hosting William & Mary. Single-game tickets are also now on sale, starting at $10 for adults, $6 for children (13-18) and $6 for seniors (62+). Admission is free for Bucknell students as well as children between the ages of 0 and 12. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.bucknell.edu/boxoffice or by calling the Campus Box Office at 570-577-1000.