Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Pechin Named PL Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Record Third Time
11/27/2019 11:00:00 AM | Football
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Bucknell All-American punter Alex Pechin became the first football player to capture three-straight Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, the league office announced Wednesday morning.
Pechin was joined on the 2019 Academic All-Patriot League Team by linebacker Rick Mottram. Pechin made his third Academic All-Patriot League Team while Mottram was recognized on his second.
Mottram, who previously earned his second-straight spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 Team, emerged as the quarterback of the Bison's defense this year. With 102 tackles (64 solo), he became the first Bison to reach the century mark in a single campaign since Evan Byers (119) in 2014. He also totaled eight tackles for a loss, four sacks, two interceptions and one fumble return for a touchdown.
Mottram reached the double digits in tackles six times, including in the final four games. He wrapped up his junior campaign with 147 tackles (93 solo), 18 tackles for a loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and one fumble return in 24 career games, 14 of which were starts in the past two seasons.
A Mechanical Engineering major with a perfect 4.0 grade point average, Mottram has stayed busy off the field. He has worked as a research assistant in Bucknell's Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering departments; his projects have involved developing a patented, open-source 3D printer and determining the viscoelastic properties of mineral oils and investigating whether the addition of nanocarriers had an effect on the viscosity. In addition, he has served as a tutor and study group facilitator for Calculus 1, been involved in recreating the curriculum of an engineering seminar called Engineering Athletics and interned for Lohnpack Contract Filling as a researcher and website designer.
In 2017, Mottram was chosen as one of five NFF Chapter Scholar-Athletes by the NFF & College Hall of Fame and represented Bucknell at the NFF Chapter Awards Banquet in New York City; the valedictorian of his high school class, he graduated with the top GPA in Allentown High School history, a weighted 4.549.
On Tuesday, Pechin became the fourth Patriot League student-athlete to make four All-Patriot League First Teams, joining Holy Cross defensive back Dave Murphy (1986-89), Colgate quarterback Ryan Vena (1996-99) and Lehigh running back Dom Bragalone (2015-18). In addition, he became the fourth Bison to garner All-Patriot League laurels four times, joining running back Rich Lemon (1993-96), offensive lineman Julién Davenport (2013-16) and defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson (2014-17).
Pechin put an exclamation mark on his legendary career in 2019, shattering his own school record in punting average by 2.2 yards. His 47.3 punting average broke the Patriot League record by 1.3 yards and ranked seventh in FCS history at the end of the 2019 regular season; in addition, it raised his career average to 44.5, good for fifth in the FCS annals at the end of the 2019 regular season.
The highly decorated Pechin, a multi-time All-American who was named to the 2020 Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List and received an invite to the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl, will graduate with Bucknell's top four single-season punting averages of 47.3 (2019), 45.1 (2017), 44.5 (2018) and 42.1 (2015); his 44.5 career punting average is the school standard by 3.8 yards.
Pechin was previously recognized on the 2015, 2017 and 2018 All-Patriot League First Teams; he was granted a fifth year of eligibility after suffering a season-ending injury in the 2016 campaign's second game. To date, he has been honored on seven All-America teams, including the 2018 STATS and Phil Steele First Teams; in addition, he became the first Bison specialist to garner All-America accolades from the AP and AFCA when he made their Second Teams that season. He is only the 11th Bison to twice serve as captain.
A Biomedical Engineering and Management for Engineers double major, Pechin has also excelled in the classroom. Following the 2018-19 school year, he became the third football player to be selected as the Patriot League Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, joining fellow Bison David Berardinelli (1992-93) and Lehigh's Nick Martucci (1998-99). He was also a semifinalist for the 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy and was selected to two FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Teams.
Pechin is one of four Bison to be recognized as the Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year more than once, joining Berardinelli (1991 & 1992), Rob Glus (1993 & 1994) and Travis Nissley (2009 & 2010). Fordham's Barry Cantrell (1996 & 1997) is the only other repeat Scholar-Athlete of the Year in Patriot League history.
Pechin interned for Orbit Biomedical, a start-up company dedicated to revolutionizing gene and cell therapy treatment for patients suffering from sight-threatening diseases, in the summers of 2019 and 2018. During the fall of 2018, he conducted gene therapy research for Orbit Biomedical in addition to his classwork. As part of his intensive five-year dual degree program at Bucknell, he has completed multiple projects; his senior design project involved creating ultrasound simulation for surgical training. A football team peer tutor, he is an active member of Bucknell's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Leadership Institute. He also worked as a grader for Physics 211 and 212, participated in InterVarsity Bible study and volunteered at Riverwoods, a senior living community, and Geisinger, a local hospital, during his time in Lewisburg.
2019 Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Alex Pechin, Bucknell, 5th, P
2019 Academic All-Patriot League Football Team
Alex Pechin, Bucknell, 5th, P
Rick Mottram, Bucknell, Jr., LB
Grant Breneman, Colgate, Jr., QB
Glenn Cunningham, Fordham, Jr., LB
Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, So., LB
Nick Zakelj, Fordham, Jr., OL
Gunther Johnson, Georgetown, Sr., QB
Ahmad Wilson, Georgetown, Jr., DB
Connor Degenhardt, Holy Cross, Jr., QB
Peter Oliver, Holy Cross, So., RB
Ryan Barnett, Lafayette, Sr., DL
Major Jordan, Lafayette, Jr., LB
Jeffrey Kordenbrock, Lafayette, Jr., K
Pete Haffner, Lehigh, Jr., LB
Pechin was joined on the 2019 Academic All-Patriot League Team by linebacker Rick Mottram. Pechin made his third Academic All-Patriot League Team while Mottram was recognized on his second.
Mottram, who previously earned his second-straight spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 Team, emerged as the quarterback of the Bison's defense this year. With 102 tackles (64 solo), he became the first Bison to reach the century mark in a single campaign since Evan Byers (119) in 2014. He also totaled eight tackles for a loss, four sacks, two interceptions and one fumble return for a touchdown.
Mottram reached the double digits in tackles six times, including in the final four games. He wrapped up his junior campaign with 147 tackles (93 solo), 18 tackles for a loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and one fumble return in 24 career games, 14 of which were starts in the past two seasons.
A Mechanical Engineering major with a perfect 4.0 grade point average, Mottram has stayed busy off the field. He has worked as a research assistant in Bucknell's Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering departments; his projects have involved developing a patented, open-source 3D printer and determining the viscoelastic properties of mineral oils and investigating whether the addition of nanocarriers had an effect on the viscosity. In addition, he has served as a tutor and study group facilitator for Calculus 1, been involved in recreating the curriculum of an engineering seminar called Engineering Athletics and interned for Lohnpack Contract Filling as a researcher and website designer.
In 2017, Mottram was chosen as one of five NFF Chapter Scholar-Athletes by the NFF & College Hall of Fame and represented Bucknell at the NFF Chapter Awards Banquet in New York City; the valedictorian of his high school class, he graduated with the top GPA in Allentown High School history, a weighted 4.549.
On Tuesday, Pechin became the fourth Patriot League student-athlete to make four All-Patriot League First Teams, joining Holy Cross defensive back Dave Murphy (1986-89), Colgate quarterback Ryan Vena (1996-99) and Lehigh running back Dom Bragalone (2015-18). In addition, he became the fourth Bison to garner All-Patriot League laurels four times, joining running back Rich Lemon (1993-96), offensive lineman Julién Davenport (2013-16) and defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson (2014-17).
Pechin put an exclamation mark on his legendary career in 2019, shattering his own school record in punting average by 2.2 yards. His 47.3 punting average broke the Patriot League record by 1.3 yards and ranked seventh in FCS history at the end of the 2019 regular season; in addition, it raised his career average to 44.5, good for fifth in the FCS annals at the end of the 2019 regular season.
The highly decorated Pechin, a multi-time All-American who was named to the 2020 Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List and received an invite to the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl, will graduate with Bucknell's top four single-season punting averages of 47.3 (2019), 45.1 (2017), 44.5 (2018) and 42.1 (2015); his 44.5 career punting average is the school standard by 3.8 yards.
Pechin was previously recognized on the 2015, 2017 and 2018 All-Patriot League First Teams; he was granted a fifth year of eligibility after suffering a season-ending injury in the 2016 campaign's second game. To date, he has been honored on seven All-America teams, including the 2018 STATS and Phil Steele First Teams; in addition, he became the first Bison specialist to garner All-America accolades from the AP and AFCA when he made their Second Teams that season. He is only the 11th Bison to twice serve as captain.
A Biomedical Engineering and Management for Engineers double major, Pechin has also excelled in the classroom. Following the 2018-19 school year, he became the third football player to be selected as the Patriot League Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, joining fellow Bison David Berardinelli (1992-93) and Lehigh's Nick Martucci (1998-99). He was also a semifinalist for the 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy and was selected to two FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Teams.
Pechin is one of four Bison to be recognized as the Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year more than once, joining Berardinelli (1991 & 1992), Rob Glus (1993 & 1994) and Travis Nissley (2009 & 2010). Fordham's Barry Cantrell (1996 & 1997) is the only other repeat Scholar-Athlete of the Year in Patriot League history.
Pechin interned for Orbit Biomedical, a start-up company dedicated to revolutionizing gene and cell therapy treatment for patients suffering from sight-threatening diseases, in the summers of 2019 and 2018. During the fall of 2018, he conducted gene therapy research for Orbit Biomedical in addition to his classwork. As part of his intensive five-year dual degree program at Bucknell, he has completed multiple projects; his senior design project involved creating ultrasound simulation for surgical training. A football team peer tutor, he is an active member of Bucknell's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Leadership Institute. He also worked as a grader for Physics 211 and 212, participated in InterVarsity Bible study and volunteered at Riverwoods, a senior living community, and Geisinger, a local hospital, during his time in Lewisburg.
2019 Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Alex Pechin, Bucknell, 5th, P
2019 Academic All-Patriot League Football Team
Alex Pechin, Bucknell, 5th, P
Rick Mottram, Bucknell, Jr., LB
Grant Breneman, Colgate, Jr., QB
Glenn Cunningham, Fordham, Jr., LB
Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, So., LB
Nick Zakelj, Fordham, Jr., OL
Gunther Johnson, Georgetown, Sr., QB
Ahmad Wilson, Georgetown, Jr., DB
Connor Degenhardt, Holy Cross, Jr., QB
Peter Oliver, Holy Cross, So., RB
Ryan Barnett, Lafayette, Sr., DL
Major Jordan, Lafayette, Jr., LB
Jeffrey Kordenbrock, Lafayette, Jr., K
Pete Haffner, Lehigh, Jr., LB
Players Mentioned
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