Eight Bison Named to 2024 Phil Steele Patriot League Preseason All-Conference Team

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Eight Bucknell football players were selected to the 2024 Phil Steele Patriot League Preseason All-Conference Team. Five members of the Bucknell offense, two defensive players and kicker Matt Schearer were each recognized.

Schearer, who was also voted to the Patriot League's Preseason All-League squad, was named to Phil Steele's First Team. Linebacker Brad Jamison made the Second Team, while quarterback Ralph Rucker IV, wide receiver Eric Weatherly, offensive linemen Xavier Allen, Casey Stephenson and John Ohnegian, and safety John Schlendorf each made the Third Team.

Picked as the Patriot League's top kicker two preseasons in a row, Schearer has made 15 career field goals and 33 career extra points. Five of the junior's makes have been from 40 yards or longer, and he ranks third in program history with his 50-yard make in 2022. He tied for second in the Patriot League with eight made field goals last season, including tying for a league-long 49-yarder.

Jamison, a senior, was a Second Team All-Patriot League honoree in 2023 after leading the Bison with 78 tackles, which ranked sixth in the league. He added three pass breakups, four quarterback hurries and a crucial interception in the Georgetown game. 5.5 of his tackles were for a loss, and he posed three sacks. Another defensive pick, Schlendorf was third on the roster with 62 total tackles and was second with 41 solo stops last fall. He added 4.5 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery. Schlendorf, a senior, has played in all 33 games over his career and has started all 22 over the last two seasons.

Rucker put together arguably the top season by a Bucknell quarterback in program history during his first year in Lewisburg in 2023, setting school records in single-season passing yards (2,537), single-season completions (211), single-season total yards (2,667), and tying the program's single-season passing touchdowns mark (21). He also set the single-game standard for passing yards with 387 in a win over Colgate, adding four touchdowns on 33 completions in the performance. Rucker ranked second in the Patriot League in both passing yards and passing touchdowns in 2023, and he added another 130 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

Hauling in 42 of Rucker's completions was Weatherly, who finished second on the roster in the category and in receiving yards (603) in his first season in Lewisburg Weatherly led the Bison and tied for fourth in the Patriot League with seven receiving touchdowns and averaged 14.4 yards per reception. He also rushed for a touchdown. Weatherly posted two 100-yard receiving games, including a season-high 132 with two touchdowns at Colgate.

Stephenson, who is entering his fifth year, has made 18 starts while battling injuries over his career. A two-time team captain, he made nine starts at left guard and played in 10 games total in 2023. Ohnegian started all 11 games at center as a sophomore and was named Bucknell's John Campana Award recipient as the team's top offensive lineman in 2023. He also earned a spot on the 2023 Academic All-Patriot League Team. Allen, the lone Bucknell sophomore to make Phil Steele's Preseason All-Conference Team, played in 10 games and made seven starts at left tackle in 2023. Last season, Bucknell's offensive line led the way for All-Patriot League running back Coleman Bennett.