Bucknell Football Announces 2026 Captains

LEWISBURG, Pa. — Head coach Jeff Behrman and Bucknell football announced the team's five captains ahead of the Bison's first game week of the 2026 season.

The five captains, named as a result of a team vote, are seniors Sam Milligan, TJ Cadden, Jack Inserra and Nick Hoying and junior Chris Dietrich.

Milligan earns a captain's nod as he continues to excel following a stellar 2025 campaign. In 2025, Milligan earned his second consecutive All-Patriot League First Team honor as a special teams non-specialist and added Second Team All-Patriot League honors as well. Milligan finished the 2025 season ranked first in the Patriot League in receiving touchdowns with 10 and fourth in total touchdowns with 12. He also etched his name into the Bucknell football record book by setting a single-game record with four touchdowns against VMI. On top of that, he showed his leadership and versatility by playing wherever the team needed him most. Milligan played several roles for the Bison, including wide receiver, special teams non-specialist, quarterback, running back and defensive back. Outside of playing receiver, where he recorded 56 receptions for 975 yards and 10 touchdowns, Milligan rushed 18 times for 63 yards and one touchdown. He also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, went 2-for-2 passing and recorded seven solo tackles throughout the season. The senior has already garnered a handful of accolades ahead of the season, as he has been named to the 2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Team, the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List and the 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Second Team.

TJ Cadden earned captaincy following a strong 2025 season that carried into a strong spring and fall camp. He appeared in all 12 games as a wide receiver and return specialist. He ranked second in the Patriot League and 15th among FCS teams in all-purpose yards with 1,476 and was fourth among FCS teams in kickoff return yards with 765. As a receiver, Cadden recorded 52 receptions for 693 yards and six touchdowns. He also returned 28 kicks for 570 yards and 16 punts for 195 yards.

Jack Inserra has shown strong leadership throughout fall camp as the spearhead of the defensive line, leading to his selection as a captain for his senior season. In 2025, he was a key starter who played in all 12 games on the line. Inserra ended the 2025 season with 41 tackles, including 28 solo tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. This season, the Bison will look to Inserra as a leader, a role the senior is looking forward to embracing.

Nick Hoying has been named a captain after leading Bucknell both on and off the field, especially with the inside linebackers throughout the spring and fall camps. He moves to the inside backer position after appearing in seven games at a hybrid safety-linebacker position in 2025. He recorded 53 tackles, including 27 solo tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, seven tackles for loss, three sacks and three pass breakups last season.

The lone junior captain for the Bison in 2026 is Chris Dietrich. Bucknell's starting quarterback earned the honor after proving his strength as a leader when former Bison quarterback Ralph Rucker was injured and then graduated. Dietrich joined the Bison as a sophomore transfer from Temple ahead of the 2025 season and quickly became Bucknell's backup behind Rucker. The New Jersey native played in six games as a backup quarterback, with a handful of starts toward the end of the season after the Bison starter was injured and ruled out. In his six games of action, Dietrich completed 79 of 122 passes for nine touchdowns. Against Fordham, he threw a career-high three touchdown passes, and against Lafayette, he recorded a career-high 224 passing yards.

The Bison captains will run out for the first time in Bucknell's season opener on the road against Richmond on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 6 p.m.