June 17, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After recently being recognized by Ping!Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, recent Bucknell graduate Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) collected another All-America accolade over the weekend as he was named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-America third team, it was announced by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Buursma, who was honored as a utility player, is Bucknell's first ABCA All-American since joining the Patriot League, the sixth overall in league history, and is the lone representative of the PL on this year's ABCA All-America squads.
Buursma enjoyed his finest season of his Bucknell career this spring as a senior, hitting a team-best .367 with 58 hits, 37 runs scored, seven doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 37 RBI and a slugging percentage of .671. On the mound, he broke the program wins record with a 9-3 mark and posted a 2.58 earned-run average in 83.2 innings. He totaled just 10 walks and 78 strikeouts, while opposing hitters batted only .226 against him.
The Bison finished 2008 with the second-highest wins total in school history at 30-24-2 and won their fourth Patriot League championship, earning a Patriot League record fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament. At the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, Bucknell captured its first ever tournament victory, upsetting Florida State, 7-0, in the opening round of regional play.
