March 10, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell senior pitchers Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) and Mathew Wilson (Toronto, Ontario/Northern S.S.) have been named to a list of 30 national candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in the baseball division. The honor will be presented in June to the top senior student-athlete in collegiate baseball who demonstrates the qualities both on and off the field of what it means to be a complete student-athlete, with specific attention paid to achievements in the classroom and community.

Buursma and Wilson are the second and third Bison student-athletes to be nominees for the accolade as 2007 graduate Ryan Gryskevicz was a finalist for the inaugural award last spring and was named an All-Senior All-American. Bucknell is one of only two schools in the nation with two candidates for the award, along with Creighton.

Through his first three seasons with the Orange and Blue, Buursma has become one of the most decorated players in program history, earning four All-Patriot League selections and a spot on the 2006 ABCA All-East Region First Team. A two-time member of the Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Award watch list, Buursma holds the school's career saves record with 15 and finished 2007 with the second lowest ERA in Patriot League history, 1.65. In a new role this season as one of the squad's weekend starters, the senior co-captain is 1-0 thus far with 16 strikeouts through 22.1 innings of work.

Buursma was taken in 43rd Round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Mariners, but chose to return to Bucknell and complete his college career. The 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II First Team honoree carries a 3.64 grade-point average as an economics major with a philosophy minor and has been named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll twice and to the Dean's List in six of seven semesters.

Senior Mathew Wilson

Wilson has recently earned recognition as nominee for both the 2008 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award and the Roger Clemens Award. He has posted 10 strikeouts in each of his first two starts of the season, setting a new career high and holds a 1-0 record with a 2.57 ERA in 14 innings pitched. Wilson entered his senior campaign fifth in Patriot League history with a career ERA of 3.25 and finished 2007 ranked eighth in the nation with a 1.78 ERA and a program record-tying two shutouts. As a double major in Economics and Philosophy, Wilson has posted a 3.49 cumulative GPA and is a two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

The baseball division of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award was launched in 2007. This award to honor seniors was first established due to the trend of men's college basketball players leaving school early to play professionally. After five years of honoring senior basketball players for remaining in school, the award expanded to other NCAA sports including baseball.

The player procurement process in baseball has created a system where many players are drafted prior to finishing their collegiate careers. This puts a premium on the value of senior leadership at the nation's collegiate baseball programs. The Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for baseball pays tribute to the senior student-athletes who compete hard on the field, finish their education and make an impact in their local community.

The second-annual baseball winner of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award will be announced during the 2008 College World Series.