Oct. 8, 2007

LEWISBURG, Pa. - It had been 22 years since a Bucknell football player recorded rushing, receiving and kickoff return touchdowns in the same season, but this past Saturday at Colgate, Bison sophomore A.J. Kizekai (Pawtucket, R.I./Blair Academy) turned that rare hat trick in a matter of only about 23 minutes.

Kizekai had a 5-yard touchdown run and a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown in the first quarter, and just before halftime he grabbed a 19-yard TD reception, making him the first player in school history to record touchdowns in those three ways in the same game.

For his efforts, Kizekai was named both the Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week and the Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week on Monday. Also honored was freshman defensive back Tyler McFarlane (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Brunswick School), who was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week.

Kizekai, who also earned special teams player of the week honors on Sept. 10, recorded the seventh-longest kickoff return and the eighth-longest touchdown of any kind. It was the first kickoff return touchdown of his career, and it was also the first three-touchdown day of his career. All three of his scores came with Bucknell trailing by seven points and tied the game.

About the only thing that did not go well for Kizekai on Saturday was the final outcome, as Colgate rallied for a 28-24 victory with a touchdown with 31 seconds to play in the game.

The second-year speedster has been impressive for the Bison in 2007. Despite seeing very limited action in the Sept. 29 victory over Marist, Kizekai leads the team in rushing yards (230), receptions (10), receiving yards (206), kickoff return yards (708), all-purpose yards (1,144) and touchdowns (4).

In only six games, Kizekai is already only 45 kickoff return yards shy of the Bucknell single-season record. Troy White had 753 in 1994.

Kizekai now ranks 10th in the nation in all-purpose yards per game (190.7) and 16th in kickoff return average (29.5). His 708 total kickoff return yards is No. 1 in the nation.

The last Bucknell player to score via run, catch and kickoff return was Earl Beecham in 1985.

McFarlane became Bucknell's first Patriot League Rookie of the Week of 2007 after recording a career-high eight tackles and his first career interception against Colgate. The pickoff came in the end zone in the fourth quarter, preserving what was a 24-21 Bison lead at the time. McFarlane, who missed all of two games and parts of another with a leg injury earlier in the year, made his second career start on Saturday and now has 19 tackles on the year.

Bucknell has a bye this week and will take a 2-4 record (0-1 Patriot League) into its next game against Georgetown at home on Oct. 20.