April 29, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell senior Ira Reibeisen (Armonk, N.Y./Rye Country Day-Upper School), the Bison men's tennis program's all-time leader in victories, received a special award at the University's annual Senior Athletic Awards Banquet, sponsored by the Bison Club and held in Sojka Pavilion on Tuesday, April 29.

Reibeisen won the Bison Club Award, presented to senior athletes "who best exemplify the winning spirit of the University's athletic program." Reibeisen shared the award with Meagan Gins of the women's water polo team, who was the female selection.

In addition to Reibeisen, several other student-athletes were honored at the banquet, including the winners of the Christy Mathewson Award, given to the most outstanding athletes in the senior class.

A two-time First Team All-Patriot League member, Reibeisen concluded his senior season with Bucknell records for overall wins (146), singles wins (76) and doubles victories (69). He went 9-8 during this spring season, while playing at the challenging No. 1 position. In doubles play, he was 12-7 at the No. 1 spot with primary partner Ryan Sandburg.

A team captain, Reibeisen helped guide the Bison to their best regular-season finish in the Patriot League since 2001 and a berth in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals.

The Patriot League Men's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2007, Reibeisen also served as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee vice president as a junior and as the president as a senior.

Bucknell is a highly-selective, privately endowed liberal arts institution with an enrollment of approximately 3,400 undergraduate students. Bucknell competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Patriot League and has full membership along with American, Army, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy. Bucknell has won the Presidents' Cup, signifying the Patriot League's all-sports champion, in 13 of 17 years, including nine of the last 10.

Recently, 17 Bison programs - the seventh-most in Division I - earned NCAA Public Recognition for having Academic Performance Rates in the top 10 percent nationally in their respective sport. In addition, Bucknell ranks fifth in Division I in the total number of CoSIDA Academic All-America selections, with 114 national Academic All-Americans since 1970.