June 13, 2002

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Jim Buckley (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill), who spent the spring as the catcher on the Siena baseball team, was recognized by the American Baseball Coaches Association as a Second Team Rawlings All-Northeast Region Team selection. Buckley, who was drafted in the 25th round of last week's Major League Baseball First Year Players draft by the Boston Red Sox, batted .292 with a team-best 54 RBI.

Buckley capped off a stellar Siena career with a strong senior season at the plate and behind the plate. In addition to his 54 RBI, Buckley has 12 home runs and boasted a .535 slugging percentage. Defensively, he tossed out 25-of-62 (40%) would-be basestealers including 62% of conference runners. He also notched 13 doubles on the season, moving him into second on the Siena career charts in that category.

Buckley has been assigned to the Lowell Spinners of the New York Penn League, and will make his return to the Capital Region one week from tomorrow (Fr., June 21) when the Tri City Valley Cats open their inaugural season against Buckley's Spinners. Former teammate Dave Pahucki (the ace of the 2002 Saints), who was drafted in the 23rd by the Red Sox, is also on the team.

The head coaches that comprise the Northeast Region nominated and then voted on their choices for the team. Below is a listing of the Second Team.

2002 ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast Region First Team

1B-Phil Rothkugel, Central Connecticut
2B-Charles D'Elia, Quinnipiac
SS-Mike Gaffney, New York Tech
3B-Tom Merkle, New York Tech
OF-Jeff Barry, Vermont
OF-Anthony Bocchino, Marist
OF-Matt Buckmiller, Columbia
C-Luke Carlin, Northeastern
DH-Trey Hendricks, Harvard
P-Chris Lambert, Boston College
P-Ben Crockett, Harvard
P-Chris Tracz, Marist
Reliever-Thomas Pauley, Princeton

2002 ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast Region Second Team
1B-Mike Bohlander, Pace
2B-Nick Italiano, Pennsylvania
SS-Brett Burnham, UConn
3B-Jim Willis, Marist
OF-Bobby Kingsbury, Fordham
OF-Matt Lemanczyk, Sacred Heart
OF-Drew Locke, Boston College
C-Jim Buckley, Siena
DH-Brian Durkin, Boston College
P-Mike Collar, Maine
P-Kevin Ool, Marist
P-Mark Sullivan, Boston College
Reliever-Chris Homer, Marist