Landmark Conference

Scranton's Buckley Earns Landmark Men's Cross Country Senior Scholar Athlete

11/22/2016 12:00:00 AM

TOWSON, Md. - The Landmark Conference selects 20 senior scholar athletes each year to recognize the top student-athlete in each sport based on academics and athletics. 

The honorees must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20 and are selected by a committee of Landmark Conference officers, athletics directors, and sports information directors. Chosen at the end of each sport season, the first six honorees will be announced over the next two weeks.

The University of Scranton senior Jimmy Buckley had a standout season for the Royals men's cross country team. As it turns out, he's no slouch in the classroom, either.

Buckley earned all-Landmark Conference first-team honors this season while leading the Royals in all seven events they competed in. He finished seventh at the conference meet on Oct. 29 to become the first Scranton men's cross country runner to first-team honors since 2011, and was a two-time Landmark Conference Athlete of the Week for men's cross country.

With top-25 finishes in four events this season, Buckley had the best year of his career. After being hampered by injury as a junior, he came back to finish fourth at the Cougar Classic on Sept. 17, 20^th at the Paul Short Invitational on Oct. 20, and 21^st at the Misericordia Invitational on Sept. 1. In four events at the 8,000-meter distance, he broke 27 minutes three times, and was under that pace at the Inter-Regional Border Battle on Oct, 15, which was 7,800 meters.

In the classroom, Buckley sports a 3.61 grade-point average while pursuing a degree in counseling & human services with a minor in educational studies. He has earned Dean's List four times and is a member of Tau Upsilon Alpha, the Counseling & Human Services Honor Society.

Buckley is also a peer facilitator with the University's International Service Program and served as a peer mentor with the SPARK Program, working with and supporting kids, ages 12-16 years, from inner city Scranton homes for a week.

A three time Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll selection, Buckley has also volunteered as a Montessori teacher's assistant, with the International Service Program in Haiti, with Companions of St. Francis Xavier service trips to Tennessee and Mexico, and the Thanksgiving Food Drive.