March 6, 2007
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio — The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) announced the 2007 Academic All-Conference recipients Tuesday (March 6) afternoon and Marietta College senior Matt Rucker (Proctorville/Chesapeake) earned Academic All-OAC honors.

The award winners are selected by the OAC faculty athletic representatives. To be eligible, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.25 grade point average, be a starter or key reserve and be in at least his second year of participation in the sport.

Rucker, a center, saw action in all 25 games this season. He led the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg), assists (1.6 apg), and blocks (1.2 bpg). He also averaged 8.9 points and reached double figures in 10 games while shooting .535 from the floor this season. Rucker scored a season-high 22 points against Bridgewater (Va.) and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds against Bethany (W.Va.). He was also named the Case Western Alumni Tournament MVP after averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds during the team's opening weekend.

Off the hardwood, Rucker, a petroleum engineering major, is a member of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List, Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Student-Athlete Advisory Council (Secretary), Pi Epsilon Tau (Petroleum Engineering Honorary) and Kappa Mu Epsilon (Mathematics Honorary). After graduation, Rucker will begin his job as a Reservoir Engineer with Chesapeake Energy in Charleston, W.Va.

Marietta College finished the year 5-20 overall and 1-17 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Pioneers will open the 2007-08 season at the Gettysburg (Pa.) College Tournament November 16-17.

Senior Matt Rucker was named Academic All-OAC in 2007