Buckman raised the bar for Belmont’s tradition-rich men’s distance program, excelling in cross country and track & field. The Louisville, Kentucky native was a six-time All-Atlantic Sun performer between the two disciplines, twice earning United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-South Region honors. He also was an NCAA Championship first-round qualifier in the 5,000 meters. Buckman was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Decade Team (2001-10) and was an integral part of four consecutive conference team championships from 2004-07. Jacob went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and earned the Belmont University Director of Athletics Character Award as his senior year. After Belmont, Jacob began active-duty service in the United States Air Force. During his 13 years, he flew both the C-21 and KC-10 aircraft all over the globe in instructor and evaluator capacities. He participated in several large-scale operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, both in flying and non-flying roles. Jacob separated from his Air Force service at the rank of Major in the summer of 2022. He spent a short period of time as a First Officer at Southwest Airlines. Currently, he is a First Officer at UPS Airlines, transitioning back to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky