Bruckel was the IC4A champion in the 440 and placed fourth in the IC4A 220 in 1966. He won the Heps outdoor 440 in '66 and was the Heps outdoor 220 winner and tied for first in 100 the following year. Bruckel won the Heps indoor 600 title in 1966. He ran the anchor leg of the mile relay which set a school record in placing third at the 1967 outdoor NCAA championships and was second in 1967 at indoor Heps. Bruckel placed third in the 600 at the 1967 Millrose Games. Bruckel was second in the outdoor IC4A 100 in '67. Team captain of the 1967 squad, he set a Cornell record in the 200. Bruckel was third in the outdoor Heps 220 as sophomore and anchored the Heptagonal 4x400 relay to victory at Penn Relays in 1966. He was an Olympic Trials finalist in 1968 in the 200, running a 20.3 which equaled the Olympic record, but just missed making US team.
