Buck Buchanan Award: 30 FCS Defensive Standouts Named Finalists for 2025 Buck Buchanan Award | Opta Analyst
WACO, Texas- Jackson State edge rusher Quincy Ivory is one 30 finalists for the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football announced by Stats Perform on Tuesday morning.
The award, in its 31st season, is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career.
Past Buchanan recipients include Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis and Jared Allen. Central Arkansas' David Walker was last season's winner. All 13 FCS conferences are represented by a finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Ivory finished the regular season with a team-high 64 tackles including 31 solo, while also recording 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. He also recorded an interception (against Alabama State), recorded five quarterback hurries, forced one fumble, and recovered two others. Ivory recorded eight or more tackles four times including eight against Hampton, 10 against Southern Miss, 10 against Alabama A&M, and a career-high 12 against Alabama State.
He recorded at least 0.5 sack in six games this season including a career-high two against Hampton, and recorded at least 0.5 tackle for loss in 10 games this season including a season-high 3.5 against Hampton. The senior is ranked nationally in tackles for loss (20th), sacks (52nd), and fumbles recovered (93rd); while he is ranked second in the conference in tackles for loss and third in sacks.
This season he was named SWAC Defensive Player of the Week three times and SWAC Newcomer of the Week three other times.
He joins a list that includes defensive linemen Lando Brown (Southern Utah), David Hoage (West Georgia), Robert Holz (Gardner-Webb), Kaleb Proctor (Southeastern Louisiana), Jacob Psyk (UC Davis), Joshua Stoneking (Furman), Andrew Zock (Mercer); linebackers Sean Allison (Drake), Luke Banbury (William & Mary), James Conway (Fordham), Theron Gaines (Tennessee Tech), Shane Hartzell (Villanova), Erick Hunter (Morgan State], Logan Kopp (North Dakota State), Rashon Myles Jr. (Abilene Christian), Tye Niekamp (Illinois State), Tyler Ochojski (Lehigh), A.J. Pena (Rhode Island), Jayden Southard (Stephen F. Austin), Jack Stoll (Central Connecticut State); and defensive backs Ty Bartrum (Harvard), Kimal Clark (Indiana State), Caden Dowler (Montana State), Jalen Jones (William & Mary), Abu Kamara [Yale], Kasyus Kurns (Tarleton State), Maximus Pulley (Wofford), Nate Robinson Jr. (Marist), and Jarod Washington (South Carolina State).
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, and Tennis.
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball.
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For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.