NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Sophomore defensive back Abu Kamara of the Yale football team has been named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
 
Kamara is one of 35 student-athletes who are being recognized as finalists and one of two from the Ivy League. Columbia's Hayden McDonald is also up for the award.
 
The award is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen and Arthur Moats.
 
Kamara was an important presence for the Bulldogs on defense and was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week on two separate occasions.
 
His first came on Oct. 28 after helping the Bulldogs to a 31-10 victory over Penn on Friday, Oct. 25. Yale's defense limited the Quakers to just one touchdown and held them to no points scored in the first, third, and fourth quarter of the win. Individually, Kamara had seven total tackles (five solo, two assisted) including one tackle for loss. In addition, he had his second-straight game with a forced fumble, his first interception and first quarterback hurry of the season.
 
Kamara's most recent DPOW honor was after a 34-29 victory over Harvard on Nov. 23. He led team in tackles with eight total. Five of his eight tackles were solos. In the third quarter, Kamara had an interception that he returned 35 yards for a touchdown. It was his second interception of the season.
 
This season, he had 84 total tackles, with 67 solos, two total for loss, one sack, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two interceptions, five pass break-ups, as well as 10 quarterback hurries.
 
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 Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas. You can find a complete list of the finalists here.