NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale football captain Abu Kamara has been named to the 2026 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List, Stats Perform announced Tuesday, July 14.

The selection marks Kamara's third consecutive year receiving Buck Buchanan Award recognition.

The Buck Buchanan Award is presented annually to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS football. The 30-player preseason watch list includes representatives from all 13 FCS conferences and five past finalists.

In its 32nd season, the award is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State during his Hall of Fame career.

Kamara was named to the 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team on Monday, July 13. He earned the honor for the second consecutive year and was selected to the first team for the second straight season.

Following the 2025 season, Kamara was a unanimous First Team All-Ivy selection and the unanimous recipient of the Asa S. Bushnell Defensive Player of the Year Award. He finished the season with 76 tackles, including 40 solo stops, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, two interceptions, 13 pass breakups, one blocked kick and two defensive touchdowns.

Kamara also earned All-America honors from the Associated Press, Stats Perform, the AFCA and FCS Football Central. He was named a finalist for the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive player in the FCS.

Yale opens the season on the road at Holy Cross on Saturday, Sept. 19.