Olson returns to Frisco as Buchanan Award Finalist

After a second-straight season leading the FCS in tackles, record-breaking Montana linebacker Dante Olson has been invited to Frisco, Texas, for a second-straight year as one of the top-three vote-getters for the presentation of the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, which honors the outstanding defensive player in college football's Division I subdivision.

Olson returns to the FCS Awards Banquet to find out if he will become Montana's third national defensive player of the year award winner after finishing third in the voting as a junior in 2018.

Joining Olson in Texas as top-three finalists are senior defensive ends Ron'Dell Carter of James Madison and Sully Laiche of Nicholls, each of whom topped the voting out of 26 overall finalists.

The Buchanan, named for the Pro and College Football Hall-of-Famer and presented since 1995, will be handed out at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet on Jan. 10 - the eve of the national championship game

Now in its 25^th year, Montana has had 13 finalists for the Award in program history, with Kroy Biermann winning in 2007 and Tyrone Holmes winning in 2015. Olson the fourth player in UM history to repeat as a finalist in consecutive seasons. Other two-time finalists include Biermann, Trumaine Johnson, and Jordan Tripp.

Olson, the co-Big Sky defensive player of the year, leads the FCS with 165 tackles and has 11 tackles for loss, 3½ sacks, two takeaways and two forced fumbles in 13 games. He is currently 11 tackles away from becoming Montana's all-time leading tackler in just two seasons as a starter.

Carter, the CAA Football defensive player of the year, has lived in opposing backfields, totaling 24 tackles for loss – tied for the second-most in the FCS – and 10½ sacks among his 56 tackles in 13 games. He also has 11 quarterback hurries for the No. 2-ranked and conference champion Dukes.

Laiche, the first defensive player since 2007 to be named the Southland's overall player of the year, helped Nicholls to a second straight conference title. After missing the first two games following offseason surgery, Laiche had 63 tackles, 22½ tackles for loss, 12 sacks and four forced fumbles in 12 games.

Olson will also find out if he's the winner of the 2019 STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award at the banquet in Frisco.

A national panel of 156 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries voted on the Buchanan Award following the regular season. Voters selected a Top 5 on their ballot.

The 2019 Buck Buchanan Award results for fourth through 26th place were as follows:
4. Zach Hall, LB, Southeast Missouri: 11-15-12-13-16-193
5. Derrek Tuszka, DE, North Dakota State: 7-16-14-11-5-168
6. Kordell Jackson, S, Austin Peay: 4-13-12-13-10-144
7. John Daka, DE, James Madison: 11-7-7-9-9-131
8. Brandon Easterling, S, Dayton: 10-8-3-3-10-107
9. Elerson Smith, DE, Northern Iowa: 3-3-13-9-8-92
10. Eli Mencer, LB, Albany: 3-4-4-8-10-69
11. Christian Rozeboom, LB, South Dakota State: 2-6-4-9-4-68
12. Anthony Adams, DB, Portland State: 3-4-7-2-5-61
13. Bryson Armstrong, LB, Kennesaw State: 3-1-5-9-3-55
14.(tie) Da'Jon Lee, LB, Saint Francis: 0-3-6-8-7-53
14.(tie) Bryce Sterk, DE, Montana State: 2-5-4-4-3-53
16. Greg Liggs Jr., CB, Elon: 1-3-3-8-5-47
17. Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois: 2-2-2-7-6-44
18. Cam Gill, LB, Wagner: 2-4-1-1-5-36
19. Willie Eubanks Jr., LB, The Citadel: 1-3-3-0-3-29
20. Isiah Swann, CB, Dartmouth: 1-1-2-3-4-25
21.(tie) Aaron Patrick, DE, Eastern Kentucky: 2-0-1-4-2-23
21.(tie) Keith Woetzel, LB, Lehigh: 0-3-3-1-0-23
23. Rico Kennedy, LB Morgan State: 1-0-2-2-1-16
24. Nick Wheeler, DE, Colgate: 2-0-0-0-1-11
25. Artevius Smith, S, ETSU: 0-1-1-1-1-10
26. Solomon Muhammad, LB, Alcorn State: 1-0-0-0-4-9
A first-place vote was worth five points, a second-place vote four points, a third-place vote three points, a fourth-place vote two points and a fifth-place vote one point.

MONTANA CANDIDATES FOR THE BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD
(D1-AA/FCS Defensive Player of the Year)
2000 - Andy Petek (Runner-up)
2001 - Vince Huntsberger (Runner-up)
2002 - Trey Young*
2006 - Kroy Biermann*
2007 - Kroy Biermann!
2010 - Trumaine Johnson*
2011 - Trumaine Johnson*
2012 - Jordan Tripp*
2013 - Jordan Tripp*
2015 - Tyrone Holmes!^
2017 - Josh Buss*
2018 - Dante Olson*
2019 – Dante Olson*
! Award Winner
* Finalist
^ STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year

MORE ON OLSON
2019 Season (senior – as of 12/10/19):

Buck Buchanan Award Finalist (FCS Defensive Player of the Year)
2019 Big Sky Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year
2019 First-Team All-Big Sky Defense
152 regular-season total tackles: Led FCS and Big Sky Conference for 2nd-straight season (A school record)
- His 152 tackles were the 2nd– most in D-I football (FCS & FBS)
Now the 2^nd leading tackler in Montana history in just two seasons as a starter
Posted double-digit tackle totals in 8 of Montana's 12 games
Had a season-high 18 tackles in two games, Posted game-high 14 tackles (10 solo) against Oregon Ducks
2019 Golden Helmet Award Winner (Team's Hardest Hitter)
CoSIDA Academic All-American
Finalist for the STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award
NFF National Scholar-Athlete and William V. Campbell Trophy finalist
Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Member
Big Sky Football Community Service Team member
Butkus Award Preseason Watch List (Only FCS Player on the list)
Phil Steele Magazine Preseason All-America First Team
Phil Steele Magazine Preseason All-Big Sky First Team
Big Sky Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
STATS FCS Preseason All-American
Athlon Sports Preseason All-American
HERO Sports Preseason All-American
College Football America Yearbook Preseason Starting Lineup

2018 Season (junior):

Set Montana school record for single season tackles (151- Previous 130, K. Van Ackeren, 2015)
NCAA Statistical Champion for Tackles Per Game (13.7 – the most in FCS or FBS football)
Top-three finalist for the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award (Defensive Player of the Year)
Phil Steele 2018 FCS Defensive Player of the Year
Phil Steele Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year
Phil Steele First-Team All-American
Athlon Sports All-American
STATS FCS First-Team All-American
Walter Camp Foundation All-American
Associated Press First-Team All-American
American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) First-Team All-American
HERO Sports First-Team All-American
First-Team All-Big Sky Defense
Steve Carlson Team MVP
Grizzly Team Defensive MVP
2018 GoGriz.com Person of the Year
Three-time ROOT Sports Big Sky Player of the Week
Two-time College Sports Madness Big Sky Player of the Week
STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Week (9/8)
Academic All-Big Sky

MORE: Against UNI (9/1), Olson led the Grizzly defense with 13 total tackles ... Also recorded an interception which he returned 26 yards, a sack for a loss of 9 yards, one PBU and one QB hurry ... Was named the ROOT Sports Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week after the UNI game ... Against Drake (9/8), Olson recorded 16 tackles, 2 sacks (career high), 3.5 TFL's (career high), one forced fumble and one PBU ... Olson recorded 11 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, half a sack, one QB hit, and an interception that he returned 25 yards in a well-rounded performance vs. Western Illinois (9/15) ... Against Sacramento State (9/22) recorded 15 tackles, 1 sack, 1 PBU, and a QB hit ... Against Cal Poly (9/29) Olson earned Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for the 3rd time in 5 weeks putting up 24 total tackles (career high and 2nd best single-game tackling performance in UM history) ... Against Portland State (10/6) put up 19 tackles, half a sack, 2 TFL's and 2 forced fumbles ... Olson put up 8 tackles and one half of a TFL in a matchup against North Dakota (10/13) ... Olson added to his impressive season totals with a 13 tackle and one sack performance vs. #6 UC Davis (10/27) ... Leading his team in tackling, Olson contributed to his team's road victory over Idaho (11/10) with 10 tackles and a QB hit on the day ... Olson completed his break-out season with an 18 tackle performance against rival Montana State (11/17)

2017 Season (sophomore):

Second Team All-Big Sky on Special Teams
UM's Hauck Family Special Teams Player of the Year
Academic All-Big Sky

MORE: Recorded 38 tackles, 16 of them solo … Had 2 TFLs and one sack against Idaho State for a loss of seven yards … Blocked a kick against Northern Colorado … Logged QB hurries against Savannah State and Eastern Washington … Played in all 11 games for UM … Once again awarded the William (Robi) Robertson Memorial Athletic Scholarship at the annual Lindsay Awards Banquet

2016 Season (freshman):

UM's Hauck Family Special Teams Player of the Year
Academic All-Big Sky

MORE: Olson played in 11 games as a redshirt freshman at linebacker … Recorded 29 tackles, seven of them solo … Had two tackles for loss for six yards, also recorded a sack … Had back to back games with seven tackles against Miss. Valley State and Sacramento State … Recorded both tackles for loss and also his only sack in the Miss. Valley State game... Awarded the William (Robi) Robertson Memorial Athletic Scholarship at the annual Lindsay Awards Banquet.

2015 Season (redshirt):

UM's Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year

HIGH SCHOOL: Olson was a four-year letterman in football at Cascade Christian HS, where his team won four conference championships (10-3 in 2011; 13-1 in 2012; 12-2 in 2013, and 8-3 in 2014) in a row... Three-year team captain and defensive player of the year.... Also led his team in tackles for three seasons...Voted defensive MVP of his conference and the state two times... His senior year he had 135 tackles, 5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles; rushed for 583 yards and 8 TDs... named to the state's All-Star Football Game... A three-time all-state selection at linebacker and tight end (as a senior) ... His prep coach was Jon Gettman.... Also lettered in basketball and tennis.

Scholastic Honors and Accomplishments:
• 2019 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete & William V. Campbell Trophy Finalist
• 2019 STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award Finalist
• 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-District
• 2018 FCS Athletic Director's Association Academic All-Star
• Four-time selection to Montana's President's Honor Roll for 4.0 GPA (Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2018, Spring 2019)
• Four-time selection to Dean's List: Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Spring 2018,
• Three-time Academic All-Big Sky (2016, '17, & '18)
• Two-time recipient of Montana's William (Robi) Robertson Memorial Athletic Scholarship

PERSONAL: Olson carries a 3.91 GPA .... A Management major with minor in Entertainment Management … His parents are Linda and Jeff Olson of Medford … His dad Jeff is a Hall of Fame head football coach at Southern Oregon University … Serves as a pen-pal mentor to a class of underprivileged kids in Northern California

Community Service
Campus Activities / Leadership / Citizenship:

University of Montana Athletics

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