Dolac Named MAC Defensive Player of the Year; 10 Bulls Earn All-MAC Honors
12/5/2024 11:00:00 AM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac was named the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced on Thursday. It was also announced that 10 Bulls were named to the All-MAC football team.
Fellow linebacker Red Murdock joined Dolac on the first team. Edge Kobe Stewart was named to the second team. Running back Al-Jay Henderson, wide receiver Victor Snow, edge Dion Crawford, kicker Upton Bellenfant, punter Ethan Duane and offensive linemen Trevor Brock and Tyler Doty were named to the third team.
Dolac is the second UB player ever named MAC Defensive Player of the Year, joining Khalil Mack who earned the award in 2013. Dolac finished the regular season with eye-popping defensive numbers. He leads the nation with 159 tackles (two shy of the single-season school record) and has added 16.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and five interceptions. This season alone, he was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week a program-record five times.
Like Dolac, Murdock's numbers were equally impressive. The redshirt-sophomore linebacker finished the regular season ranked second in the nation in tackles with 143 and added 14 tackles for loss, two sacks and five forced fumbles.
Stewart made a huge impact in his first season with the Bulls. He leads the MAC with 9.5 sacks, the most by a UB player since Khalil Mack had 10.5 in 2013. He has added 40 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Henderson earned third team honors after rushing for nearly 1,000 yards on the season. The junior running back has rushed for 959 yards on the year to rank third in the MAC. He has added 17 receptions for 202 yards and has scored nine total touchdowns.
Snow has been the Bulls leading receiver in 2024. He has 51 receptions for 610 yards and six touchdowns on the season. He has had a strong finish to the season, catching touchdown passes in five of the last six games.
Playing multiple positions, Crawford has done a little bit of everything for the Bulls this season. He has excelled at the edge spot, finishing the regular season with 53 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He had five sacks in the last two games of the regular season.
Bellenfant has made 14 of his 16 field goal attempts on the season. He also made all 29 extra point attempts. His 37-yard walk-off field goal in overtime helped the Bulls upset nationally-ranked Northern Illinois.
Duane is the first punter in program history to be named All-MAC. The Australia-native ranks second in the conference in punting, averaging 42.6 yards per punt – good for third in program history for a single season.
One of the strengths of the Bulls this season has been the play of the offensive line and two of its members were recognized. Doty, the left guard, was a third-team selection for the second straight season. Brock, the right guard, earned All-MAC honors for the first time in his career.
With an eight-win campaign, the Bulls earned a spot in the Bahamas Bowl and will face Liberty on December 4.
Fellow linebacker Red Murdock joined Dolac on the first team. Edge Kobe Stewart was named to the second team. Running back Al-Jay Henderson, wide receiver Victor Snow, edge Dion Crawford, kicker Upton Bellenfant, punter Ethan Duane and offensive linemen Trevor Brock and Tyler Doty were named to the third team.
Dolac is the second UB player ever named MAC Defensive Player of the Year, joining Khalil Mack who earned the award in 2013. Dolac finished the regular season with eye-popping defensive numbers. He leads the nation with 159 tackles (two shy of the single-season school record) and has added 16.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and five interceptions. This season alone, he was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week a program-record five times.
Like Dolac, Murdock's numbers were equally impressive. The redshirt-sophomore linebacker finished the regular season ranked second in the nation in tackles with 143 and added 14 tackles for loss, two sacks and five forced fumbles.
Stewart made a huge impact in his first season with the Bulls. He leads the MAC with 9.5 sacks, the most by a UB player since Khalil Mack had 10.5 in 2013. He has added 40 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Henderson earned third team honors after rushing for nearly 1,000 yards on the season. The junior running back has rushed for 959 yards on the year to rank third in the MAC. He has added 17 receptions for 202 yards and has scored nine total touchdowns.
Snow has been the Bulls leading receiver in 2024. He has 51 receptions for 610 yards and six touchdowns on the season. He has had a strong finish to the season, catching touchdown passes in five of the last six games.
Playing multiple positions, Crawford has done a little bit of everything for the Bulls this season. He has excelled at the edge spot, finishing the regular season with 53 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He had five sacks in the last two games of the regular season.
Bellenfant has made 14 of his 16 field goal attempts on the season. He also made all 29 extra point attempts. His 37-yard walk-off field goal in overtime helped the Bulls upset nationally-ranked Northern Illinois.
Duane is the first punter in program history to be named All-MAC. The Australia-native ranks second in the conference in punting, averaging 42.6 yards per punt – good for third in program history for a single season.
One of the strengths of the Bulls this season has been the play of the offensive line and two of its members were recognized. Doty, the left guard, was a third-team selection for the second straight season. Brock, the right guard, earned All-MAC honors for the first time in his career.
With an eight-win campaign, the Bulls earned a spot in the Bahamas Bowl and will face Liberty on December 4.
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