Nov. 11, 1999

AMHERST, Mass. — University of Massachusetts junior linebacker Kole Ayi (Nashua, N.H.) has been named a finalist for the 1999 Buck Buchanan Award. He is one of 16 finalists for the award, which is presented annually to the top Division I-AA defensive player in the nation by The Sports Network. The recipient of the award will be announced at the 13th Annual Division I-AA College Football Awards Banquet, to be held at Mickey Mantle’s Restaurant in New York City on December 6.

"There are so many great defensive players in I-AA football that it was a difficult process to narrow down the finalists to just 16," said Ryan Nadeau, Executive Director of I-AA Awards for The Sports Network. "These players represent the best in the division, and some of the best in college football as a whole. I want to congratulate all of the Buchanan Award Finalists, and wish them well for the rest of the season."

Ayi has 120 total tackles on the season, including 87 solo stops. He has also recorded 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions and four quarterback hurries. Ayi leads the team in both total tackles and unassisted tackles, while ranking second in sacks and quarterback hurries, and third in tackles for loss. He also leads the Atlantic 10 Conference in tackles with an average of 13.1 per game.

Over the course of his career, Ayi has now totaled 328 total tackles, with 232 solo stops, 26 tackles for loss, seven sacks and nine pass breakups. He currently ranks fifth all-time at UMass in unassisted tackles and sixth in total tackles.

The Minutemen have an overall record of 6-3 on the season, with a 5-1 mark in the Atlantic 10. UMass has two regular season games remaining this year, at William & Mary this Saturday at 1:00 p.m., and at home against Connecticut at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 20.

1999 Buck Buchanan Award Finalists

Player              Pos.   Yr.   School
Voncellies Allen    NT     Sr.   Georgia Southern 
Kole Ayi            LB     Jr.   UMass 
Lamar Carter        DE     Sr.   Tennessee State 
Ian Dominelli       LB     Sr.   Youngstown State 
Corey Hall          FS     Sr.   Appalachian State 
Edgerton Hartwell   LB     Jr.   Western Illinois 
Tim Head            LB     Sr.   Jackson State 
Isaiah Kacyvenski   LB     Sr.   Harvard 
John Keith          SS     Sr.   Furman 
Al Lucas            NT     Sr.   Troy State 
Jim Magda           DT     Jr.   Hofstra 
Jojo Oliphant       DE     Sr.   Maine 
Derick Pack         LB     Jr.   James Madison 
Matt Pederson       LB     Sr.   Northern Iowa 
Kevin Peterson      LB     Sr.   East Tennessee State
Brennan Swanson     LB/DE  Sr.   Cal State Northridge

Past Buck Buchanan Award Winners

Year   Player           Pos.   School
1995   Dexter Coakley   LB     Appalachian State
1996   Dexter Coakley   LB     Appalachian State
1997   Chris McNeil     DE     North Carolina A&T 
1998   James Milton     LB     Western Illinois