HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana senior linebacker Sione Teuhema finished 11th in the voting for the 2017 STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, STATS announced on Tuesday.
Teuhema was one of 25 finalists for the award, which has been annually awarded to the outstanding defensive player in the FCS. A trio of seniors were the top three vote-getters and were invited to the announcement of the winner at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet on Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas on the eve of the national championship game.
One of the three invitees of James Madison defensive end Andrew Ankrah, Jacksonville State defensive end Darius Jackson and Western Illinois linebacker Brett Taylor will walk away with the prestigious honor. Teuhema was one of four Southland Conference senior student-athletes up for the award, along with Sam Houston State defensive lineman P.J. Hall (8th-place finish), Central Arkansas cornerback Tremon Smith (13th) and Houston Baptist linebacker Garrett Dolan (18th).
Teuhema, who is also a Butkus Award candidate, is the fourth Southeastern student-athlete to be considered for the Buck Buchanan Award and his finish is the highest-ever by a SLU student-athlete. Teuhema was preceded by former Lions Robert Alford (2012, 18th), Isiah Corbett (2014, 22nd) and Harlan Miller (2015, 25th).
Teuhema’s postseason accolades were the result of one of the most dominant defensive performances in program history. The first team All-Southland Conference selection finished the season with 80 tackles, nine sacks and 19.0 tackles for loss. The Keller, Texas native’s tackle for loss total tied a single-season school record and currently ranks him sixth in the FCS.
A national panel of 151 sports information and media relation directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries voted on the Buck Buchanan Award following the regular season.
2017 STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award Final Voting
Top Three Finishers (Winner will be announced at STATS FCS Awards Banquet on Jan. 5 in Frisco)
Andrew Ankrah, DE, James Madison
Darius Jackson, DE, Jacksonville State
Brett Taylor, DE, Western Illinois
Results for 4th through 25th
Name: 1st place – 2nd place – 3rd place – 4th place – 5th place – Total Points
4. Jonathan Peterson, DE, San Diego: 7-8-18-11-4-147
5. Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State: 9-12-6-11-10-143
6. Mike Basile, S, Monmouth: 6-10-9-13-6-129
7. Ahmad Gooden, DE, Samford: 2-11-10-13-9-119
8. P.J. Hall, DL, Sam Houston State: 7-8-6-6-11-108
9. Anthony Ellis, DE, Charleston Southern: 4-5-8-8-9-89
10. Warren Messer, LB, Elon: 5-4-6-4-9-76
11. Sione Teuhema, LB, Southeastern Louisiana: 7-3-3-5-1-67
12. Nick DeLuca, LB, North Dakota State: 5-2-6-5-2-63
13. Tremon Smith, CB, Central Arkansas: 3-5-2-6-7-60
14. Matthew Oplinger, LB, Yale: 3-4-2-5-8-55
15. Brandon Bryant, LB, Lafayette: 2-2-5-5-5-48
16. Jared Farley, LB, Northern Iowa: 2-1-5-7-4-47
17. Marlon Bridges, S, Jacksonville State: 0-6-3-4-5-46
18. Garrett Dolan, LB, Houston Baptist: 1-2-1-5-16-42
19. Jaison Williams, DE, Austin Peay: 0-2-3-6-7-36
20. Christian Rozeboom, LB, South Dakota State: 1-2-3-2-7-33
21. Josh Buss, LB, Montana: 1-1-2-1-8-25
22 (Tie). De’Arius Christmas, LB, Grambling: 1-1-3-0-3-21
22 (Tie). Devontae Harris, CB, Illinois State: 0-1-4-2-1-21
24. Mario Jenkins, LB, Idaho State: 1-1-1-3-0-18
25. Malik Duncan, CB, Saint Francis: 0-0-1-1-1-16
Southeastern 2017 opponents in bold italics
