Dolac named AP first-team All-American

UB linebacker Shaun Dolac was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press on Monday, the first Bull to be named a first-team AP All-American in program history.

It’s Dolac’s second first-team All-American honor in a week: He was selected to the designation by the Walter Camp Football Foundation last Thursday. He’s also UB’s first first-team Walter Camp All-American. The Walter Camp team — members are selected by head coaches and sports information directors — is the nation's oldest college football All-America team.  

Khalil Mack (2013) and Jaret Patterson (2020) were previous AP and Walter Camp All-Americans, but both were named to the second team. Gerald LaFountain was an honorable mention AP All-American in 1965.
   
Dolac also was named a second-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). He is the third UB football player to earn the honor, joining Mack (2013) and Patterson (2020,) who were also named to the second team.

Dolac, the 2024 Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year, is having a historic season for the Bulls, finishing 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 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.

He was a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to the best player in college football who started his career as a walk-on.

Dolac was also named an All-American by CBS, The Athletic, PFF, USA Today and Sports Illustrated.

Dolac and the Bulls will face Liberty in the Bahamas Bowl on Jan. 4.