EASTON, Pa. – Senior linebacker Billy Shaeffer has made his last season on College Hill one of his best, and national recognition has followed. Shaeffer has been named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football and presented by FedEx Ground.
 
The outside linebacker has a team-leading 10 sacks, most in the Patriot League, ranking him fourth in the nation. It is the most sacks for a Leopard since 2000 and the second-most ever in a season at Lafayette. Shaeffer also has 20 tackles for loss (TFL) which rank him first in the Patriot League and third in the nation.
 
The Warrington, Pa. native has twice been named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week in 2023 (Oct. 2 and Oct. 9) and leads the team with 75 tackles. He turned up the pressure in the last seven games with 10 sacks and 18.5 TFL in a 6-1 stretch for the Leopards.
 
Shaeffer, who has played in 47 career games, was an All-Patriot League Second-Team selection in 2019 and is likely to earn first-team honors later today when the 2023 All-Patriot League Teams are announced.
 
The Buchanan Award, first presented in 1995, is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen and Arthur Moats. All 13 FCS leagues, comprised from 15 conferences overall, are represented by a Buck Buchanan Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced at the FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas – the eve of the FCS championship game.