EASTON, Pa. – Following a nine-win season that included a Patriot League title, Lafayette football has garnered three spots on the Associated Press FCS All-America Teams.
 
Heading that list was sophomore running back Jamar Curtis who was named to the AP Second-Team Offense. The Waldorf, Md. native finished second in the nation in rushing, grinding out 1,460 yards to set a new Lafayette single-season rushing record. Curtis collected All-Patriot League First-Team honors, averaging 133 yards per game, while finishing fourth in the nation in rushing touchdowns (15) and scoring (9.3 ppg) over 11 games. The first Leopard since 2013 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, Curtis finished off the 2023 campaign with a four-touchdown performance vs. No. 11 Delaware in the FCS Playoffs. Curtis was also named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award given to the offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
 
Joining Curtis on the second team, was senior linebacker Billy Shaeffer. Shaeffer led the Leopards and the conference with 10 sacks (0.83 per game) to end the season tied for 10th in the nation. It was the most sacks for a Leopard since 2000 and the second-most ever in a season at Lafayette. The Warrington, Pa. native also had 21.5 tackles for loss (TFL) to pace the Patriot League and rank him fourth in the nation. Shaeffer started all 12 games and led the team with 83 tackles and five forced fumbles to secure All-Patriot League First-Team honors. He was recently named to the final three for the Buck Buchanan Award which honors the national defensive player of the year in college football.
 
Fellow defensive stalwart Saiku White was an AP Third-Team Defense selection following his junior campaign. White guided the Leopard secondary from his safety position, finishing second on the team in tackles (77) while leading the Maroon and White with four interceptions, including game-changing picks in road conference wins over Georgetown and Lehigh. Like Curtis and Shaeffer, white reeled in All-Patriot League First-Team status.
 
Lafayette finished the 2023 campaign 9-3, a five-win improvement from 2022 and the most wins for the program since 1981. Along the way, Lafayette collected its eighth Patriot League title and fifth NCAA FCS Playoff appearance to accompany 12 All-Patriot League selections including Patriot League Rookie of the Year Jaylon Joseph and coach of the year John Troxell.
 
The All-America team is selected for the AP by a panel of sports writers and sports information directors who cover FCS football.