STONY BROOK, N.Y. - Senior redshirt captain linebacker Anthony Ferrelli continues to collect preseason accolades ahead of the 2026 campaign, as the California native was named to the 2026 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List, the organization announced this morning.

Ferrelli is one of 30 FCS defensive standouts selected to the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive player in FCS college football. He is also one of four players from the Coastal Athletic Association to earn a spot on the list.

Already tabbed a Stats Perform Third Team Preseason All-American, Ferrelli enters his final season with an impressive résumé. The senior has appeared in 33 career games for the Seawolves, totaling 225 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and one interception. He begins the 2026 season just 98 tackles shy of the program's all-time record and needs only 34 more stops to move into the top 10 in Stony Brook history, passing Dom Reyes.

The team captain is coming off a career-best 2025 campaign in which he earned CSC Academic All-District honors after recording 109 tackles (52 solo, 57 assisted), the fifth-most in the CAA and 23rd nationally among FCS players in both total tackles and tackles per game. He also added 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, his first career interception, a forced fumble against Fordham, and three pass breakups.

Ferrelli made his presence felt throughout the season, recording at least four tackles in every game while reaching double figures five times. He turned in a season-high 16 tackles and two tackles for loss against Maine, and his 109 total tackles tied for the third-most in a single season in program history.

CAA Representatives on the 2026 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List

• LB Brodie Carroll – Elon
• LB Anthony Ferrelli – Stony Brook
• DB Jaeden Jones – Monmouth
• LB Rohan Davy – Rhode Island

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