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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The preseason honors continue to roll in for William and Mary senior All-American defensive end Adrian Tracy, as he has been selected to the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive player in the FCS.

After establishing himself as one of the country's premier defensive players last fall, Tracy has garnered 2009 preseason All-America distinction by the Sports Network and Phil Steele's magazine. As a junior, he earned All-America honors from the Sports Network and the College Sporting News, while also garnering first-team All-CAA distinction and an Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Star selection. In addition to ranking sixth nationally with 0.91 sacks per game in 2008, he led the league with 1.41 tackles for a loss per game, which ranked 20th nationally. The Sterling, Va., native also ranked second in the CAA among defensive linemen with 6.5 tackles per game and finished the year with 72 tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss, 10.0 sacks and one blocked kick.

One of the Tribe's five captains for the upcoming season, Tracy has been a fixture in the starting lineup throughout his career and has earned 33 starts. With 19.0 career sacks, he enters the 2009 campaign ranked tied for second in the nation among all active players.

The list of preseason candidates for the Buchanan Award includes 20 of the country's top defensive players and will be revised in October and November before the final ballot is announced. Voting from a panel of FCS sports information directors, writers, broadcasters and other football experts will be conducted after the regular season ends. Three finalists will be announced on Nov. 30 and will be invited to the annual Sports Network Awards banquet on Dec. 17 in Chattanooga, Tenn., the night before the NCAA FCS championship game.

Ranked as high as 11th in the 2009 preseason polls, the Tribe returns 15 starters from last season's team that posted a 7-4 record and garnered a No. 20 final national ranking. W&M will open its season when it plays at Virginia on Sept. 5.