CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Three Mid-American Conference student-althetes have earned Associated Press All-America First Team honors. Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr., Buffalo’s Shaun Dolac, and Western Michigan’s Addison West each earned prestigious recognition for their outstanding performances during the 2024 football season.
Harold Fannin Jr. | Tight End | Bowling Green
Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. earned his third consensus First Team All-America honor after being selected to the AP squad. Fannin, who was previously honored by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the AFCA, becomes the first Falcon to receive First Team AP All-America recognition since punter Cris Shale in 1990.
Fannin has had a record-breaking season, ranking No. 2 in the nation with 1,342 receiving yards. He leads all tight ends in 21+ offensive categories, including receptions (100), yards after catch (750), first downs (64), and broken tackles (31). He is just 11 yards shy of breaking the FBS single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end, currently held by Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro (1,352 yards in 2013). According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Fannin boasts the highest overall grade in the nation (95.9) and holds the record for most broken tackles by a tight end in PFF’s 11-season history.
Fannin’s dominance has extended beyond the numbers, as he became the first tight end in FBS history to be named a conference Player of the Year. The MAC’s Vern Smith Leadership Award winner, MAC Offensive Player of the Year, and a First Team All-MAC honoree, Fannin continues to add to his postseason accolades.
Shaun Dolac | Linebacker | Buffalo
University at Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac also earned First Team AP All-America honors, marking the first time in program history a UB player has received this recognition. Dolac’s accolades this season include First Team honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation, as well as second-team recognition from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
Dolac, the 2024 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, put up historic defensive numbers, leading the nation with 159 tackles (just two shy of Buffalo’s single-season record). He also recorded 16.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and five interceptions. A finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, awarded annually to the top player who began their career as a walk-on, Dolac’s impact on the Bulls has been extraordinary. He was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week a record five times this season and has been recognized as an All-American by CBS, The Athletic, PFF, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated.
Dolac joins Buffalo legends Khalil Mack and Jaret Patterson as players to receive AP All-America honors, cementing his place among the program’s all-time greats.
Addison West | Guard | Western Michigan
Western Michigan senior guard Addison West was named a First Team AP All-American after a stellar season anchoring the Broncos’ offensive line. West, who also earned First Team All-MAC honors, started all 12 games this season, playing 11 at guard and one at center. His versatility and consistency have been critical to Western Michigan’s offensive success.
Rated the top guard in college football by Pro Football Focus, West has not allowed a single sack all season. His dominance in the trenches helped the Broncos produce the MAC’s top offense, averaging 29.4 points per game. Over his career, West has started every game since the 2022 season and played a key role in the success of two 1,000-yard rushers: Sean Tyler (2022) and Jalen Buckley (2023).
