Furman's Stoneking Named FCS ADA National Defensive Player of the Year

SPARTANBURG, SC – Furman standout Joshua Stoneking was named Division I Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) National Defensive Player of the Year on Friday as part of the organization’s All-America Team.

Stoneking (Raleigh, NC / Cardinal Gibbbons HS) led FCS with 14.5 sacks (minus-97 yards) and 23.0 tackles for loss (minus-132 yards) in 2025. He led Furman with 79 total tackles (42 solo) in 12 games and posted nine quarterback hurries, two pass break ups, a blocked kick, and two fumble recoveries.

The 6-foot-4, 265-pound defensive end was a consensus All-America selection following the season, earning a spot on teams selected by Football Central, the Associated Press, Stats Perform, AFCA, the Walter Camp Foundation, and FCS ADA. Stoneking is the third Furman football standout to earn a National Player of the Year honor, joining Jeff Blankenship (1988) and Louis Ivory (2001) in that exclusive club.

Now in its 13^th year, the FCS ADA All-America team recognizes 11 individuals as the top players at their position in the FCS.

Stoneking is also one of three finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually by Stats Perform to the top defensive player in the FCS. That award will be announced tonight, January 3, in Nashville, TN, as part of the FCS National Awards presentation at Woolworth Theatre. Mercer’s Andrew Zock is also a finalist for the Buchanan Award, and Western Carolina’s Taron Dickens is one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award. Mercer’s Braden Atkinson was named the Jerry Rice Award winner following the season by Stats Perform as the nation’s top freshman.

About the FCS ADA: The Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. For more information on the FCS ADA, please visit  www.fcsada.com . The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 61st year. For more information on NACDA and the 19 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit  www.nacda.com .