MISSOULA — Montana linebacker Dante Olson was named an Associated Press First-team All-American on Tuesday following a record-breaking season where he posted a national-best 151 tackles, shattering the UM school record.

Olson, one of three finalists for the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award for the national Defensive Player of the Year, is the only representative from the Big Sky Conference on the defensive first team after shattering the school record for single-season tackles.

“It’s an honor and a blessing to become an All-American,” said Olson. “It would never have been possible without my coaches and teammates, however.”

This is the first All-America selection for the prolific junior tackler this season after he broke Kendrick Van Ackeren’s 2015 school record of 130 tackles. The last UM player to earn a first-team nod from the AP was defensive end Tyrone Holmes, who led the nation in sacks in 2015 with 18. Wide receiver Jamaal Jones was also named to the AP’s second-team All-America list that season. Olson is now the 93rd AP All-American in program history.

The Medford, Oregon, native earned first-team Big Sky honors this season, and won UM’s Steve Carlson team MVP award in addition to defensive MVP honors at the Grizzlies’ post-season awards banquet in November.

His tally of 151 total tackles on the season was 26-shy of breaking the Big Sky record of 176, set by Eastern Washington linebacker JC Sherritt in the Eagles’ 2010 national championship run.

However, Sherritt and the Eagles played in four playoff games that season, where the Buchanan Award winner tallied an extra 51 tackles. Olson posted 151 regular season tackles, while Sherritt posted just 125 in the 2010 regular season.

Olson posted double-digit tackles in nine of Montana’s 11 games this season, including a single-game high of 24 at Cal Poly, 19 against Portland State, 18 against Montana State, and 16 against Drake. His 24 against the Mustangs are the second-most in UM school history behind Tim Hauck’s 25 tackles posted against Fresno State in 1989.

In addition to his 151 tackles, Olson also tallied 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, five quarterback hurries and three pass breakups in his breakout season.

Olson was named the STATS FCS national Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 8 and was named the ROOT Sports Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week three times as well.

In January he will travel to Frisco, Texas, for the STATS FCS national awards banquet ahead of the national championship game, where he will learn if he has become Montana’s third Buchanan Award winner in program history.

First Team

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Easton Stick, senior, North Dakota State

Running backs — Joe Protheroe, senior, Cal Poly; Ryan Fulse, senior, Wagner

Linemen — Tanner Volson, senior, North Dakota State; Matt Pyke, senior, East Tennessee State; Micah Shaw, senior, North Carolina A&T B.J. Autry, senior, Jacksonville State; Garrett Bowery, senior, Lamar

Tight end — Donald Parham, senior, Stetson

Wide receivers — Josh Pearson, junior, Jacksonville State; Michael Bandy, junior, San Diego

All-purpose player — Shane Simpson, junior, Towson

Kicker — Roldan Alcobendas, senior, Eastern Washington

DEFENSE

Linemen — Isaiah Mack, senior, Chattanooga; Derick Roberson, senior, Sam Houston State; Ahmad Gooden, senior, Samford; Darryl Johnson, junior, North Carolina A&T

Linebackers — Zach Hall, junior, Southeast Missouri State; Dante Olson, junior, Montana; B.J. Blunt, senior, McNeese State

Backs — Isaiah Swann, junior, Dartmouth; Robbie Grimsley, senior, North Dakota State; Jimmy Moreland, senior, James Madison; Will Warner, junior, Drake

Punter — Chris Faddoul, sophomore, Florida A&M

Second Team

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Devlin Hodges, senior, Samford

Running backs — A.J. Hines, junior, Duquesne; Marquis Terry, senior, Southeast Missouri State

Linemen — Iosua Operta, senior, Weber State; Spencer Blackburn, senior, Eastern Washington; Drew Forbes, senior, Southeast Missouri State; C.J. Collins, senior, Kennesaw State; Dan Cooney, senior, San Diego

Tight end — Matthew Gonzalez, junior, Robert Morris

Wide receivers — Kelvin McKnight, senior, Samford; Keelan Doss, senior, UC Davis

All-purpose player — D’Angelo Amos, sophomore, James Madison

Kicker — Grayson Atkins, sophomore, Furman

DEFENSE

Linemen — Khalen Saunders, senior, Western Illinois; Greg Menard, senior, North Dakota State; Jay-Tee Tiuli, senior, Eastern Washington; Nick Wheeler, junior, Colgate

Linebackers — Jabril Cox, sophomore, North Dakota State; Sterling Sheffield, senior, Maine; Adrian Hope, freshman, Furman

Backs — James Allen, senior, Charleston Southern; Tyree Robinson, sophomore, East Tennessee State; Nassir Adderly, senior, Delaware; Marlon Bridges, senior, Jacksonville State

Punter — Alex Pechin, senior, Bucknell

Third Team

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Chandler Burks, senior, Kennesaw State

Running backs — James Holland, senior, Colgate; James Robinson, junior, Illinois State.

Linemen — Matt Kaskey, senior, Dartmouth; Justus Basinger, junior, Wofford; C.J. Toogood, senior, Elon; Zack Johnson, junior, North Dakota State; Tiano Pupungatoa, senior, South Dakota State.

Tight end — Owen Cosenke, sophomore, Western Carolina

Wide receivers — Reggie White Jr., senior, Monmouth; Jazz Ferguson, junior, Northwestern State

All-purpose player — Kentel Williams, junior, Austin Peay

Kicker — Aidian O’Neill, junior, Towson

DEFENSE

Linemen — Nathan Clayberg, senior, Drake; Maurice Jackson, junior, Richmond; Filipe Satake, senior, Weber State; Solomon Brown, senior, Charleston Southern.

Linebackers — Pete Swenson, senior, Western Illinois; De’Arius Christmas, senior, Grambling State; Cameron Gill, junior, Wagner.

Backs — Abu Daramy-Swaray, junior, Colgate; Dominic Frasch, senior, Cal Poly; Davon Jernigan, senior, Lamar; Jordan Brown, senior, South Dakota State

Punter — Garret Wegner, sophomore, North Dakota State