Another day is another opportunity for Ron’Dell Carter to be recognized.

On Tuesday, STATS FCS named the James Madison senior defensive end a top-three finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given annually to the top defensive player in the subdivision.

Carter, Montana senior linebacker Dante Olson and Nicholls senior defensive lineman Sully Laiche were the top three vote-getters for the honor, which will handed out at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet on Jan. 10, the eve of the national championship game, in Frisco, Texas.

“He’s got really good speed, got great quickness and power,” Dukes coach Curt Cignetti said earlier this week about Carter.

Carter already was tabbed as the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year late last month and was named a finalist for the Bill Dudley Award, given to the top Division I player in Virginia, on Monday.

Entering Friday’s national quarterfinal against Northern Iowa, Carter has racked up 56 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, a forced fumble and 11 quarterback hurries.

He’s the sixth JMU player to be a top-three finalist and if he captures the award will become the third ever member of the Dukes to do so, joining Derrick Lloyd (2001) and Arthur Moats (2009).

Carter and fellow defensive end John Daka are the first ever pair of JMU teammates to finish in the top 10 of voting. Daka placed seventh for the award and picked up 11 first-place votes, which are tied for the most for a non top-three finisher.

Daka has 55 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks this season.

As for the other finalists, Olson leads the FCS with 165 total tackles and Laiche ended his season with 63 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.