Fordham's James Conway became the greatest tackler in DI history after setting the record for career tackles. Conway's second tackle of the day against Georgetown on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 moved him past the 577 career tackles record set by Troy's Carlton Martial (2018-22). Conway finished the day with nine total tackles, bringing his career total to 585.
Conway previously broke the FCS tackles record during his 16-tackle game against Lehigh on Oct. 25, passing the record on his 12th tackle of the game.
| No. of Tackles | Division | Player (Team) | Years Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 633 | Division II | Conner Harris (Lindenwood) | 2012-16 |
| 605 | Division III | Ryan Slager (Grinnell) | 2015-18 |
| 585 | FCS | James Conway (Fordham) | 2021-25 |
| 577 | FBS | Carlton Martial (Troy) | 2018-22 |
| 550 | FCS | Boomer Grigsby (Illinois State) | 2001-04 |
MORE RECORDS: See all of the records in FCS football
The DI record is the icing on the cake for James Conway's great start to his 2025 season. He has had double-digit tackles in all but three games this season, peaking with 20 tackles against Monmouth.
Conway joins his former Fordham teammate Ryan Greenhagen in the FCS tackling record books after Greenhagen set the FCS single-game tackling record with 31 tackles against Nebraska in 2021.
Conway's career single-game highs in tackles
- 22 — Lehigh, 2021
- 21 — Holy Cross, 2023
- 20 — Monmouth, 2025
- 19 — Holy Cross, 2025
- 17 — Boston College, 2025
- 17 — Holy Cross, 2025
- 16 — Lehigh, 2025
- 16 — Holy Cross, 2021
- 15 — Stony Brook, 2025
- 15 — Stony Brook, 2022
- 15 — UAlbany, 2022
- 15 — FAU, 2021
The tackling record is the latest accomplishment in Conway's great career. In 2024, Conway impressively earned All-Patriot League honors despite playing in only four games due to injury. He's earned all-conference honors in every year of his collegiate career. As a true freshman in 2021, Conway set the Fordham single-season freshman tackles record at 131, also the third-most single-season tackles in Fordham history.
| Year | Games | Tackles | Solo | TFLs | Sacks | FF | FR | INT | PBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11 | 131 | 61 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022 | 12 | 127 | 59 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2023 | 11 | 129 | 55 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2024 | 4 | 49 | 17 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 38 | 436 | 192 | 25.5 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
*2025 season still underway. Stats not included
