THE LOU HENSON AWARD

Dec. 18, 2025

2025-26 LOU HENSON AWARD EARLY SEASON WATCH LIST
The top players in mid-major college basketball
[Press Release in PDF]

BOSTON, MA -- CollegeInsider.com has announced the ‘Early Season Watch List’ for the 2025-26 Lou Henson award, which is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball.

The Lou Henson award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.

Coach Henson is the winningest coach in Illinois basketball history with 423 victories. During his 21 seasons (1975-1996), Henson led the Fighting Illini to 16 postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA tournaments and a Final Four appearance in 1989.

Henson, who is also the all-time winningest coach in New Mexico State history with 289 victories, is one of only 11 coaches to take two different schools to the NCAA Final Four. His teams have made 19 NCAA appearances and four NIT appearances.

Coach Henson passed away on July 25, 2020.

The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.

LOU HENSON AWARD EARLY SEASON WATCH LIST

CJ Anthony

6-0

Sr.

Iona

Marcus Banks, Jr.

6-3

Sr.

UMass

Leo Beath

6-9

Jr.

UC San Diego

Austin Benigni

5-11

Sr.

Navy

Brycen Blaine

6-5

Jr.

Charleston Southern

Leon Bond, III

6-5

Jr.

Northern Iowa

Isaac Bruns

6-5

Jr.

South Dakota

Javontae Campbell

6-2

Sr.

Bowling Green

Zach Cleveland

6-7

Sr.

Liberty

Simeon Cottle

6-2

Sr.

Kennesaw State

Chandler Cuthrell

6-8

Sr.

Elon

Dominique Daniels, Jr.

5-10

Sr.

California Baptist

Cruz Davis

6-3

Jr.

Hofstra

Brett Decker, Jr.

6-3

So.

Liberty

Quinn Denker

6-3

Sr.

Northern Colorado

Thomas Dowd

6-8

Jr.

Troy

Cam'Ron Fletcher

6-7

Sr.

High Point

Daniel Freitag

6-2

So.

Buffalo

Delrecco Gillespie

6-8

Sr.

Kent State

DeSean Goode

6-8

So.

Robert Morris

Corey Hadnot II

6-3

Jr.

Purdue-Fort Wayne

Christian Hammond

6-4

So.

Santa Clara

Bryce Harris

6-4

Sr.

Howard

Robert Hinton

6-5

So.

Harvard

Nolan Hodge

6-7

Sr.

UNCW

Jackson Holcombe

6-7

So.

Utah Valley

Evan Ipsaro

6-0

Jr.

Miami

Javon Jackson

6-3

Sr.

Murray State

Dior Johnson

6-3

Jr.

Tarleton State

Jaquan Johnson

5-11

So.

Bradley

Tavari Johnson

6-0

Sr.

Akron

Jemel Jones

6-4

Sr.

New Mexico State

Tyler Lundblade

6-5

Sr.

Belmont

Nolan Minessale

6-5

So.

Saint Thomas (MN)

Amarri Monroe

6-7

Sr.

Quinnipiac

Teagan Moore

6-5

So.

Western Kentucky

Paulius Murauskas

6-8

Jr.

Saint Mary’s

Kenny Noland

6-2

Sr.

Columbia

Baraka Okojie

6-3

Jr.

Mercer

Jalen Quinn

6-3

Sr.

Drake

Brody Robinson

5-11

Sr.

Oakland

Darin Smith, Jr.

6-7

So.

Central Connecticut

Jalen Speer

6-1

Sr.

Marshall

Corey Stephenson

6-6

Sr.

Florida International

Tyler Tejada

6-9

Jr.

Towson

Keon Thompson

6-1

Sr.

Stephen F Austin

Nick Townsend

6-7

Sr.

Yale

Lance Waddles

6-4

Sr.

Omaha

Damari Wheeler-Thomas

6-0

Jr.

North Dakota State

Money Williams

6-4

Jr.

Montana

 

The Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in division I college basketball, honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
 
Henson is the winningest coach in Illinois basketball history with 423 victories. During his 21 seasons (1975-1996), Henson led the Fighting Illini to 16 postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA tournaments and a Final Four appearance in 1989.
 
Henson, who is also the all-time winningest coach in New Mexico State history with 289 victories, is one of only 11 coaches to take two different schools to the NCAA Final Four. His teams have made 19 NCAA appearances and four NIT appearances.
 
Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Coastal Athletic, CUSA, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, West Coast.
 
The Lou Henson award voting panel is made up of current division I coaches, athletic administrators, and senior College Insider staff members. The recipient of the 2025-26 award will be announced in April, Indianapolis, IN site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.
 

The Lou Henson award is presented annually to the top division I mid-major player as voted on by the award committee.

Eligible players must in the following conferences or leagues: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast and Western Athletic.

The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
 
The award is presented annually at the site of the men's Division I NCAA basketball championship. 
 
NOTE: The basis for mid-major designation is based on the criteria established by the Mid-Major Top 25 ® which was created by CollegeInsider.com and is a registered trademark.
 
 

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