THE LOU HENSON AWARD

Nov. 19, 2024

2024-25 LOU HENSON EARLY SEASON WATCH LIST
Presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball.


BOSTON, MA -- The 2023-24 Lou Henson ‘Early Season’ Watch list has been announced. The award 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 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, TX, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.

2024-25 LOU HENSON AWARD EARLY SEASON WATCH LIST

Tytan Anderson

6-6

Northern Iowa

Daniel Batcho

6-11

Louisiana Tech

Rasheed Bello

6-0

Purdue Fort Wayne

Austin Benigni

5-10

Navy

Devontae Blanton

6-6

EKU

Juslin Bodo Bodo

7-0

High Point

Trey Bonham

6-0

Chattanooga

Jamar Brown

6-5

Kansas City

Ante Brzovic

6-10

Charleston

Adam Clark

5-10

Merrimack

AJ Clayton

6-7

Ohio

Zach Cleveland

6-7

Liberty

Tayton Conerway

6-3

Troy

Duke Deen

5-8

Bradley

Kintavious Dozier

6-1

Grambling

Kezza Giffa

6-2

High Point

Landon Glasper

6-2

NC A&T

Tyon Grant-Foster

6-7

Grand Canyon

Barrington Hargress

6-0

UC Riverside

Bryce Harris

6-4

Howard

Ray Harrison

6-4

Grand Canyon

Ty Johnson

6-3

UC Davis

Jordan Jones

6-0

Central Connecticut

Rylan Jones

6-0

Samford

Kobe Julien

6-6

Arkansas State

Jacari Lane

6-0

North Alabama

Xaivian Lee

6-4

Princeton

Kino Lilly, Jr.

6-0

Brown

TJ Long

6-4

Vermont

Augustas Marciulionis

6-4

Saint Mary’s

Bez Mbeng

6-4

Yale

Issac McBride

6-0

Oral Roberts

AJ McKee

6-2

Milwaukee

Trent McLaughlin

6-6

Northern Arizona

Amarri Monroe

6-7

Quinnipiac

Brandon Noel

6-8

Wright State

Jacob Ognacevic

6-8

Lipscomb

Caden Pierce

6-7

Princeton

Josh Pascarelli

6-3

Marist

Quimari Peterson

6-1

ETSU

John Poulakidas

6-6

Yale

Matt Rogers

6-9

American

Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa

6-2

Columbia

Christian Shumate

6-6

McNeese

Javan Simmons

6-7

Toledo

Payton Sparks

6-10

Ball State

Ray'Sean Taylor

6-1

SIU Edwardsville

Earl Timberlake

6-6

Bryant

Lamar Wilkerson

6-5

Sam Houston

JaCobi Wood

6-2

Murray State

 

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 recipient of the 2023-24 award will be announced in April, in Phoenix, AZ site of the men's 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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